Kilimanjaro International Airport to Improve Security

Security improvements are being planned for Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) as it aims to establish itself as one of the best in sub-Saharan Africa.

The improvements have been introduced as part of a wider strategy to increase air traffic to the airport by the Kilimanjaro Airports Development Company (KADCO).

New measures will include six new security groups from the local area engaging in regular security patrols of the airport as well as a renewed focus on drug trafficking.

Bakari Murusuri, Acting KADCO Managing Director stated that the new security measures would help enable KIA achieve its goal of attracting more airlines.

The new security improvements are in addition to improved runways, apron, passenger building and expansion of the airport which is being partly funded by the Netherlands.

Passenger numbers at KIA have shown steady growth along with the Tanzanian tourism industry as a whole with passenger throughput more than doubling in the last decade from 200,000 in 2002 to over 650,000 in 2012.

SOURCE; TanzaniaInvest

Largest African Hotel Group To Enter Zanziba

Protea Hospitality Group has acquired the Mbweni Ruins Hotel on the coast of Zanzibar.

The Mbweni Ruins Hotel is a beachside 13 room property built in 1877 located five kilometres from Zanzibar International Airport.

The hotel was formerly part of the Adventure Camps Group but has now been acquired by Protea as it seeks to continue its expansion throughout Africa.

The hotel group is the largest hotel group in terms of numbers of hotels in Africa, with the widest network, owning over 100 hotels spread across South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria, Namibia, Zambia.

“Africa is the future of hospitality and there is room for companies with trusted, recognised brands to expand rapidly,” stated Protea Hospitality Group CEO Arthur Gillis.

With annual tourist earnings in East Africa expected to increase from USD 7 billion currently to USD 16 billion in 2020, a number of large hotel chains including Hilton Hotels, Imara Africa Equity Research and Best Western are looking to expand their operations in the region.

SOURCE; TanzaniaInvest

Saudi Arabia and Tanzania take steps beyond tourism relations

TANZANIA (eTN) - Building good relations in tourism, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania are looking at biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection as areas of cooperation involving youths from the two countries.

Rich in history and religious antiquities, Saudi Arabia is now borrowing a leaf from Tanzania’s wildlife resources for the Kingdom’s future biodiversity conservation and tourism.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has organized and sponsored a ten-day Youth Dialogue Forum in Tanzania and which brought together 50 youths from both Tanzania and Saudi Arabia.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Nizar bin Obaid Madani inaugurated Saudi-Tanzanian Youth Dialogue Forum taking place in Tanzania’s northern tourist city of Arusha, reports from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. A delegation of Saudi youths participating the forum including specialists from Saudi Wildlife Commission, coordinators and supervisors of the Forum's organization, and 20 male and female youths from 13 Saudi universities, reports available to eTN from the Kingdom said.

With a theme “Construction and Implementation of the Regulatory Framework for Biodiversity Conservation”, the Youth Forum is an initiative by King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia for promoting dialogue among youths worldwide under the program of Saudi International Youth Dialogue Forums.

Youths attending the forum are expected to visit Tanzania’s famous Serengeti National Park for three days to gain a field experience from various wildlife conservation projects in the park, among them, the black rhino management program; wild dogs reintroduction project, lion and hyena research projects. Before ending their dialogue, delegates are scheduled to gain more field experience from Tanzania’s leading wildlife conservation area of Ngorongoro, Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s Excellence College of Wildlife Management on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro at Mweka locality and Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute in Arusha city.

Rich in historical and religious antiquities, Saudi Arabia attracts pilgrims from Tanzania and other religious tourists who visit the Kingdom’s preserved historical and cultural heritage sites.

Muslim pilgrims from Tanzania visit Saudi Arabia every year during Hajj caravans in Holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) said that inbound visitors to the Kingdom make short visits to the country, mostly for religious vacations. Some of these visitors are from Tanzania and other, Eastern African states.

There will be an estimated 16.7 million inbound tourist arrivals to Saudi Arabia this year. The Kingdom government has recognized the need to diversify away from its dependence on oil, and the tourism industry has been identified as a priority area for investment.

Saudi Arabia is world’s leading destination for African tourists. No immediate data available to show the number of African tourists calling to Saudi Arabia’s historical and religious sites, but the number of such visitors from this continent runs in hundreds of thousands every year.

SOURCE; By Apolinari Tairo, eTN Tanzania Correspondent

Tanzania: TANAPA Hosts Saudi, Tanzania Youth Dialogue Forum

Arusha — MORE than 50 youths from Saudi Arabia have joined their Tanzanian counterparts in Arusha for the first ever two-state Youth Dialogue Forum which deals mostly with biodiversity issues.

Hosted by the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), the main theme of the forum is 'Construction and implementation of the regulatory framework for biodiversity conservation,' and has attracted more than 50 youths and scholars from both Tanzania and Saudi Arabia.

"They will have an opportunity to interact and discuss the future of biodiversity conservation in the two countries," stated Dr Allan Kijazi, TANAPA Director General, lauding Saudi Arabia for selecting Tanzania to be the first country to host the forum.

Ms Ohoud Al-Arifi from the Alyamamah University of Saudi Arabia said she was really excited with the event and looked forward to gaining plenty of experience from Tanzanian scholars, especially those studying at Mweka College of Wildlife in Kilimanjaro region who would also be attending the forum.

Mr Kundael John Lema, a student at Mweka Wildlife College, said young people were taking major initiatives in the conservation of the flora and fauna and that it was not just taking up studies on wildlife but spearheading the mission which should also influence and spread to coming generations "Tanzania, in association with a number of foreign developing partners, has been conducting a number of researches and studies on wildlife such as wild dogs, lions, rhinoceroses and others.

It is thus also time for Saudi Arabian wildlife institutes to embark on similar studies here," said Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Benard Membe.

Youths attending the forum will visit Serengeti National Park for three days and have a field experience by visiting various conservation projects in the area, such as the rhino management programme; wild dogs reintroduction project as well as lion and hyena research projects.

While in Tanzania, the delegates will visit some wildlife institutions in the country, such as the College of African Wildlife Management Mweka, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Kilimanjaro National Park.