CO-DIRECTOR of Tanzania-Zambia Railways
Authority (TAZARA) documentary film: A Journey Without End that intends
to attract tourists from China and Asian countries, Dr Niels Hahn
(right), exchanges views with the railway authority Managing Director
and CEO, Mr Bruno Ching’andu (centre) and Embassy of the People’s
Republic of China Minister- Counsellor, Mr Gou Haodong in Dar es Salaam,
yesterday. (Photo by Iddy Mwema)
A NEWLY launched drive to produce a documentary on the Tanzania Zambia Railway line is anticipated to increase the number of tourists from China and other Asian countries.
The Minister-counselor of the Chinese
Embassy in Tanzania, Mr Gou Haodong, said this at a ceremony to
inaugurate the filming of the documentary “TAZARA: A Journey without an
End” in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.
“We want to make sure that the TAZARA
railway is transformed from just an ordinary railway to a railway line
of development and prosperity. To the Chinese, we have a special memory
of this great project not only on the financial cost, but also on the
human sacrifices that took place,” observed Mr Haodong.
He noted that majority of the Chinese
people are curious and interested to know what is happening to TAZARA
currently. They want to see the railway line. “The documentary will be
able to tell not only of the beauty of TAZARA, but also give a highlight
of other things offered through the railway line, it includes
highlighting Selous which is the largest game reserve in the African
continent,” he said.
The Minister-Counselor pointed out that
the move is going to attract a big number of Chinese nationals to visit
the country and witness the beautiful scenery of the railway. For the
Chinese people, he said it is a very important legacy and a symbol of
solidarity among Tanzania, Zambia and China.
Mr Haodong further noted that the team
deployed with the task will take a period of one month to do the
shooting and the rest of the work is expected to be completed in July
and August. “Tanzania has the best tourist attractions, leave alone the
natural resources and other cultural heritages, therefore, this platform
will help to promote them,” he noted.
According to the Managing Director and
Chief Executive Officer of the Tanzania and Zambia Railway Authority
(TAZARA), Mr Bruno Ching’andu, as the train passes through the largest
game reserve across the continent, it’s rare that one can enjoy such
facilities.
“We believe the documentary is going to
bring in more people into the country to enjoy the facilities of tourism
through the railway line,” said Mr Ching’andu. The CEO revealed that
they will be going to Selous and Zambia to film and speak to the former
President, Mr Kenneth Kaunda and some other dignitaries who took part
during the construction of TAZARA, including some of the workforce.
“This history is part of a big number of
Chinese people, imagine attracting just 10 per cent of them through the
documentary; they are going to flood the country in terms of tourism,”
he said. Mr Ching’andu disclosed that the documentary among other things
will be a great input to the GDP of the country.
“As the CEO of TAZARA, my aspiration is
to see more and more people come and use the TAZARA railway and enjoy
the facility,” emphasised the CEO. Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB)
Principal Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Tengeneza, said they are
very pleased with the move to promote the railway line, which is a way
of creating a potential market in China and its neighbouring countries.
Besides China, Mr Tengeneza said TAZARA
also receives tourists from South Africa through the Rovos Tourist train
operating five times from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam.
Among partners in support of producing
the documentary includes the Chinese Embassy, TTB, an expert in
development studies, Dr Niels Hahn from London, Zhejiang Normal
University in Jinhua, China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East
African Cooperation, among others.
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