TOURISM IS A DECLINING TRADE IN TANZANIA DESPITE ABUNDANCE  FACILITIES AND ATTRACTION SCENERY.

Business News By Leo Odera Omolo

TANZANIA is reported to be seriously concerned with the rapidly declining trend over non-arrival of visitors, especially the tourist from Western European countries  and the US.

Reports emerging from Dar Es Salaam say non-arrival of visitors and tourists has put that country in a state of financial alertness, as the country has always relied heavily on tourism for its foreign exchange. The country has plenty of tourist attraction scenery plus abundance facilities, much fewer visitors came this year.

Government sources in both political capital of Dodoma in the Central region and the commercial capital of Dar Es Salaam indicate that tourist arrival in the country declined by 10 per cent in the first ten months of 2009, to reach 576,663 down from 641,951 in 2008.

These reports are backed by the UN World Tourist Organization 2009 report entitled “World Tourist Barometer”, which projects the negative trend in international tourism emerged in the second half of 2008 and at the same time sustained in 2009, due to the global economic downturn and swine flu pandemics.

According to a report recently published by the organization, international tourism dropped by 8 per cent from 269 million in 2008 to 247 million in 2009. The report also speculates that the declining trend will carry on up the year 2010.

However, Ibrahim Musa, who is an assistant director of research, training and statistics at the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, was last week quoted by the influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN as saying that the effect of the global crunch has not badly wounded the country.

This is so despite statistics showing declining figures with exception of the month of July, which recorded 79,171 visitors compared to 77,775 visitors in 2008.

The trend is replicated in Zanzibar where the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism has reported only 81,988 tourists arrivals against a projected figure of 150,000 in 2009.

It is possible that Zanzibar will not salvage the situation that has badly affected the economy because peak period are fast elapsing.

Mr Julius Bishop, the director of Zanzibar Association of Tourism investors, is however optimistic about the country recovery from the crisis.

Tanzania earned USD 1.2 million from tourism activities in 2008, while Zanzibar received USD 1.6 million, which is a 3.1 percent decline from the figure that was recorded in 2007.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the average length of stay for foreign visitors in Tanzania mainland was nine nights as compared to 10 in Zanzibar, which earned the country USD 299 per visitor per day.

Tanzania is now intensifying efforts to revamp domestic tourism, which grew by 19.3 percent to reach 639,749 in 2009 compared to 2008.
The Northern Tanzanian region of Arusha offer spectacular tourist attraction, with its abundant wild life at the world famous Serengeti National Game Park, Lake Manyara , both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru scenery, and other centers of tourist attraction, with several well kept and well stocked lodges and camps.

Ends
Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com