Tanzania ranks second in Africa, just behind Ethiopia, in drawing many tourists, as recognised by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Marking 250,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2022, Tanzania now stands at 400,000 visitors between January and March of 2023, according to a report in a Tanzanian news publication.
Tourism Fuels Tanzania’s Economy
Contributing to the national income, Tanzania’s tourism sector is the second-biggest after manufacturing. In 2019, the travel and tourism sector made a substantial contribution of US$6.7 billion to the country’s GDP, accounting for 10.7%. Its rich nature-based tourist attractions host numerous popular areas, including national parks, game reserves, and marine parks.
Tanzania’s Unforgettable Experiences
From the magnificent wildlife on the vast savannahs to the breathtaking beauty of the Indian Ocean’s coastline, three aspects boost the diverse cultures and landscape for tourism in Tanzania.
Nature-Driven Destinations in Tanzania
Some of the most popular sites in Tanzania include the great plains of Serengeti, the highest point in Africa — Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and the tropical Zanzibar Island. With almost 38% of its land reserved as protected areas, Tanzania is home to many animals, along with 16 national parks. The Unguja and Pemba Islands in Zanzibar are the top tourist destinations and the islands’ top income generators.
Government’s Role in Tourism Growth
- Government resources: Allocating resources and making fresh investments helped to boost tourism growth in the country.
- Documentary: A government-produced documentary on the Royal Tour helped bring awareness and created more buzz around the country’s tourism.
- Private sector: Expanding private sector participation and increasing investments in tourism infrastructure are some paths charted to revolutionise the travel industry.
- Hospitality: Emphasis has also been laid by the ministry’s head of tourism to further assist the significant aspect of hospitality in encouraging tourists to return for leisure travel.
Tanzanian Culture and Heritage Tourism
Tanzanian cultural heritage tourism varies across cultural heritage sites like castles, cathedrals and stately homes to tourism activities practised in villages. It includes living culture and traditions, the lifestyle of the people, music, dance, language, cuisine, artistic traditions and festivals. All of these fall under the community members’ ownership and management.
Africa’s Growing Tourism Landscape
The United Republic of Tanzania is ranked 1st in Africa and 12th worldwide in the World Economic Forum‘s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index. This position is due to the quality of its nature-based tourism resources. Positioned among Africa’s top destinations for tourism investments, Tanzania attracts international investments owing to its rich biodiversity, wildlife attractions, and cultural resources.
A splendid project that boasts the beauty of the landscape of Zanzibar is the Emerald Zanzibar Resort and Spa, overlooking the picturesque beach on sloping land with its lavish furnishings and luxurious decor that highlight the extravagant beauty of nature through its subtle and comfortable accommodation.
The Investment Landscape
“With an increased focus on green investments, the United Republic of Tanzania has a great potential to seize these opportunities and formulate a value proposition based on these comparative advantages.” — Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General
Tanzania showcases a highly favourable investment landscape and has been in the limelight due to its growth performance and stability over the last decade. It is also a top choice for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa and ranks among the ten most prominent recipients of FDI on the continent.
Future Outlook
The country continues efforts to improve its business-enabling environment. They do this by ‘strengthening institutions, regulations, policies, and transparency frameworks that facilitate the attractions and promotion of investment inflows towards the tourism sector and its value chain.’ This would drive the much-needed change in the country’s investment climate, encouraging partnerships between the government and the private sector.
Ecodec’s Role in the Hospitality Industry in Tanzania
With a significant and prominent rise in tourism and travel within the country, a surge in authentic and luxury experiences has become the forerunner. Tourists’ increased preference for luxury accommodations, restaurants, resorts, and recreational areas become vital points to cater for the best hospitality features.
With the Emerald Zanzibar Resort and Spa making strides in the luxurious experiences of this kind in the region, Ecodec’s role in providing soft furnishing elevates these experiences. Tanzania aims to cater to these evolving needs of the traveller and set a benchmark for its hospitality.
Curating solutions that blend innovations, exceptional service and timeless craftsmanship for a diverse range of soft furnishings, Ecodec emerges as the one-stop destination for all the furnishing needs for this sector. By striving for excellence and having a global outreach, Ecodec serves to produce every fabric with details in all its craftsmanship.
Your soft furnishings partners, Ecodec, deliver globally. Contact us at biz@ecodec.sg to discuss soft furnishings for your next project.