Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has laid emphasis on capitalising on new tourism products with a view of bolstering the lucrative sector.
Addressing lawmakers in Dodoma for the first time since she was sworn in as Head of State, President Samia said the country stands to reap more fortunes with such products in sight.
She singled out Conference Tourism, Beach Tourism, Heritage Tourism and Cruise Ships as some of the potential products that the country could capitalise on.
“The country aspires to identify new tourism products and also woo more investors to the sector,” said the President.
Ms Samia’s assertions echo her predecessor’s intent of diversifying tourism products in a bid to increase tourist arrivals to five million by 2025.
While inaugurating the 12th parliament in the country’s capital last year, the late Dr John Pombe Magufuli noted that the lucrative sector had registered major strides, but there was a lot to be harpooned from it.
The departed leader insisted that it was imperative to start promoting conference, beach and hunting tourism in achieving the envisaged feat.
The sector, which employs about four million Tanzanians, had in 2019 raked in $2.6bn worth of revenues from $1.9bn that it bagged in 2015.
The industry also saw a total 1.5milion tourist touring the country in 2019 from 1.1milion who visited the East African nation in 2015, according to President Samia. In the same vein, the Head of State exuded confidence in the sector’s performance, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Even with the pandemic hovering over us, we project to receive five million tourists come 2025,” she hinted.
Such a feat will also see the country rake in 6bn US dollars, according to the President. Similarly, the government will embark on training youth working in the tourism and hospitality sector.
According to President Samia, the move will reduce the country’s dependence on foreign experts.
