Tanzania Receives 120 Hong Kong Tourists

By Deus Ngowi in Arusha

TOURISM sector is getting yet more mileage as 120 tourists from Hong Kong arrived in the country for sightseeing in national parks.

The tourists touched down at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), as the country keeps on attracting tourists, with current records having it that the number of international arrivals has

increased by more than 13.5 per cent in the past one year.

The tourists were received early this week by the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Constantine Kanyasu, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Chairman, Judge, Thomas Mihayo and TTB Managing Director, Ms Devotha Mdachi. Judge (rtd), Mihayo said the increase of tourists, including the latest group was a result of concerted effort by the board and other stakeholders, pledging for more hard work from TTB officials so that tourism increases government revenue as days unfold.

Ms Mdachi said more effort is put in promoting tourism attractions to countries in the Far East, Middle East, Europe, America and Asia through collaboration with Tanzania embassies' officials.

She unveiled that when in the country, the tourists will visit Serengeti National Park and Ngorogoro Conservation Area to see wonders of the world.

According to report findings the '2018 International Visitors Exit Survey Report' the number of tourists in Tanzania has increased to 1.5 million last year compared to 1.3 million in 2017.

Minister Kanyasu said the ministry was happy that all government plans on the tourism sector were going on well, specifically increasing the number of tourists in the country.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof. Adolph Mkenda, said that execution of the strategy to increase the number of tourists is going hand in hand with improvement of infrastructure so that access to the tourism attractions is made easy.

Professor Mkenda said that attention is prioritized to attractions that are found south of the country but not forgetting those in the north of the country that have been common to many tourists.