South beckons more tourism

… North ‘circuit’ take note

SOME 150m US dollars in credit from the International Development Association (IDA) through the Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth Project (REGROW), approved by the World Bank is expected to improve conservation and management of unique protected areas in southern Tanzania.

The project is also anticipated to generate economic opportunities for the region, protect natural assets and benefit nearly 40,000 households around the protected areas within the next six years.

According to a press statement from the Bank, REGROW’s main development objective is to improve the management of natural resources and tourism assets in priority areas of Southern Tanzania and to increase access to alternative livelihood activities for targeted communities.

The WB has specifically cited the ‘Southern Circuit’ as an engine of growth through tourism development and associated benefits; enable communities in the project area to enhance their incomes by linking them with resilient livelihoods; promote national parks and game reserves; reduce human-wildlife conflict and strengthen resilience to climate vulnerability.

The ‘Southern Circuit’ includes several National Parks (Katavi, Kitulo, Mahale, Udzungwa Mountains, Mikumi and Ruaha), Game Reserves (with Selous being the largest), two rift valley lakes (Nyasa and Tanganyika), areas of cultural interest and access to the primary gateway town of Iringa.

“REGROW will promote investments inside four Protected Areas, considered to be catalytic for the consolidation of the Circuit: Ruaha, Mikumu and Udzungwa Mountains National Parks and Selous Game Reserve,” the World Bank added.

“Tourism is a key element of Tanzania’s economy, contributing to roughly 10 per cent of GDP in 2015,” said Bella Bird, the World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Malawi, Somalia and Burundi.

The Bretton Wood institution boss added “….the assets of the Southern Circuit can increase the number of tourists arriving in the country, thus increasing economic benefits and promoting wildlife conservation.

For this to happen, infrastructure and services need to be improved and the destination needs to be further promoted to potential visitors.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Mira-Salama, the World Bank’s Senior Environmental Specialist responsible for REGROW, says that with the consolidation of the Southern Circuit as a viable destination, Tanzania would guarantee a more diversified, robust tourism that is set to become an engine for regional growth. The number of visitors has doubled from about 500,000 in 2000 to over one million in 2015.

Due to its success in attracting higher-spending tourism, the country now boasts the highest revenue/tourist ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa (double, for example, that of Kenya).

Apart from being a reliable and resilient source of revenue for the government, the sector also provides well-remunerated direct employment to over 400,000 Tanzanians.