This includes having adequate supply of skilled manpower and capital for infrastructure development, reducing multiplicity in levies and taxes as well as diversified tourism products and sourcing cheap financing.
The suggestions are according to analysis by Breakthrough Attorney and PwC Tanzania dubbed: ‘Investment update: A look into the tourism sector in Tanzania – policy, law, incentive, and strategy,’ and ‘The future of Tourism in Tanzania,’ respectively.
Breakthrough was of the view that inadequate skilled manpower, affects the handling of both the wildlife and tourists management at the hotel level, thus negatively affecting the quality of customer service rendered to tourists.
On the other hand, with lacking investment capital as far as developing the sector’s infrastructures which includes roads, decent accommodation facilities, and investing into researching, and other such environment, it is harder for the sector to thrive.
Other areas that legal experts think should be appropriately addressed for the sector to flourish, include addressing poaching issues as the awful act reduces the number of animals in National parks and Game reserves.
But Ms Zainab Msimbe, a partner with PwC Tanzania doubts the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability as it faces persisted bottlenecks that need to be tackled if the sector is to be improved.
“These include limited access to cheap financing, inadequate tourism infrastructure, a multiplicity of levies, insufficient diversity in product offerings, and lack of sufficient hotel and airport facilities,” she said.
According to her, Tanzania needs to re-examine its tourism taxes and levies so as to reduce multiplicity and create competitiveness across the region as the country is deemed to be an expensive destination compared with South Africa and Kenya.
Tanzania ranks higher than Kenya with respect to safety and security, but lower than Kenya when it comes to tourist service infrastructure.
“For instance, the drive from Dar es Salaam to Selous Game Reserve, the largest game reserve in Africa, is bumpy and long, taking an average of 7-8 hours,” the report reads in part.
Therefore, the study adds: “Flying is a better option and the fastest way to get to Selous. However, it is the most expensive and hence suits more high-end tourists.”
On the other hand, more effort is required to attract private sector investment in hotels and ensure diversity in the offered services.
The current hotel capacity in Mainland and Zanzibar cannot cater for the expected influx of 5 million tourists by 2025, and that improvement in efficiencies and flight handling capacity at the airports is another area which requires fixing.
Automation of immigration procedures in Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro Airports will help fast track the process. Instead of having a paperwork checking system, barcodes should be set to scan all the documents. This will help to reduce unnecessary queues at the airports during high season.
Other than wildlife and beaches, the Ministry for Tourism should spearhead the innovation of new tourist attractions.
Media reports indicate that major source markets for Tanzania’s international tourism are the USA, which accounts for 13.2 percent, the UK representing at least 9.5 percent, with the remaining percentage representing other countries.
Data captured by the immigration department by August this year, indicates that in the period between January to July this year, Tanzania registered 742,133 tourists, a 62.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. It is noted that Tanzania ranked tenth among fifty African countries in tourism growth. By, April 2020, tourism earnings accounted for more than 24 percent of the total share of exports, making tourism the second largest foreign exchange earner after agriculture.
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Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit
Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.
While Tanzania’s Ministry of Health declared last week that all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg, the WHO called for additional testing at international reference laboratories.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”Amelia Clemence, public health researcher
Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).
“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.
Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.
Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.
The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.
“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.
She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.
“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.
Cross-border transmission
The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.
The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.
Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”
The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.
The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.
Transparency urged
Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.
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“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.
“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.
The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Source: allafrica.com
