In January and February of 2022, Tanzania received a total of 195,483 visitors. Fast forward a year later to January and February 2023, Tanzania received over 290,896 tourists. This is equivalent to a 48.8 per cent increase over the same period last year.
There are several factors that have contributed to the recent growth of tourism in Tanzania. While most of this number can be attributed to recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, there are also other instruments that have helped to facilitate this.
Let’s discuss this.
1. Governmental strategy…
The Tanzanian government offers tax exemptions on imports of capital goods and raw materials for investors in the tourism sector for up to 10 years.
The minimum amount that must be invested to benefit from this is US$ 100,000 for projects which are wholly owned by Tanzanian citizens and US$ 500,000 for projects which are wholly owned by foreign investors or for a joint venture.
Land is also provided to investors for tourism development at subsidised rates, with long-term leases. Investors can enter into multi-year contractual arrangements to establish camps, lodges and other facilities in Wildlife Management Areas.
In addition, Tanzania has established special economic zones (SEZs) to promote tourism development. These SEZs offer investors special tax incentives, simplified regulatory procedures, and access to infrastructure.
2. Infrastructural Development
Tanzania has made significant investments in infrastructure in recent years to support the growth of tourism. Since 2019, two international airports (The Julius Nyerere International Airport and The Kilimanjaro International Airport) have been renovated and upgraded to meet international standards.
Kilimanjaro Airport is the most common point of entry for international tourists, the upgrade and expansion project has helped to increase the number of arrivals.
A new international airport was constructed in Dodoma and launched in 2022, bringing the number of international airports to four – reasonably sufficient for a country with a population of 62 million people.
Tanzania has also invested in upgrading its road network, including the construction of new roads and the rehabilitation of existing ones. For example, the Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road, which connects Tanzania to Kenya, has been upgraded to a dual carriageway.
A Standard Gauge Railway is also under construction to link Tanzania to the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Uganda, and through Burundi and DR Congo.
A new port in Bagamoyo which is expected to become the largest port in East Africa is in the works, despite having been stalled by previous governments.
3. Even the Presidency is pitching in…..
The Presidency has also demonstrated its support for the growth of tourism. For the first time in Tanzania’s history, the Head of State, President Samia Suluhu Hassan decided to feature in the Tanzania Royal Tour documentary released in April 2022.
This documentary has since generated millions of views in whole or in part.
This is a commendable gesture, seeing the Head of State participate in a promotional campaign for tourism. And this presented good results for themed tourism, seeing as the number of safari trips to the Ngorongoro nature reserve increased marginally since then.
What more can be done?
Despite such efforts and results obtained, more needs to be done in getting more people from Africa to travel within Africa.
A significant number of these visitors are from outside the continent; 6 of the top 10 sources for visitors are France, Italy, USA, Germany, Poland and the UK. Domestic tourism needs to be developed as a culture in Africa.
While this can be narrowed down to a lack of financial resources by the average African, those with disposable income have an “unhealthy relationship” with the Maldives, Mykonos, Santorini, Dubai and Parises of the world – the popular tourist destinations. Addressing common stereotypes and people who may paint a picture of a backwater environment will help encourage more people to visit.
Conclusion – Lessons for Nigeria
A lack of reliable statistics and data about the number of tourists can be detrimental to planning efforts. With up-to-date data, it will be easier to track the indices that show growth and plan well for an expansion.
There is a lot of potential for domestic tourism including revenue generation and employment creation. Therefore, we need to develop effective data banking in this area in Nigeria in order to facilitate development. This will involve a committed and concerted effort from all stakeholders in the sector including tourist organisations, hotels, airlines, immigration services etc.
Currently, Nigeria gets most of its tourism push from the private sector, with young and adventurous influencers. The public sector has to pitch in as well, especially at the highest level. Having a clear plan and outlining policies that can help to achieve our tourism development goals will help speed up our growth in this regard exponentially.