Africa-Press – Tanzania. PLAYERS in the tourism and hospitality industry have expressed their delight on government’s plan of spending 1.3tri/- Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The stakeholders exuded confidence that the hefty amount will salvage the sector that is still reeling from the effects of Covid-19.
Speaking on separate occasions on the sidelines of the East African Community (EAC) Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE), the players welcomed the move, saying it will help the lucrative sector to bounce back.
The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) Board Member, Timothy Mdinka nodded the government’s move of rescuing the sector, courtesy of the IMF loan.
“The sector is still on its recovery path, such interventions will help it get out of the woods,” explained Mr Mdinka.
The TATO Board Member also lauded the government for its sound precautionary measures it took against Covid-19.
“Tanzania is off the UK’s red list for travel, this goes to show how keen the government is in salvaging tourism,” he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, a Marketing Manager with Serengeti Acacia Camps, Salma Mnaro described the move as music to the ears of the tourism stakeholders.
She commended the government for proposing to channel part of fund to rehabilitate the infrastructure in the national parks.
“Some of the infrastructure is in bad shape, the money will greatly help to breathe of fresh lease of life in the protected areas,” she opined.
She, however, challenged the government to address the multiplicity of taxes and other levies that have been imposed on the operators.
“If it’s possible, the fund could as well be channeled towards addressing issues like the contentious concession fee and guest levies,” she added.
Speaking in the country’s capital in Dodoma yesterday on expenditure of the funds – which roughly amounts to 1.3tri/-, Finance and Planning Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said the money would be used to implement development projects in the education, water, health and tourism sectors.
Tanzania is enjoying rebound of the tourism sector, thanks to steps the government has taken to control the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the current trend, it is highly expected that the number of tourists that will tour the country this year will surpass last year’s.
On Sunday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said in Dodoma that between March and September this year, a total of 464,913 tourists visited the country, adding that on Saturday a huge plane landed at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) from France, with more than 190 tourists.
The plane, she said, was scheduled to fly from KIA to Zanzibar. The President said that the sector is expected to flourish more next year after the release of the documentary titled ‘Royal Tour’ that she has been recording.
The documentary that is meant to promote Tanzania internationally started on August 28th this year in Zanzibar. The Head of State said the documentary will show visitors’ different tourism attractions as well as investment opportunities.
Being one of the key economic sectors in the country, over the few past years the tourism’s impressive growth enhanced macroeconomic diversification from the traditional reliance of agriculture, but was heavily affected by the emergence of the Coronavirus and now the government is kick-starting the sector.
Tourism is one of the cornerstones of Tanzania’s economy, contributing about 17.2 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 25 per cent of all foreign exchange revenues.
