Serengeti hunters still missing, says Mara RPC

THE whereabouts of six people who went missing while hunting in the Serengeti National Park (SENAPA) in the past several days is still not known. 

But there are unconfirmed reports that the men all hailing from Gibasso village that is adjacent to the park might have been eaten by crocodiles. 

''The search is still going on them and we can't say that they have been killed unless we see dead bodies'', Regional Police Commander (RPC) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Constantine Masawe told the 'Daily News' on Wednesday. 

He named them as Chacha Marwa Gasaya, Wang'enyi Marwa Mohere, Marwa Moseti Goyagwe, Tore Magoigwa Chiware, Marwa Sira Sira who went missing on October 31 and Mwita Marwa Makuri who went missing on October 6, according to ACP Masawe. 

The RPC refuted recent reports that the alleged poachers had gone to graze cows in the park. 

''It is not true that they went to graze cows, they went to hunt wild animals according survivors,'' ACP Masawe said. 

Police in Tarime have until Wednesday been looking for the men in collaboration with their counterparts in the neighbouring Kenya, the RPC said. He described the exercise as tough without going into details. 

He however warned villagers residing near the world famous park to refrain from entering the park to kill animals for the purpose of getting game meat. 

''I call upon people to respect the borders. There are dangerous animals there (park) and anything can happen'', the regional police chief said. 

Local leaders have accused relevant authorities for not doing enough to find out whether the men have been killed or not. Tarime District Commissioner (DC) Mr John Henjewele could not immediately be reached for comment. 

Poaching is still one of the major challenges facing conservation of in SENAPA and majority of poachers hail from Serengeti and Tarime districts followed by other districts with some villages adjacent to the park, according the park officials.

Serengeti Road

The BBC's Christine Otieno examines the possible consequences of the proposed commercial road through Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
Please visit to listen from this link

Serengeti Great Migration

The Serengeti hosts the largest migration in the world, which is one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world.

The region contains several national parks and game reserves. Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language, Maa; specifically, "Serengit" meaning "Endless Plains".

Around October, nearly two million herbivores travel from the northern hills toward the southern plains, crossing the Mara River, in pursuit of the rains. In April, they then return to the north through the west, once again crossing the Mara River. This phenomenon is sometimes called the Circular Migration.

Some 250,000 wildebeest die during the journey from Tanzania to Masai Mara Reserve in lower Kenya, a total of 800 kilometres (500 mi). Death is usually from thirst, hunger, exhaustion, or predation. The migration is chronicled in the 1994 documentary film, Africa: The Serengeti. On January 2007 there was great herds of White eared kob and now rivals with the Kobs migration.

Currently there is controversy surrounding a proposed road that is to be built through the Serengeti in Tanzania.

If you would like to support Serengeti Watch join here

World Scientists Petition for Alternate Highway / Warn of Dangers

Save the Serengeti asked experts around the world to sign a petition asking the government of Tanzania to abandon plans for a northern route through the Serengeti and build an alternate route.  In addition a survey was included asking scientists to evaluate the likelihood of various impacts, and add their own information.

Read more:  http://www.savetheserengeti.org/news/highway-news/world-scientists-petition-for-alternate-highwaywarn-of-dangers/#ixzz12GwmCqBp

What I should know for Safari?

"> Everyone agrees that there is substantial planning required by those considering a safari in Africa. How far in advance should I book my safari?It is better to book as far in advance as possible to ensure availability at the time you wish to travel, especially during the high/peak seasons - June to Oct and Christmas/New Year season. What should I take on safari? (Should be used as a guide only) As you will want to capture as much as possible of this amazing tour, don’t forget a camera, camcorder with lots of films, tapes, and replacement batteries for all these. A torch light would come in very handy. Sunglasses, hat, sun lotion, lip-balm, insect repellents and your own toiletry requirements, small first-aid kit, a spare pair of glasses or lenses if you are using one. Don’t forget a swimming costume and you might want to include a good book for the relaxing hours. Sleeping-bags and towels if you are planning for camping safaris must be included.What should I take for mountain climbing? (Should be used as a guide only) Sunglasses/Snow goggles, Rucksack & day pack, 3-4 season sleeping-bag, Insulation pad, Balaclava or woolen hat, Long sleeved shirt, Several pairs of socks, Gloves, Waterproof trousers & jacket, Warm sweaters, Anorak/raincoat, Gaiters, Water-bottle, Wooden walking stick, Hiking boots, Pair of light walking shoes, Warm scarf, Toiletry requirements, Flashlight with batteries, Sun protection cream, Small first aid kit, Lip salve, A whistle and some plastic bags. Baggage Limit: 1 bag 15kgs maximum. It is advisable to have your own insurance covering, travel, medical, baggage and personal injury. Persons undergoing medical treatment should obtain approval from their doctor prior to booking the trek. The trek is taken at the clients own risk. What kind of food do I expect during the trip?  The quality and variety of food available on safari will be a pleasant surprise for our clients. Most lodges serve meals in buffet-style. The food is prepared according to the western-tastes, and includes some local cuisine too. If a camping safari is chosen, fresh meat and produce is prepared by the expert chefs accompanying the clients to the highest standards. Special dietary requirements such as vegetarian or diabetic meals can be easily arranged with prior notice. A vegetarian or vegan may wish to bring along some alternative protein sources. Persons with multiple food allergies, it is advisable to bring along supplemental snacks. Please notify us of any possible dietary restrictions along with booking confirmation Is drinking water safe? In some places tap water is safe, but generally, it is not advisable to drink or brush your teeth with tap water. Bottled water is available everywhere and in almost all Lodges and Hotels and all super markets. On treks and safaris, it is better to carry sufficient bottled water. What Type of Clothes to take? : For safaris, especially in Northern Tanzania (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Arusha), during the day, light clothing is recommended with sturdy shoes and canvas hats. During the night in areas like Arusha and the Ngorongoro Highlands; where the altitude is between 1500 - 2500 Metres; a cardigan or pullover may be essential. In the same pack, remember your sun cream, lotions, sun glasses, a pair of binoculars, and a camera with rolls of film. What would be the accommodations like? Wide range of accommodations is available to suit your budget, lodges, hotels, tented camps, permanent camps to name a few. Most hotels are a nice blend of luxury, ambience, offering picturesque views. Once an inquiry is submitted, we provide you with a detailed list of accommodations available to suit your requirements. Advise regarding photography?For wildlife photography, a 200 mm zoom lens is the smallest that you should use, A 300-400 zoom is preferable. For bird-watchers, a 500mm or larger is necessary, and a wide-angle lens would be ideal for scenic shots. Bring extra camera and flash batteries and plenty of film - you may find these quite expensive and difficult to obtain locally.

Help to save Serengeti

It's the greatest threat in the Serengeti's history — the government of Tanzania has approved a major commercial highway across the Serengeti National Park, in the direct path of ancient wildlife migration routes. Such a highway would be devastating.
Read how can do it here by following this link

Bagamoyo, Tanzania: A Proposed World Heritage Site

Tanzania To Advertise During English Premier League Matches To Attract Tourists

The Tanzanian government has forked Sh800m (£700,000) to Football Association (FA) as advertisement fee in Premier League stadiums in a bid to promote the country’s vast tourism attractions to the outside world.

The country anticipates doubling the number of tourists especially from the United Kingdom from the current 58,000 per year to over 100,000, at least at the end of this season’s English Premier League.

The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) Executive Director, Aloyce Nzuki, told Daily News yesterday that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in collaboration with Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), TTB and Ngorongoro Area Conservation Authority entered into a contract with Lantech Services Agency to sponsor 114 games of the English Premier League 2010.

“This contract is a special effort by the Tanzanian government to use sports as a way of boosting tourist attractions within Tanzania to the world, placing Tanzania as the leader in using such an endeavour in tourism promotion,” said Nzuki.

Nzuki said TTB has subscribed to advertise in six stadiums by placing 30 seconds digital advert that will appear six times per game on a Led Perimeter wall around the stadiums owned by Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, Stoke City, Sunderland, West Brom and Wolves. The six, he said, are among teams that are under Lantech Services Agency.

“This is an agreement by which tourism promotional ads will be displayed on billboards placed within the football pitch during the 114 games involving the three main focused campaigns”, said Nzuki.

Already ads were displayed on August 14 games between Blackburn Vs. Everton, Sunderland Vs Birmingham and Wolves Vs Stoke City.

Download the list of matches (excel format) that Tanzania will be advertised and make sure to watch and inform others within and outside the organization.

Amani Nature Reserve

Nestled at the base of the central Usambara Mountains, the Amani Nature Reserve is well off the beaten path of the usual safari circuit, but makes a perfect stopover on longer trips and while driving to the Swahili Coast. It`s quiet, tranquil setting offers the perfect opportunity to relax from the rigourous schedule of vehicle-based safaris. Although the area has been the focus of conservation efforts and botanical research for over a century, the Amani Nature Reserve has only been a protected area since 1997. International efforts to preserve the beauty of the Usambara forests within its boundaries have met with much local success. Guided nature walks, prohibited in Tanzania`s national parks, are a unique feature of the nature reserve and offer an exciting opportunity to view the flora and fauna of the area up close. For the aspiring African botanist, Amani Nature Reserve`s incredible diversity of plant life -- between 600 to 1,000 different species -- is sure to attract. The East Usambara Conservation Area Management Programme created and maintains the nature trails, as well as training guides in an effort to encourage village collaboration and conservation efforts. Short or long walks can be arranged, and the guides are very knowledgeable about local species, bird and insect life, and traditional plant uses.

For more info click here

Southern Africa vs. East Africa, which safari region is better?

First, let’s define the regions… In terms of wildlife safaris, Southern Africa includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia while East Africa is essentially Kenya and Tanzania. Meanwhile, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), all destinations popular for Gorilla tracking safaris, are generally considered Central Africa.  Malawi and Zambia are also sometimes classified as Central Africa.

Historically and up until the 1980’s, East Africa was the preferred destination for safari-goers and wildlife enthusiasts. Kenya and Tanzania offered superb wildlife viewing with a well-developed safari infrastructure of operators with both permanent camps and mobile safari circuits. In contrast, the countries in Southern Africa, while full of wildlife and beautiful wilderness areas, were either politically unstable or mostly undeveloped for safari tourism.

During the 1990’s things began to shift. South Africa’s apartheid came to an end and its monetary unit, the Rand, historically very strong, began to depreciate, making South Africa a very attractive travel destination. Intrepid safari guides in South Africa took advantage of the increase in tourism to open up Botswana and Zimbabwe to hunters and photographers. With the increase in tourist capital, the safari industry in Southern Africa grew and permanent camps and mobile safaris opened in its pristine wildlife areas.

In terms of landscapes and attractions, the regions are quite different. East Africa boasts Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti Plains / Maasai Mara ecosystem and the Ngorongoro Crater. Southern Africa includes Botswana’s Okavango Delta wetland, the Skeleton Coast and Namib desert of Namibia, the miles of coastline with diverse habitats and the Kruger National Park of South Africa, the semi-arid Kalahari Desert of Botswana and northern South Africa, and the lower Zambezi River basin including Victoria Falls along the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The wildlife species found in the two areas are essentially the same; most of the predators and plains game can be seen in both regions and only some birds and a few mammals and reptiles are distinct between the regions. The major differentiation is in the numbers of certain species and the general experience a visitor will have when viewing them.

East Africa offers herds of zebras and wildebeests in the hundreds of thousands. The annual migration between the Maasai Mara in the north and Tanzania’s Serengeti in the south is a spectacle unequaled anywhere on earth today. However, Botswana and Zimbabwe are home to 80% of Southern Africa’s 300,000 elephants and huge herds are a common sight along their northern borders.

The weather also varies between the regions. In East Africa, October marks the beginning of the “short rains” while April brings “long rains.” Many of the safari camps close during the long rains due to difficult driving conditions. In Southern Africa, while each country varies, the rains generally fall between November and March with the rest of the year being mostly rain-free. Most of the camps stay open year-round. The rainy or “green” safari season in Southern Africa offers benefits such as herbivores having their babies, lush green landscapes and dramatic skies, all of which combine to create superb photographic opportunities. Temperatures are similar between the regions with May through August being the cooler months.

The major differences between East Africa and Southern Africa for safaris are the density of tourists, the safari accommodations and the safari vehicles. East Africa, in general, has earned a reputation for a high density of tourists staying in hotel-styled lodges. The most common safari vehicle in East Africa is the mini-van with its pop-up roof, whereby passengers stand up to take pictures while peering out of the roof or sit in the enclosed vans. Conversely, Southern Africa is known for its luxury tented safari camps and huge tracts of wilderness areas with very low tourist densities, making for a private safari experience. The safari vehicles used here are modified, open-air Land Rovers which also add to the intimacy of the experience.

That said, there are a growing number of luxury lodges cropping up in East Africa, particularly in Tanzania and these lodges offer a far more exclusive experience than the large safari lodges which may have typified Kenya and Tanzania.

For the most part, Southern Africa is dominated by huge land concessions, which are owned or leased by luxury safari camp operators, and these concessions are for the sole use of the individual camp and its guests. With an average camp size of only 10-16 guests and only one or two vehicles for the entire concession, one can drive all day and not encounter anything but wilderness and wildlife.

How to plan an African wildlife safari

FOR many travelers, an African wildlife safari is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Making it happen takes planning; like the leopard, you must stalk your prey. But look before you pounce; it's a jungle out there.

Choices abound. Nearly a dozen countries, with scores of parks and private reserves. Top-tier lodges, spartan tents and encampments that rival luxury hotels. Minibuses, four-wheel-drives, walking and canoeing.

An African safari is a true adventure — a journey crafted in the tradition of wealthy 13th-century traders who first hunted the plains of Africa for wild game trophies to hang on their walls. Today, travelers hunt for photo opportunities instead of occasions to kill, but they encounter the same scenes that have fascinated explorers throughout history: thousands of zebras migrating across emerald grasslands, flocks of florescent flamingos creating a field of color across a shining soda lake, lions feasting on a hard-earned kill.

Many travelers trek to Africa in search of the "big five": buffalo, lions, leopards, elephants and rhinoceroses. The chance to get close to these animals in their natural habitats is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but your trip to the Africa is anything but a trip to the zoo. Safaris can be physically taxing and strenuous, and you may not see all the animals you expected. Since most safari destinations are in developing sub-Saharan nations, travelers must take certain safety and health precautions. If you're planning a safari (or just dreaming about it), be as prepared as possible. Get some good guidebooks, talk to friends who've been to Africa and research, research, research. We've outlined some important safari basics, from choosing a destination to getting vaccinated, to help you start planning a successful African adventure.

Types of safaris 

For the most part, safaris are a costly kind of vacation. But as with any other type of travel, you can tailor your safari to suit your personal budget. The length of your safari will affect its cost — although you may want to cut your trip short to save cash, the longer you stay, the less you will probably pay on a per-night basis. If you're looking for luxury digs on your safari (or even just hot water and a comfy bed), prepare to pay more. Budget-minded adventurers should seek self-drive or overland safaris (see below) as opposed to all-inclusive package tours — but be prepared to camp in tents or navigate a 4x4 through the African bush. If you're traveling alone, you will probably have to pay a single supplement, as most package pricing is based on double occupancy.

Luxury safaris 

A luxury safari offered by a well-known tour operator typically costs thousands of dollars per person, per week, with all-inclusive prices covering tours, food, drinks and excursions. Fully catered luxury packages offer travelers the comforts of home in wild Africa. Accommodations range from air-conditioned suites to stylish tents (you'll feel almost like you're camping — aside from the hot running water, rich linens and first-rate service). Ultra-luxurious safari lodges can cost over $1,000 a night.

Overland or mobile safaris 

Overland (also known as mobile) safaris are generally the cheapest type of organized tour safari. An overland safari will involve campsite accommodations, and you will most likely travel in a group with other travelers. Overland safaris are usually participatory — you may be expected to pitch in with chores such as cooking meals or setting up camp.

Diving in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is reputed to have some of the best diving in the world, and the coral reef structures that surround Unguja and Pemba ensure that the marine life is abundant. Good visibility (20 - 60 metres) and a year-round average water temperature of 27°c ensure that you enjoy your Zanzibar diving experience, and also present an ideal opportunity for learning to dive or upgrading your diving qualification.

For more details visit here

The endless plains of Serengeti

Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, For more details visit here

"The Serengeti Of Flowers" - Kitulo National Park

Locals refer to the Kitulo Plateau as Bustani ya Mungu - The Garden of God – while botanists have dubbed it the Serengeti of Flowers, host to ‘one of the great floral spectacles of the world’. And Kitulo is indeed a rare botanical marvel, home to a full 350 species of vascular plants, including 45 varieties of terrestrial orchid, which erupt into a riotous wildflower display of breathtaking scale and diversity during the main rainy season of late November to April

More details visit here

Fundu Lagoon - Pemba Island

Fundu is a remote and peaceful resort, only accessible by boat. Set on a beautiful beach in the south west of Pemba Island, it is privately owned and run with a love for the natural environment that surrounds it; the epitome of shabby chic - stylish, cosseting and totally relaxed.

For more details visit here..

Arusha "Geneva of Africa"

Tucked at the foot of Mount Meru, the town of Arusha is the first stop on the northern safari circuit and is the undisputed safari capital of East Africa.

The streets of this vibrant town are filled with 4x4 game viewing vehicles criss-crossing the potholed roads. Maasai warriors in full regalia walk around, mingling with tourists in crisp khaki, fresh off the plane from Europe or the United States.

If you're flying in on a pre-organized safari, you are unlikely to spend much time in Arusha, as your hosts will whisk you through on the way to one of the great game parks. This is a pity, because Arusha is the kind of place where you can get a real sense of what modern Africa is all about.

At the nearby International Conference Centre, some of the most important peace treaties and international agreements in modern African history have been signed. The Rwandan war crimes tribunals are currently taking place here, as have been several attempts to broker peace in the Great Lakes States.

Around town

The curio markets crammed between the Clock Tower and India Road are filled with high quality crafts, and are a great deal cheaper than the purpose-built curio shops outside of town to which most tour guides take you. A friendly warning - beware of pickpockets in the busy streets.

For independent travellers, the offices of the National Parks authority in the International Conference Centre is a good place to pick up literature and maps, and to find out details of entry to the parks. The coffee-growing town of Moshi is the nearest town to the trailheads onKilimanjaro, although most travellers do their outfitting and organising in Arusha.

For birders, anglers and primate lovers with a bit of time on their hands, Lake Duluti, on the Moshi road, is one of Africa's hidden gems. There's a campsite and small, rudimentary pub, and it is a classic place to while away a lazy afternoon.

Tanzania Tarangire National Park Set to Expand

Negotiations with several villages surrounding the Tanzania Tarangire National Park has resulted in at least three of the villages agreeing to re-demarcate the boundaries, relocate and give their land to the park in order to make it possible for  Tarangire to be enlarged.
Following the expansion process, the park will incorporate a major forest, which is expected to not only provide extra protection to the area, but also to act as a new feature that will attract future visitors to the park.

In general, the Tanzania tourism sector relies heavily on its wildlife, beaches and other natural attractions such as Mt. Kilimanjaro

According to a recently published report by Global Travel Industry News, the unique features of the park already help to attract visitors to the country who embark on a safari across the northern circuit.

“The park, while admittedly less popular with overseas visitors compared to Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti, is nevertheless thought to be a must-see stop for all tourists embarking on their safari across the northern circuit due to its unique features,” read the report.

Currently, the Tarangire National Park is most widely known for the thousands of baobab trees that grow within its boundaries as well as for its general game population and large herds of elephant.
According to an announcement by government officials earlier this month, the arrival of tourists to Tanzania fell by 10.2 percent, from 641,951 in 2008 to 576,643 in 2009, for a period covering the first 10 months of each year.

Government officials went on to explain that this drop came as a result of the effects of the global economic crisis, with the most significant drop occurring in the first six months of the year, after which time the arrival rate began to improve.

Full-year figures for 2008 reported that the Tanzania tourism sector earned a total of USD 1.3 billion.

While awaiting the release of the 2009 full-year arrivals and earnings, which is scheduled to take place next month, some tour and safari operators have already requested that changes be made to the current system of paying for park entrance fees, which was introduced in 2007 by Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) in the country’s northern circuit in an effort to respond to the fraudulent practices that had been reported at the various gates.

Based on the newly established Tanapa system, banks in the northern circuit that are participating in the scheme established both cash and card machines in order to accommodate cashless payments.

While the system was originally welcomed by tour and safari operators who were looking to avoid the loss of cash, issues soon began to surface concerning how the system works.

Global Travel Industry News reported that the majority of the complaints are currently concerned with the use of MasterCard.

“The complaints are apparently focused on the use of MasterCard payments,” read the report, “which operators claim often remain unpaid by the bank yet they (the operators) have provided services and made payments on behalf of their clients, who, by the time the dispute arises, have already returned home.”

TANZANIA TOURIST BOARD READY TO PENETRATE IN BRAZIRIAN TOURIST MARKET

Tanzania Tourist Board is set to cooperate with Brazilian media houses to market and promote destination Tanzania in Brazil so as to tap on this country which can be a good source market of tourists for Tanzania due to her huge population.
Speaking during the dinner reception prepared by Pongo Safaris at Moevenpick Royal Palm Hotel in Dar es salaam in honor of the expedition team which was in the country on their way to South Africa, the Managing Director of Tanzania Tourist Board Dr Aloyce Nzuki noted that Brazil whose population is about 400 million people is a country that Tanzania need to focus on as one of the potential tourists market. “To start with if we can manage to attract at least one percent of the population of your country it would be a wonderful inception.
The remarks were made in respond to the ambassador of Brazil in Tanzania H.E Francisco Carlos Soares Luz’s appeal to Tanzania Tourist Board to consider introducing marketing and promotional campaign in Brazil. He cited Mt. Kilimanjaro as one of the Tanzania tourist’s icon that can attract the majority of travelers from Brazil if TTB can launch a deliberate sensitization campaign to this country.
Tanzania Tourist Board in collaboration with Pongo Safaris recently coordinated the Lights of Africa Media Expeditions in Tanzania which comprised of two journalists led by Mr Haroldo Castro, a veteran journalist and photographer specialized in nature and conservation, the other one is Mr Mikael Castro who is an anthropologist and ecotourism specialist.
During their expedition in Tanzania the journalists visited Serengeti National parks, Ngorongoro crater, Selous game reserve and Ruaha and then cross the border to Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa for the coverage of world cup tournament. While in Tanzania the journalists were feeding Brazilian Media organizations with stories on abundant tourists attractions Tanzania is endowed with, including a a bi-weekly column on EPOCA Magazine , bi-weekly English column on www.lightsofarica.com, EP and Global Televisions in Brazil
According to the available statistics Tanzania receives an average of 666 tourists from Brazil every year

Do's and Don'ts: Tanzania safaris

• Do read all you can about the safari experience before planning your trip. Your appreciation of the animals and culture will be greatly enhanced.
• Do plan to use a tour operator. Tanzanian regulations discourage "do it yourself" safaris. There are tour operators for every budget.
• Do be sure to ascertain exactly what is covered in a quoted fee such as airport transfers, use of their camping equipment, park entry fees, camping fees etc.
• Do be aware that a safari can be quite hectic. The smaller your group, the more flexibility you will have in setting your own pace.
• Do allow for the unexpected such as problems with your vehicle, changes in the weather and bugs. These are unavoidable so try to maintain a sense of humor.
• Do be generous with your tips. Many that serve you are hired by the job and their compensation is always low.

Tanzania

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Precision Air to extend wings abroad

Precision Air, a vibrant local private airline, envisages adding some international routes for it to realise its dream of becoming one of the biggest aviation companies in sub-Saharan Africa.  The airline will begin extending its wings  to most of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Commission (SADC) member countries,  the airline’s chairman, Mr Michael Shirima, said.

The airline currently boasts of flying to Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya and to Entebbe in Uganda daily in addition to 12 local destinations.

Mr Shirima said the routes would expand hand in hand with the beefing up of local ownership of the airline whose shares would in the near future be up for grab at the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE).  He said the airline would see its local ownership rising to 66 per cent as opposed to the present local ownership of 51.  Mr Shirima said 15 per cent of the 49 per cent shares currently belonging to Kenya Airways would go to members of the public interested in investing in the airline with a promising future.   “The airline is proud of being among few  nascent African aviation firms operating  fleets of aircraft to provide safe, comfortable, fast and reliable aviation services,” he said. 

Precision Air dates back to 16 years ago when it acquired a five-seater charter plane, which was abandoned at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam for over a decade.  The airline had successfully repaired the charter plane to regain before it bought a second airworthy charter plane from another firm.  The firm has since then been tremendously growing to the extent of attracting a $129 million worth of a deal, which Precision Air signed with a French aircraft manufacturer,   Avions de Transport Régional - ATR,  in 2006 for the former to purchase seven aircrafts.     ATR has delivered five aircrafts and is expected to deliver the remaining two before the end of this year.

Precision Air, according to Mr Shirima, has so far employed 580 workers mostly being Tanzanians. Hardly one per cent of the airline workers currently are expatriates, he said.  The number of passengers and cargo too had tremendously been shooting  in tandem with the increasing number of destinations.  

    Precision Air is currently plying between Dar es Salaam and other local destinations namely Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigoma, Tabora, Musoma, Shinyanga and Mtwara regions.   Mr Shirima said the airline's marriage with Kenya Airways was compounded by the recent business trend in the airline industry, which called for  partnership, merger, code shares and alliances, citing Sky Team, Star and One World as typical examples.  

Ministers call on ATA members to support association

Africa Travel Association (ATA) members have been asked to support the association’s Board of Directors in raising sufficient funds to market the continent as a tourist destination.

The request was made recently by the Gambian Minister of Tourism and Culture, Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, after her election as new ATA president at the association’s just-ended 35th Annual Congress held at Banjul.

She succeeds Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism Shamsa Mwangunga, who was appointed ATA president in May 2008 at the 33rd Annual Congress in Arusha.

Speaking to ATA delegates, at the closing session, Jobe-Njie outlined three areas of priority for ATA members in order to meet the intended goals during her presidency.

She noted that as ATA's members “we need to help the Board of Directors to raise sufficient funds to carry out the socuiety’s programmes; we have to be very aggressive in the membership drive; and make sure that the members actively participate in the association.”

To accomplish the goals, she asked for “the members support and the stakeholders of tourism in Africa so that we can meet the intended goals”.

Highlighting the importance of tourism as an engine for economic growth and prosperity, she said that due to that aspect ATA members needed to join their efforts with and work in partnership with members of the public to promote the travel and tourism industry to and within Africa.

“As Gambia we are very glad to host this event and hopes that our infectious spirit will inspire other countries and tourism stakeholders to take action,” she said.

For his part, ATA's Executive Director Edward Bergman, said the association’s members, friends and supporters have shown that “we are truly committed to promote tourism to Africa as a means to forstering socio-economic development,”

“I know that when we go back to our home countries, we will continue to work in partnership with tourism stakeholders in the public and private sectors to promote the industry and inspire others to follow our example,” Bergman said.

Also during the on-going congress, ATA announced a number of milestones for making a strong case for increased investment in Africa’s tourism industry. They include the launch of a joint effort by New York University’s Africa House and the World Bank and ATA to make a case for developing Africa’s tourism industry with the preparation of the joint publication—the State of Tourism in Africa. Using facts, figures and stories, the report paints a picture of the current and potential impact of tourism on both a country’s and a region’s development strategy.

The report also advocates for increased attention and resource allocation from national governments to the tourism industry.

Apart from that the Gambia Organising Committee announced its commitment to hosting the first “Carbon Off-Set Free” ATA congress.

During the industry workshops and networking events, ATA and UNWTO engaged in discussions on how the two global organizations would pursue collaboration and cooperation in the areas of travel and tourism development in Africa in the future.

In what has become an ATA congress tradition over the last few years, Mwangunga hosted a special evening of dinner and dancing.