Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA) has recorded an increase in passenger arrivals of 13 percent as of July this year compared to a similar period in 2023.
TAA also said it is planning to revamp and build new VIP lounges in the Mwanza and Arusha airports, as well as the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), in its efforts to improve services provided to tourists and investors arriving in the country.
TAA director general Mussa Mbura made the revelation on Monday, July 22, 2024, shortly after launching two brand new Mercedes-Benz E-Class 300 that were purchased by Swissport for the provision of transport services to clients using the VIP Lounge at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA).
Speaking during the event, he said passengers arriving in the country through airports have increased from 2.8 million recorded in 2023 to 3.8 million, according to recent statistics.
The increase is equivalent to 13 percent, with Mr Mbura expressing optimism that since the high season has just commenced, arrivals through the JNIA, KIA and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) will surge further, reaching the end of the year.
“We are expecting to receive over four million arrivals this year, higher than past records. In 2021/22, only 2.2 million passengers arrived in the country through airports. However, the number has been increasing gradually for the third consecutive year,” he said.
Mr Mbura attributed the increase to the positive impact of the Royal Tour documentary that triggered an increase in tourists and the ongoing implementation of major investment projects in the country.
Speaking about the VIP Lounge projects, he said the government has allocated funds in the 2024/25 fiscal year to improve and construct new facilities at the Mwanza and Arusha airports, as well as the KIA.
He noted that about Sh500 million to Sh600 million would be used for the project, depending on the location.
“Since this is business, TAA will recover the invested amount in just a year because, unlike in the past, when clients were charged Sh50,000 per person, the amount has been increased to an average of Sh150,000 to Sh200,000 or Sh270,000 for business tycoons,” he said.
He said the VIP lounge service is provided according to the class of users, ranging from ordinary citizens, diplomats, and business tycoons to people who would like to maintain their privacy and those on private jets.
Furthermore, he said in March last year, the sixth-phase government disbursed Sh600 million for the refurbishment of the JNIA VIP Lounge, which involved the provision of new furniture and Wi-Fi systems, among others, to meet increasing client demands.
He said the challenge remained in the provision of state-of-the-art vehicles that would be carrying VIP Lounge clients, a demand that has been responded to by Swissport through the procurement of the two modern cars.
Swisport Tanzania chief executive officer, Mrisho Yassin, said for the last 10 years, the company has been offering transport services to VIP Lounge clients using different types of vehicles.
“We are thrilled to launch the modern Mercedes-Benz E-Class 300 that will be used to transport passengers from the VIP Lounge to their respective aircraft,” he said, noting that the cars have a value of Sh700 million, including paid government taxes.
Mr Yassin said that despite the escalating competition in ground handling services, the company remains stronger due to its endless investment in human resources and improved services.
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
ALSO READ: NBC participates in TFF 2023/24 awards, promises to enhance competition
On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.
The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.
In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.
Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.
“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”
Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Source: allafrica.com
Tato faults Zanzibar mandatory insurance for arriving visitors
Tato chairman has dismissed the new policy is an unnecessary and duplicative burden on touristsContinue Reading
