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The Director of Tourism Mr Ibrahim Mussa elaborating a point during the discussion with the Mozambique delegation.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), Ms Tarishi M.K, today hosted a delegation of the Ministry of Tourism from the neighboring country of Mozambique. The delegation led by their Minister, Hon Carvalho Muaria is in the country for a five day familiarization tour on tourism and conservation issues with their counterparts MNRT. Acknowledging their visit, Ms Tarishi M.K said Tanzania and Mozambique share a long history of collaboration since the colonial period. She commended the good ties that the two countries have enjoyed over the years.
The Hon Minister Carvalho Muaria in his remarks said that Tanzania feels like home to them and that both countries share many things including unique natural resources. He urged that the two countries continue the good relations so as to collaborate in various development issues.
Talks between the Management of MNRT and the delegation from Mozambique ranged on issues of Antipoaching, Tourism and Wildlife training institutions. Elaborating on the tourism operations in the country, the Director for Tourism, Mr. Ibrahim Mussa said that Tanzania is now embarking on a new aspect of cultural tourism which has already set off very well in some regions in the country. He said it is imperative that tourism activities be diversified so that tourists can get various choices and thus make their stay longer in the destination country.
In their presentation, it was seen that Mozambique has a larger coastline measuring 2,750km on the Indian Ocean. The presenter said this is an important asset that their country utilizes most in tourism. Tourism trend is high in Mozambique and has generally attracted more than 2million tourists by the end of 2012.
Contrary to the huge number of tourists that surpasses Tanzania, Hon. Carvalho Muaria noted that the revenue collected from tourism is lower than what Tanzania generates. Tanzania has the longest number of stay and expenditure for tourists as compared to other countries in the region. He said it is a good area to share experience and help Mozambique learn ways of increasing revenue from tourism.
Highlighting on challenges in their tourism sector, Hon Carvalho Muaria said that most citizens do not participate in tourism and instead it’s left to the foreign people to do it. He hoped that in the course of their visit they will be able to identify areas of immediate action and set up working teams to establish an action plan for intervention.
The rich and long history between the countries has enabled several bilateral agreements to be reached. Ms Tarishi noted that it’s worth to mention that Mozambique and Tanzania have over the last three years signed MOUs on Trans-boundary Forest products and Tourism Development. Later this year another MOU on Wildlife Protection is expected to signed.
The Hon Carvalho Muaria and his team will also be visiting The National College of Tourism and National Museum in Dar es Salaam, College of African Wildlife Management- Mweka in Moshi and Tanzania National Parks headquarters in Arusha.
