TANZANIA SHINES AT ITB BERLIN, 2014

 

 Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu (2^nd right) with TEAM TANZANIA  participating in the ongoing International Tourism Exchange in Berlin, Germany.  

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu (centre) together with the Hon. Abdulkarim Shah (right-MP for Mafia) who is also the Vice Chairperson of Tanzania Tourist Board and Dr. Aloyce Nzuki, Managing Director of Tanzania Tourist Board in the ongoing International Tourism Exchange in Berlin, Germany.

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By Pascal Shelutete

Tanzanian stand attracted hundreds of tourists, travel agents and other tourism stakeholders in the ongoing International Tourism Exchange, which is the World’s largest annual tourism exhibition taking place in Berlin, Germany. Team Tanzania in ITB is led by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu. The flow of visitors in the stand who were looking for various information regarding Tanzanian tourist attractions brings hope that Tanzania will receive more tourists from Germany in the near future.

Tanzania in ITB this year is represented by more than eight Government Institutions and 53 exhibiting companies representing the Tanzanian private tourism sector. These include Government Institutions representatives from the Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism; Antiquities Division; Tanzania Tourist Board; Zanzibar Commission for Tourism; Tanzania National Parks; Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority; East African Community and the Tanzania Airports Authority.

The Private Sector is represented by 24 tour operators and travel agencies; 28 accommodation establishments and 1 airline company. Out of these, 14 companies are from Zanzibar while 39 are from Tanzania mainland.

Germany is Tanzania’s fourth largest source market, coming after United Kingdom, USA and Italy. The German market brings in more than 36,000 tourist arrivals in 2012. According to Tanzania’s International Marketing Strategy, Germany is among the four primary target markets, which Tanzania is targeting to increase its market share.

Tanzania’s participation in ITB this year is focusing on showcasing Tanzania’s unique and breathtaking tourist attractions, which has resulted in it being crowned as Africa’s Best Safari Destination by Safari Bookings.com. Tanzania has also been voted by the World Public to have three of Africa’s Natural Wonders: Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater and has received several accolades in the past two years, making it one of Africa’s most sought for tourist destinations which gives tourists lifetime memories of a true life experience.

The International Tourism Exchange, commonly known as ITB Berlin has been taking place since 1966, attracting more than 170,000 visitors annually (exhibitors, trade visitors and media from all over the world).The exhibition provides exhibitors with an excellent opportunity to meet with key tourism players from all over the world, establish new contacts, strengthen existing ones, enter into partnerships, network and get abreast with new developments.