Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 08:18:36 -0700 [10:18:36 AM CDT]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: DAR HOSTS ECO-TOURISM CONFERENCE FOR TEN COUNTRIES OF AFRICA AND EUROPE
Business Report by Leo Odera Omolo
Tourism investors from ten countries last week held a crucial meeting in the Tanzanian Capital, Dar Es salaam where they discussed means and ways how to promote eco-system tourism.
Eco-tourism makes ups 70 per cent of the countries tourism industry according to an early statement by the managing directors of Tanzania Tourist Board Mr. Peter Mwenguo.
“If we do not conserve the environment we will not get anything to sell in the future,” he said.
The two days conference brought together 130 tourist stakeholder from Zambia, Malawi Mozambique, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa Norway, Netherland and host Tanzana.
The participant sponsored by Freds Korpset, a Norwegian development institution and coordinated by the Tanzania media women Association is part of global initiative to conserver the environment moment against human activities and climate change.
Participants snored and learn how to source and promotion of tourism industry.
Mr. Mwenguo had earlier urged the local operators to use gathering to market their products and make contact with player in other countries.
The delegates also learnt the latest development in tourism industry and climate change and how to cope with the latter effects
The participants also discussed how to utilize sustainable tourism as a source of income generation.
In many developing countries, tourism is one of the biggest foreign exchange earners.
In the host Tanzania itself, the sector contributes about 17.2 per cent of the gross domestic product and more than 25 per cent of foreign currency earning s
Tourism industries is catalyst for the growth of other sectors such as construction, manufacturing transport, education, textiles, agriculture, fishing and handcrafts.
But Tanzania is wary of expanding its tourist infrastructure to meet the increasing demand
Proposal to expand Tanzania’s hotel inventory include the development of luxury tented camps and 5-stars resorts and luxury urban hotels targeting business travelers drawn by the country’s growing energy agricultural, chemical and mining sectors.
The Tourism Ministry is also actively working on iniatives by encouraging existing hotels to upgrade to international standards and grade them under the East Africa hotel grading harmonization approach
The proposal SADC unillisa of which Tanzania will be a port, is expected to operate as the European Schengen visa system, which is by far considered the best model, however,
Ends
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