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.

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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.

Top 10 Reasons To Visit Tanzania

Tanzania is country so wealthy that it would practically take years to document all the resources. Not only is the country proud to bear witness to the highest and largest free standing mountain in the world but also to the rich and diverse wildlife concentrations, mineral and other resources available. If Africa's tourism opportunities were to be summarized by one single country that country would be Tanzania.

Visit Tanzania For Its:

1. Wildlife Watching and Nature Safaris: Tanzania prides huge numbers of wildlife spread all over the country and each of these wildlife display their own characteristics particular to the ecosystem. With Tanzania's national park and game reserves located so remotely such as Selous and Mahale Mountains, Ilmaasai Expedition guests have the opportunity to view one of Africa's few resources preserved by nature and almost untouched by mankind. Tanzania's rich biodiversity can be done by taking a count of the following: 3000 lions in the Selous, regular sightings of African Hunting dogs in Ruaha extinct in most parts of Africa, Chimpanzees in Mahale and Gombe in their natural habitat, circumambulation of a million wildebeests in the Serengeti and the list goes on.
Visiting Tanzania On A Wildlife And Nature Safari Ascertains A Once In A Lifetime Experience Unlike Anything Guests Have Encountered.

2. Specialized Chimpanzee Safari Program: Tanzania hails the great majestic mountains of Mahale, home to hundreds of chimpanzees. Guests visiting Tanzania can undertake a specialized Chimpanzee trekking safari to the southwestern national parks of Mahale Mountains and Gombe Stream.
Visit Tanzania And Undertake A Specialized Chimpanzee Safari.

3. Active Adventure: Climb the "Natural Wonder Of The World". Mount Kilimanjaro being easily accessible has been the dream of many athletes and adventurers who wish to experience and pride themselves of having been to the roof of Africa. The variety of routes suited for varying lifestyles makes Mount Kilimanjaro a must climb for people who just want to experience nature or view the ecosystems and terrains. For those ready to take up the challenge, opportunities exist to make it all the way to the top with the help of professional and certified guides and porters. If climbing Mount Kilimanjaro isn't a thrill enough, Ilmaasai guests can trek up Ol Donyo Lengai Mountain of God, which remains an active volcano mountain to date. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life was filmed at Ol Donyo Lengai - Mountain of God.
Experience Authentic Adventure, Filled With Fun Like Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, A Possibility For Most Any Individual. 

4. Indian Ocean Beach Vacation: Ilmaasai Expedition guests can take time from their busy schedule to enjoy a real vacation far away from anything they normally do. Tanzania's multiple Indian Ocean Islands provides guests the opportunity to select their beach spot just they way they prefer it. Considering that less than a million visitors come to Tanzania over a given year, guests can be assured their experience remains personalized and private. While in Zanzibar, sit out on the soft white sandy beach under a palm thatch umbrella watching the sparkling turquoise blue waters totally mesmerize you.
Visit Tanzania And Have The Option To Select From The Islands Of Zanzibar, Pemba And Mafia Or Visit The Coastal Shores Of Tanzania To Experience A Relaxing Beach Vacation.

5. Eco-Tourism Experience: More increasingly our guests are asking us for a true genuine African experience vacation. An African experience that is run by indigenous people of Africa in a environment where your stay is at accommodations built by indigenous people of Africa, and where the revenue from your spending actually and directly assists the indigenous population be self sufficient and self reliant. Apart from visiting the Maasai homesteads, take for example the experience at Chumbe Island where the accommodation has been designed in natural material. Food served comes from the freshest produces. While guests staying there have the opportunity to enjoy the offerings such as snorkeling and also learning about the lodge's effort in preserving and sustaining the islands ecosystem and its inhabitants.
Come Visit Tanzania And Experience What The Country Is Doing To Preserve The Environment While Creating Superb Tourism Opportunities For AfricanMecca Guests.

6. Historical Experience: Walk in the footsteps of great explorers and adventures that roamed Tanzania. Visit the exact spot in Ujiji, southwestern Tanzania, where centuries ago the phrase "Dr Livingstone I presume" was uttered. Visit Zanzibar and Bagamoyo and learn about slave trade history and its effects or at Kilwa were incredible ruins that are extant till today.
Come To Tanzania And Experience History As It Is Unfolded.

7. Cultural Experience: Tanzania's varying tribes and cultures provides an excellent opportunity for guests to encounter other ways of life, rites and rituals. Guests visiting the various parts of the country such as the Usambara Mountains can take a tour of the local communities or can visit Zanzibar and interact with the Zanzibaris participating in their day-to-day activities. Also, in Zanzibar guests have the opportunity to under take spices tours, which will liven the human senses with sweet smelling aromas of the various plants used in our food today.
Visiting Tanzania Definitely Adds A Whole New Perspective To The Human Experience.

8. Marine Experience: Tanzania's offers an underwater paradise for marine enthusiasts visiting Pemba, Mafia and Zanzibar with many interesting reefs featuring shallow rocky areas that suddenly drop off into vertiginous crevasses, 40 meters deep. With steep walls covered in colorful sponges and Gorgonia, divers will find such diverse life as Brittlestars, Langoustines, and Moray Eels. Some reefs are like undersea mountains, wreathed with seaweeds and corals, and teeming with colorful fish.
Tanzania Provides A Wonderful Opportunity To View The Diverse Marine Species In Various Locations Within One Country.

9. Relaxation, Peace and Pristine Beauty: Tanzania's offers peace and relaxation program where guests can take off to remote places like Kigoma located on the shores of the great Lake Tanganyika and spend their days from the comforts of their room gazing at the majestic vistas of the lake and further, or visit remote islands of Mafia where they can have their rooms facing the ocean. Guests can relax and enjoy the warm Indian Ocean breeze and spend their best moments of their life in Africa.
Experience Complete Relaxation In Tanzania Far Away From Your Daily Activities

10. Eight Wonder Of The World: If all the above reasons have not made you certain that Tanzania is the place to visit, the presence of Ngorongoro Crater, the undocumented "Eight Wonder of the World" should change your mind. Sit back and relax in the comforts of your lodge balcony and view the incredible awesomeness of the crater.
Visit Tanzania And Witness The Eight Wonder Of The World

Colors of the maasai

The Great Migration

Above are the season of the extraordinary annual Great Migration of wildebeest and other grazing herbivores across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. It is one of the greatest spectacles in the natural world. Over two million herbivores partake in this journey, with about 200 000 zebra and 500 000 Thomson's gazelle behind the main players... one-and-a-half million wildebeest!

SAA Dar–Jo`burg daily flights increased from nine to 18

South African Airways (SAA) has doubled its daily flights from South Africa to Tanzania from the original nine flights to 18, to meet increased demand as tourists book flights to this East African nation.

The increased tourist flight bookings come as a result of marketing done by stakeholders in Tanzania and South Africa in which tourists from South Africa have been encouraged to also visit Tanzanian tourist attractions during the FIFA world cup tournaments in South Africa.

This was revealed in Dar es Salaam over the weekend by Edward. Mbwiga, the Tanzania Tourist Board Finance Manager who attended the just- ended Indaba Travel Show in South Africa, and where Tanzania emerged overall winner.

Marketers had said it was possible for soccer enthusiasts to kill two birds with one stone: to enjoy the soccer tournaments in South Africa as well as the numerous tourist attractions in Tanzania.

Tourist attractions in Tanzania include locations of some of the oldest human fossils ever found on earth, as well as the oldest human footprints to be discovered on earth. The attractions also include some of the oldest human drawings found in ancient caves, leaving no doubt the first humans to inhabit the earth most probably lived here.

South African Airways is doubling flight to bring the human race back home. There is also the wildlife to see in numerous game parks.

“During the on-going 2010 FIFA World Cup, there will be daily morning and evening direct flights from South Africa to Dar es Salaam and back,” Mbwiga said.

The number of daily flights will increase from 9 to18, he said, noting that the focus is to assist tourists to come to Tanzania, although the flights will also enable Tanzanians wishing to go to South Africa to see soccer matches and to fly there and back without a problem.

“As TTB we are very glad that South Africa has embarked on this initiative because this will help Tanzania to strengthen business ties with South Africa,” Mbwiga said.

The high frequency starts June 12th this year during the on-going 2010 FIFA world cup, he added. Among the flights, 7 will be destined from South Africa directly to Dar es Salaam, while 2 flights will be direct flights from Cape Town to Zanzibar, and others from Johannesburg to Zanzibar.

As part of the marketing campaign, Tanzania has used some 67m/- to sponsor 38 South Africa Tour Operators to come and meet with local tour operators and hoteliers to see how they can corporate with each other to bring tourists from South Africa to Tanzania.

The funds were offered by the Tanzania Tourist Board in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

Some 29 tour operators have visited the Northern Tourist Circuit while the remained 9 have visited the southern circuit tourist attractions.

Mbwiga said this achievement is just one example of TTB's effort to promote Tanzania as one of Africa's greatest tourist destinations, adding: “We are confidence that these new routes will expand SA’s travel to Tanzania.”

Amant Macha, Director of Marketing at Tanzania Tourist Board added that Tanzania has remained in the hearts of many South Africans as a country which gave its moral and materials support to South African freedom fighters in order to root out apartheid. Back in South Africa, tour operators have vowed to continue promoting Tanzania tours.

Africa`s Top 10 African Safari Destinations

Africa's top safari destinations include wildlife parks in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Gabon. If you're looking for the best safari where you're almost guaranteed to see the "Big Five" you can't go wrong with these choices.

1. Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)

Kenya is Africa's most popular safari destination and the Masai Mara Reserve is the most popular wildlife park in Kenya. From July - October you can witness the incredible migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra. The Maasai tribesman also offer cultural tours which will enhance your experience.

2. Chobe National Park (Botswana)

Chobe National park lies in Botswana's Okavango Delta and covers four distinct Eco-systems. The Savuti marsh in particular offers some of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa year round. Chobe boasts around 120,000 elephants, you're unlikely to miss them when you enjoy a safari here.

The best time to visit Chobe is between May and September, the dry, cooler winter months. Herds of zebra, eland, buffalo, giraffe and wildebeest congregate around the Savuti marsh this time of year. Chobe is accessible by car which makes it a little less expensive than some other Botswana Parks. There's a wide variety ofaccommodation available to suit all budgets, you can even rent a houseboat.

3. Kruger National Park (South Africa)

Kruger National Park in South Africa boasts the highest variety of wildlife in Africa which includes the Big Five, hippos, crocodiles, cheetah and more. Kruger is one of the best maintained parks in Africa which means it's ideal for a self-drive safari.

4. South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

Home of the "walking safari" South Luangwa National Park in Zambiaoffers a true African experience. There's plenty of wildlife and over 400 species of birds. The Luangwa river is filled to the brim with hippos and if you're lucky you'll spot prides of over 30 lions at a time. There are 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species living in the National Park.

South Luangwa offers both budget and luxury safari lodging. The best time to visit is during the dry season from April to October. Near the end of the dry season, the animals really concentrate around the remaining waterholes, which makes for a great safari.

5. Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania offers the absolute classic African safari setting. The grasslands make the Serengeti fantastic for spotting lion kills because you can see the whole spectacle clearly. The migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra starts here and because it's much larger than the Mara (see above), it is also less touristy.

6. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda)

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda is home to almost half of the world's population of mountain gorillas. Besides offering a wonderful backdrop to Gorilla tracking, you can also see chimpanzees, and many other mammals. Bwindi has been designated a World Heritage Site.

7. Etosha Natonal Park (Namibia)

Etosha National Park is Namibia's top wildlife destination. Etosha is home to Africa's tallest elephants, the endangered black rhino, and 91 other species of mammal. Etosha is especially popular withphotographers in the dry season who flock to the waterholes (along with the wildlife). Etosha doesn't offer scheduled game drives, it's a self-drive safari experience.

8. Loango National Park (Gabon)

Loango National Park in Gabon is probably the least well known park on this list but it's only a matter of time before it's discovered. Loango is the only place in Africa where you can see whales, chimps,gorillas and elephants in one park. In Loango you get to enjoy watching wildlife on the beach, savannah, swamp and forest in a single day.

9. Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)

The Ngorongoro Conservation area in Tanzania includes the world's largest crater which acts as a natural enclosure for almost every species of wildlife found in East Africa. The Maasai still live within the conservation area, and it's also home to Olduvai where some of man's earliest remains have been found.

10. Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)

Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is a personal favorite of mine because of its abundance of giraffes, elephants, and lions as well as 105 other mammal species. Hwange also has one of the largest populations of wild dogs left in Africa. There are several comfortable lodges to stay at for reasonable prices. The park is close to one of the world's greatest natural wonders -- the Victoria Falls.