EALA MEMBERS CALL FOR INTENSIVE MARKETING OF TANZANIA TOURIST SITES

 BY GRACE MACHA IN ARUSHA

Tanzania has been urged to intensify marketing of its tourist sites in order to attract more visitors for increased revenues.

These have to include the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, which remains one of the country's top tourist destinations.

Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) have underscored the need for increased promotion of the world famous site.

This followed a visit to the crater by members of the House Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources after a recent sitting here.

They lauded the government for "unmatched commitment" in conservation, but said much more has to be done in tourism promotion.

"Tanzania must be commended for its commitment to conservation", said Ms Francoise Uwumukiza, an EALA member from Rwanda.

The Ngorogoro Conservation Area (NCA) in Arusha region is a recipient of three World Heritage Site designations by UNESCO.

"It  is no wonder the crater has been made one of the destination sites. With this scale of commitment, it is not difficult to see why", she said.

The lawmaker from Rwanda, who chairs the House Committee, said they picked the crater for their excursion "because NCA is the world's top tourism destination".

Another member of the Committee Ms Fatuma Ndangiza, also from Rwanda,said tourism promotion efforts by Tanzania benefited the East African region at large.

"That is certainly a direct result of the long-term country's commitment in conservation of wildlife, its habitat and cultural heritage", she said.

The trip was organized by a Tanzanian member of the House Dr. Shogo Mlozi-Sedoyeka through an NGO called  The Fungua Trust of which she is the founder and CEO.

"This visit reflects the vision of Fungua Trust which aims at improving the livelihoods of the people of East Africa as a whole", she said.

She said tourism has great potential in the bloc, having registered nearly seven million visitors in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 Dr. Mlozi-Sedoyeka described NCA as a destination of choice and a magnet of holiday makers from around the globe.

A senior official of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) said various strategies have been put in place to attract more visitors.

These include engaging the Parliamentarians from across the East African Community (EAC) region "who attract significant following in the mainstream as well as social media platforms".

Joshua Mwankunda, a senior assistant conservation commissioner at the NCAA, is currently in charge of the Geo Parks project focused on promotion of geological sites for tourism.

Within the 8,292 square kilometre NCA, these include the Olduvai Gorge Museum, the Ancient Laetoli Human Footprints that are 3.6 million years old, the shifting sands and others.