Tourist arrivals increased by 10 per cent in 2016

FLORENCE MUGARULA

TOURISM sector has recorded good performance in the period of 10 months from January to October, 2016 with the arrival of a total 1,020,816 tourists in the country.

The sector has recorded an increase of 96,374 tourists, which is 10.42 percent increase compared to the same period in 2015 when a total of 924,442 tourists visited the country from January to October.

Earlier last year, the government established value added tax (VAT) on tourism services amid criticism that the idea would affect tourism businesses in the country. However, until October, 2016, the number of tourists who arrived in the country has increased compared to 2015.

Speaking on the state of economy in the country, the Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Philip Mpango said official statistics show the number of tourists who visited the country after the introduction of VAT on tourism services is bigger than that of 2015.

“VAT has nothing to do with poor performance in the tourism sector, the number of tourists has increased even after the introduction of VAT in 2016,” said Dr Mpango. According to Dr Mpango, in the first quarter of 2016, a total of 284,378 tourists visited the country compared to 265,490 tourists who visited in the same period in 2015.

He added that in the second quarter, at least 242,460 tourists arrived in the country while in the same period in 2015 the number was 239,221. Dr Mpango added that in the third quarter of 2016, the number increased to 369,355 compared to 335,610 of the same period in 2015.

Moreover in October, 2016 a total of 124,623 tourists arrived in the country while in the same month in 2015 at least 84,121 tourists arrived in the country.

According to the statistics released by the Minister, the number of tourists who arrived through Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) increased from 238,423 of 2015 to 252,524 in 2016, which makes increase of 5.91 per cent.

Moreover tourists who used Kilimanjaro International Airport in 2015 were 126,286 Tourist arrivals increased by 10 per cent in 2016 0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 300000 2015 2016 238,423 252,524 Tourists who arrived through Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) from 2015-2016 0 30000 60000 90000 120000 150000 2015 2016 109,738 139,284 Tourists who used Abeid Amani Karume International Airport from 2015 - 2016 0 30000 60000 90000 120000 150000 2015 2016 126,286 137,024 Tourists who used Kilimanjaro International Airport from 2015 - 2016 while in 2016 the number increased to 137,024.

At Abeid Amani Karume International Airport the number increased from 109,738 to 139,284 in 2016.

Other entrance that recorded an increase of arrivals include Namanga with 23.43 increase, Kasumul increased by 21.63 per cent, Sirari recorded 29.07 per cent, Zanzibar port increased by 35.16 per cent, Kabanga recorded 23.49 per cent increase while those who arrived through Manyovu increased by 4.44 per cent.

Dr Mpango said the statistics show clearly and categorically that the introduction of VAT on tourism services did not affect in one way or another tourism business. He invited tourism stakeholders to come up with strong argument during the review of the 2017/2018 financial budget.

Tourist arrivals broke the 1 million-barrier for the first time in 2012 when the number of foreign visitors surged 24 per cent. The number rose 1.7 per cent in 2013 to 1.095 million, bringing in 1.85BN/- US dollar (3.15 trl/-). Most of the visitors came from Britain, Germany, the United States and Italy.

In 2014 the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) said the number of tourists visiting the country was expected to double to 2 million by 2017.

Last December, the TTB chairman, Judge (rtd) Thomas Mihayo said that the board was looking forward to promote local tourism by arranging transport services for domestic travellers to visit various tourists’ attractions across the country.