AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi says the Tourism and Heritage ministry has to change because he is not satisfied with the running of the tourism sector considering that the Isles economy very much depends on the sector.
Dr Mwinyi gave the observation Monday this week when he met with Tourism and Heritage ministry officials at a special meeting to receive performance reports from ministers and Permanent Secretaries on directives given to them at the time they were sworn in late last year.
Dr Mwinyi said to a very large extent the Isles economy depended on tourism but still there were so many issues that have not being going right.
He said among efforts very much needed was to concentrate more on advertising the tourism sector in order to achieve the intended goals.
He said the meeting aimed at fixing the sector’s operations hence, he added, there was every reason for the ministry to change to ensure tourism attains the intended goals in strengthening Zanzibar’s economy.
I regard to heritage sites, President Mwinyi explained the need for instituting special procedures for them that perform more than it was at the present, as the sites were among tourist attractions contributing to the ministry’s revenues.
He also stressed the importance of electronic revenue collection, the step that will help in plugging revenue loss in the sector.
In regard to Zanzibar Stone Town buildings, Dr Mwinyi stressed for the ministry to find investors to invest in some of the selected buildings as well as to refurbish the town’s infrastructures to become the Tourist Stone Town
He said it would be better for the history to be preserved and for those who invaded tourist sites should be removed.
For her part, the Chief Secretary, Eng. Zena Ahmed Said explained on the need for the ministry to refurbish Stone Town’s infrastructures.
Earlier the Tourism and Heritage minister Lela Muhammed Mussa congratulated Dr Mawinyi for the pace in serving the people of Zanzibar to ensure they attain development without discrimination over political affiliation, religion, colour or tribe.
She said among her ministry’s priorities for the coming five years – 2021-2025 – include the creation of new tourist attractions and strengthening the existing ones to attain the goal of having 850,000 visitors, as well as increasing the number of days for them to remain in the country from four to nine days by 2025.
