SAME, TANZANIA – Former Prime Minister John Samuel Malecela has called on Tanzanians to prioritize the tourism sector, describing it as a vital engine for foreign exchange earnings and national economic growth.
Speaking during the official opening of the third edition of the Same Utalii Festival in Same District, Malecela noted that many nations globally sustain their economies primarily through tourism. He emphasized that for Tanzania to fully realize this potential, citizens must maintain peace and uphold the spirit of hospitality.
“In tourism, it is like having a flock of ten thousand pigeons gathered in one spot; if a single stone is thrown, they all scatter. Therefore, the foundation of our tourism must be the peace of our country,” Malecela remarked.
The veteran statesman, who served in government for over 40 years, highly commended the Same District Commissioner (DC), Kasilda Mgeni, for her innovation in establishing the festival. He admitted that throughout his long career, he had rarely seen a district-level initiative successfully attract such a massive and diverse audience to promote local attractions.
District Commissioner Kasilda Mgeni reported that the festival, which debuted in 2023, has already yielded significant results. According to DC Mgeni, tourist arrivals at Mkomazi National Park have surged from 4,000 to 11,000 annually. Similarly, visitors to the Chome–Shengena Nature Forest Reserve increased from 72 to 200 per year.
Despite the success, the DC urged the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to improve infrastructure leading to key attractions. She also proposed specialized training for "bodaboda" (motorcycle taxi) operators to empower them to act as professional local guides for visiting tourists.
Representing the central government, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Mloba Mabula, pledged continued collaboration with the Same District. He stated that the ministry aims to use Same as a model for other districts in promoting grassroots tourism across the country.
Would you like to focus the social media captions for this story on the economic growth figures or Malecela’s "pigeon" peace analogy?
0 Comments:
Post a Comment