MAGUFULI'S INTERVENTIONS BOOSTED TOURISM- STAKEHOLDERS

    


Stakeholders in the tourism sector yesterday eulogized the late President John Pombe Magufuli for his bold moves to sustain the industry.

They cited scrapping of some taxes for new, local entrepreneurs setting up tour business and revival of Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL). 

"It was a shame that Tanzania did not have a reliable airline with tourism as the leading sector", said  Ergado Welelo, an industry player in Moshi. 

He said after many years of nightmare, President Magufuli made a timely intervention to have the grounded ATCL back to the skies.  

He added that the late leader had the guts to have funds allocated for rehabilitation and upgrading of domestic airports.

Scrapping of some levies for the local tour businesses motivated small scale Tanzanian entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry. 

These, according to him, included the flat rate  $2,000 Tourist Agency Licencing Authority (Tala) licence which has been scrapped. 

He further added the late Magufuli was bold enough to create more national parks despite criticisms from some local and foreign activists. 

New national parks in the western and southern zones have ended the myth that major tourist attractions were only in the northern circuit. 

The new parks under the Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) are Nyerere, Burigi-Chato,Ibanda-Kyerwa, Rumanyika-Karagwe, Kigosi and Ugalla. 

Sanctuaries under Tanapa and allied attractions are the main sources of revenues for the wildlife-based Tanzania tourism industry. 

Andrew Malalika, the director of Jackpot Tours echoed, saying Dr. Magufuli's  feat in his six years of presidency was revival of ATCL.

"He took hard decisions that would  benefit the country and support locals become more competitive", he said. 

Additionally, the late president ensured foreign investors followed the rules in setting up their businesses in Tanzania.

Mr. Malalika, a member of Tanzania Association of Tour Organizations (Tato), appealed to incoming President Samia Suluhu Hassan to continue where her predecessor left.

"Investment conditions should be improved and the foreigners should not dominate local tourism at the expense of the locals", he said.

But he insisted equal importance should be given to mega investors from abroad with guarantees that their investments were secured. 

Jaffar Wallii of Coastal Travel, Arusha, said  the new president has to be aware of the impact of Covid-19 to the economy.

"We are now stranded, there are very few flights compared to pre-Covid era. These are among our challenges", he explained when reached on phone. 

He eulogized the late Magufuli for his "open mindedness" and support to the local enterprises against unfair competition by the foreign firms.

A prominent hotelier in Arusha Walter Maeda said death took the late head of state before his dreams of industrialization were fully realized. 

"Mama Samia Hassan should take over from where he left", he said, noting that the industrialization strategies initiated by Dr. Magufuli could still be implemented.

As businesses mourned, another regional body based in Arusha said it was saddened by the death of the president.

The Pan African Lawyers' Union (Palu) said that it was joining Tanzanians in mourning the death of Dr. Magufuli who had  served for only a few months of his last, five year term.

Palu is an umbrella association of African lawyers and law societies. It brings together the continent's five regional and 54 national lawyers' bodies.  

The message was conveyed by the President of the association Chief Emeka J.P. Obegolu in his condolence message to the government. 

It said the late Magufuli would be remembered for his unwavering commitment and campaign against corruption and illicit financial flows from Africa.


 

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