Tanzania: Us NGO Vows to Market Tanzania's Hunting Prospects

By Daily News Reporter in Arusha

A US hunters' organisation has pledged to market Tanzania to get more professional hunters.

Safari Club International Former President Steve Skold assured the Tanzania Wildlife Management

Authority (Tawa) that Tanzania was a hunting haven, but was yet to be optimally utilised by professional hunters.

"Tanzania is revered for not only fauna and flora, but also boasts of the economic hunting potential which is growing day by day," noted Mr Skold during his recent tour of Muyowosi Game Reserve in Kigoma.

For his part, Tawa Deputy Commissioner Imani Nkuwi expressed gratitude to the US organisation for playing a crucial role in marketing Tanzania as far as hunting was concerned.

According to Mr Nkuwi, almost 70 per cent of professional hunters having hunting blocks in the country are from the US, which shows the organisation's determination in marketing the country.

In Tanzania, a hunting block can fetch $280,000 a year through fees, while South Africa and Namibia enjoy the lion's share of visitors who tour the countries for hunting purposes.

Tanzania is pegged with the likes of Zambia, Botswana and Mozambique which enjoy a shared 40-per cent of tourists who visit the countries for hunting activities.

According to Tawa, 25 per cent of revenue accrued from game fees goes to communities where hunting takes place.

Currently, local communities receive $2m annually from hunting activities of which 60 per cent supports community development projects while the remaining 40 per cent is used for conservation activities in reserves.

Hunting remains an important sub-sector in Tanzania, as it can generate between $20 and $80m in direct government revenue annually.

The staggering amount excludes indirect contributions to other sectors of the economy like airlines, pre and post safari accommodation and shopping.