Tanzania tourist sites flop, Kenya now voted world's leading safari destination

Tanzania's tourism sector has ended the year on a low note following its dismal performance in the World Travel Awards (WTA) recently.

The 22nd annual World Travel Awards 2015 which were announced in Morocco saw the country’s tourists attractions missing out on the list, with Kenya being voted the world’s leading safari destination, retaining the prestigious global award it had won in 2013.

The neighbouring country fended off competition from Uganda, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia and also withstood competition from Zimbwabwe and South Africa.

However, Geoffrey Tengeneza, a principal public relations officer with the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) was quick to doubt authenticity of the awards saying the criteria used in the awards is only known to the organisers.

“I have seen the results of the awards but nowadays people come with results and indices whose criteria cannot be authenticated,” he said.
Dubbed as the Oscars of the travel and tourism industry, WTA is globally recognised and serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. 

It was however not all gloom and doom for Tanzania as the country still managed to shine in some categories in this year’s awards.

In the continental category, Mt Kilimanjaro was voted Africa’s lead tourist attraction, beating the Ngorongoro Crater (also from Tanzania), the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Robben Island,  Table Mountain  and V&A Waterfront all of South Africa.

Such revelations come fresh on the heels of a remark by a Kilimanjaro National Park (KINAPA) official made recently that the number of tourists visiting Africa’s rooftop had declined by 10 per cent this year.

KINAPA Chief Park Warden Erastus Lufungulo attributed the decline to terrorism threats and Ebola outbreak.

However, the island of Zanzibar put the country back on the global map when it was voted the world leading dive destination, outshining renowned favourites like the Cayman Islands of America, the white sandy beaches of Seychelles and Sharm El Sheik of Egypt.

Abercrombie and Kent, a household name in the business of tour operations was voted Africa’s leading Tour operator. The multinational company has for the last 12 years retained this position.

Tanzania’s dismal performance in the WTA has attracted criticism from players in the tourism industry. Those who spoke to The Guardian questioned the government’s investment in the otherwise crucial sector, if the number of tourist attractions in the country are anything to go by.

Sirili Akko, an executive secretary with Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) noted the country will have to contend with such realities, thanks to its minimal investment in tourism.

“While we are observing stingy measures other countries are heavily investing,” he said.

“In terms of budgetary allocation in tourism sector, we are far below Kenya and the results are out there for everyone to see,” he added.

According to Akko, the country needs to get back on the drawing board and strategise on how it will take tourism industry to the next level.

The tour operator also took time to commend Abercrombie and Kent for such a feat; “we congratulate them for such an achievement and what they are doing to promote destinations in Tanzania…they have once again made us proud,” he said.

Worth noting is the fact that President John Magufuli withheld the naming of four Ministers last week when he announced his cabinet, one of the four ministries yet to be appointed a minister is the Ministry of Tourism.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN