In a significant development for Tanzania's tourism sector, multiple global companies have demonstrated keen interest in investing in accommodation, transportation, and promotional activities, according to the Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Ms Angellah Kairuki.
During the recently concluded International Tourism Boerse (ITB) in Germany, Ms Kairuki expressed her satisfaction with the proactive approach exhibited by these international companies toward investing in Tanzania.
Ms Kairuki highlighted her meeting with the TUI Group, a German-based conglomerate with a global presence, boasting over 400 hotels, 16 cruise ships, five airlines, and more than 1200 logistics companies. Notably, the TUI Group has already invested in Zanzibar and is set to inaugurate its ninth hotel in mainland Tanzania this June.
Impressed by the TUI Group's commitment, Ms Kairuki emphasized the company's ongoing efforts to diversify flight routes, aiming to attract more tourists to Tanzania's game reserves and national parks.
Additionally, Ms Kairuki engaged with a US-based company that transports over 1.2 million tourists globally. The company expressed its interest, and by May 2024, plans to bring 40 tourist agencies to explore various areas in Tanzania.
In another significant development, Ms Kairuki discussed strategies to enhance Tanzania's tourism promotion, including televised programs, with the Expedia Group, a renowned international tourism company.
Damas Mfugale, the General Director of the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), highlighted the ITB's pivotal role as a platform for attracting foreign tourists and fostering the overall development of the country's tourism sector.
The ITB, a leading Business-to-business (B2B) international platform for the tourism industry, brings together various companies in the sector, encompassing hotels, tourist boards, tour operators, system providers, airlines, and car rental companies.