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T A N Z A N I A“All Smiles” CelebratingDecade Long SuccessfulU.S. Promotion

Africa Travel Association (ATA) sponsored its 33rdAnnual World Congress in the East African coun-try of Tanzania, May 19–23. More than 300 dele-gates, including tourism ministers and industry

experts from 20 African countries, North America, Europe,the Middle East and Asia gathered in Tanzania’s legendary“Safari Capital,” Arusha. Themed “Exploring Africa’sCompetitive Edge in the Tourism,” the weeklong gatheringat the Arusha International Conference Center comprisedmeetings, panel discussions, gala receptions and exuberantcultural performances. Ethiopian Airlines served as officialcongress carrier, with the Naura Springs, Kibo Palace, ImpalaHotel, New Safari Hotel and East African Hotel & Suitesserving as congress lodgings.

Tanzania’s president and congress keynote speaker, H.E.Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, launched proceedings at the confer-ence center by citing impressive World Tourism Organization(WTO) statistics: between 2005–2007, international tourist ar-

rivals increased approximately 6%, from 800m to nearly900m; of these, Africa outperformed other destinations, reg-istering an impressive 8% arrivals growth in 2007. Between2005–2006, international industry income generation rose

Travel World News •• wwwwww..ttrraavveellwwoorrllddnneewwss..ccoomm T A N Z A N I A • AUGUST • 3

Africa Travel Association Celebrates 33rdAnnual Congress in Tanzania

Showcasing Africa’s competitive edge in tourism as a rising world-class destination brand ATAholds its annual congress and marketing conference Tanzania’s safari-gateway town, Arusha.

M A RY E L L E N S C H U LT Z

Edward Bergman, ATA Executive Director; Tanzania’s PresidentJakaya Mrisho Kikwete; and Hon. Shamsa Selengia Mwangunga,Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism.

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8.4%, from US$678bn to US$735bn. Noting tourism’s essential role in Africa’s socio-economic

development, Kikwete cautioned that while “tourism is a sec-tor whose importance in the economies of African countriesis ever-increasing, many of our countries have yet to benefitproportionately to their resource endowments.”

Signaling improved long- and short-haul air access; trans-port infrastructure; regulated standards and services, ex-panded tour/travel experiences, and positive media promo-tion as essential tools for success, he continued, “We alsohope to see more investments flowing into the African coun-tries, teaming up with the African private sector to build thetourism infrastructure —which is the critical missing link atthe moment.”

ATA executive director Edward Bergman laid out the asso-ciation’s vision: Bringing the world to Africa and Africa to theworld. How? “By marketing and brand the continent as awhole, along with each individual nation as unique traveldestination ATA’s annual congress is an essential part of thisvision.” How? “By presenting Africa and its 53 nations as bothready and actively engaging the global tourism market-places…and ripe for global investment and business explo-ration within this industry.” Bergman then spotlightedTanzania as an example of successful national tourism strat-egy development/implementation. Noting the major changesince Tanzania first hosted the congress ten years ago, hesaid, “Tourism is now the country’s leading economic sector,expected to earn US$1bn this year.” Per Bergman, “Since lastyear, ATA has embarked on a global effort to market Africa asa unified travel destination and to mobilize resources andpartnerships for the campaign …[we’ve] devoted significantattention to four strategic areas: international events, mediaand communications, membership services and global part-nerships.” Dubai World Africa is ATA’s global premier partner,a direct result the company’s participation in our 11th annualeco and cultural tourism symposium (January 2008).”

Luis Pinheiro, Dubai World Africa’s (DWA) director of hos-pitality operations, Africa and the Indian Ocean, commented,“DWA has long held in high regard the work ATA does inAfrica, and it is for this reason that we are proud to be associ-ated with ATA. Since day one of DWA’s creation, we searchedfor an organization that continues to promote Africa. ATA isensuring that the marketing of our beautiful continent is metwith the support which our organization can provide throughour presence in Africa…we are honored to become ATA’s firstpremier partner.”

Hon. Shamsa Selengia Mwangunga, MP, Tanzania’s minis-ter of natural resources and tourism, reported that the touristindustry has overtaken agriculture as the country’s numberone foreign exchange earner. Noting the country’s significant2007 arrivals — at 719,200, 17% over 2006 (with the U.S. nowranking for the first time as #1 in arrivals) — she predictedgrowth to 1 million visitors by 2010. Mwangunga stressedsupporting responsible tourism development and conserva-

tion preservation via economic growth that minimizes its all-too-often negative impact, saying, “In Tanzania, we believein sustainable tourism development and are strong advocatesof nature conservation [nearly 25% of the country is set asidefor wildlife and forest conservation]…. we have taken delib-erate efforts at a national level to involve local communitiesin natural resource management, at the same time strength-ening private-public sector partnerships.” With an eye to at-tracting ever-more visitors, she closed St. Augustine’s popu-lar travel quote: “The world is a book and those who do nottravel read only one page."

Congress ProceedingsThe jam-packed roster of sessions included:– A Decade of Progress: Showcasing Tanzania. Chaired by

Peter Mwenguo, Tanzania Tourist Board’s managing director,the panel covered hotel industry opportunities and chal-lenges, successful national parks promotion, information &communications technology (ICT) development and industrygrowth/empowerment in Tanzania, and business travel.

– Branding Destination Africa. Chaired and moderated byEthiopian Culture and Tourism Minister AmbassadorMohamoud Dirir Gheddi, panel featured Hon. IssofuOkoulou-Kantchali, Togo’s minister of environment, tourismand forestry management and David Mkobo, ATA’s Kenyachapter president and director of Tambo Tours. Stressed wasthe continuing need to brand destination Africa in a way thatbenefits both individual countries and the continent as awhole. Suggested solutions: consolidating and capitalizingon common regional attractions (i.e. Slave Route, Diamond,Coffee Routes and Trans-Sahara Routes, in addition to the

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ATA FROM PAGE 3

President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania, during opening ceremony of Africa Travel Association’s (ATA) 33rd Annual Congress,held May 19-23 at the Arusha Interenational Conference Center, inArusha, Tanzania.

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more well-known Safari), developingjoint tourism offices promotional efforts,combined training resources and facili-tating cross-border/cross-region move-ment via single-region visas and openskies.

– Trends in Africa Tourism. Chairedand moderated by Amb. DaudiMwakawago, former Tanzanian ambas-sador the United Nations & former spe-cial UN representative to Sierra Leone.Participants included Prof. Pius Yanda,of Dar es Salaam University and jointrecipient (along with former U.S. vicepresident Al Gore) of 2007’s NobelPeace Prize for their study on the im-pacts of climate change in Africa; Dr.Chika Onyeani, chairman & ceo ofAfrica Telecom; Darol Kubacz, founderof Freedom for Life and organizer of theUhuru Ascent; and Eliseo Neuman, di-rector of American JewishCommunity’s (AJC) Africa Institute.

– A Decade of Progress: ShowcasingTanzania. Chaired by Peter Mwenguo,Tanzania Tourist Board’s managing di-rector, the panel covered hotel industryopportunities and challenges, nationalparks, information & communicationstechnology (ICT) development andbusiness travel.

– Destination Africa: Nonstop AirlineHighways. Moderated by Hon.Eduardo Chingunji, Angola’s ministerof hotels and tourism, participants in-cluded Ato Busera Awel, vice presidentof Ethiopian Airlines and DavidMattaka, chief executive officer of AirTanzania. Noting tourism’s reliance onattractions and the ability to reach des-tinations, discussion focused on thecontinent’s underdeveloped air net-work and challenges airlines face thataffect tourism growth, such as prof-itability — and the need to think out-side the box and foster inter-countrysynergy.

Other panels featured successful mod-els of community-benefit tourism; pack-aging Africa from travel agents’ andtour operators’ perspectives andAfrica’s accommodations – issues inhospitality and lodging. Delegates alsoparticipated in roundtable discussions

and a marketplace expo.

Awards & KudosDuring the Tanzania Night Gala din-

ner, ATA’s annual awards presentationhonored the following:

– For Outstanding Service to AfricaTravel Association: The Tanzanian gov-ernment, under the leadership ofPresident Kikwete, alongside theBradford Group (Tanzania’s public rela-tions representative in the U.S.)

– For Outstanding Leadership in ATA:Tanzanian ambassador Daudi N.Mwakawago.

– For Outstanding Achievement in thePromotion of Responsible Achievementto the Continent: New York University’sAfrica House; Peter K. Muiriri, presi-dent of Hotel Adventures Travel inNairobi, Kenya; Dr. Chika Onyeani ofThe African Sun Times newspaper.

– The Founders Award: Doris Wooten,ATA New York chapter president, andCharles Gatt, Jr., publisher of TravelWorld News.

More kudos were bestowed during theGala Tanzania Evening. TanzaniaTourism Board (TTB)’s 8th Annual


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Tourism Awards were presented by Min. Mwangunga. The2008 Honorees are: Diana Williams, WABC-TV New York,Media Award; G.A.P. Adventures, Tour OperatorHumanitarian Award; African Dream Safaris, Tour OperatorConservation Award; Cox and Kings, Tour Operator SouthernCircuit Award; Foxes Safari Camps, Tour Operator Southernand Western Circuits Award; Sunny Safaris, Tanzanian TourOperator Award; and Breezes Beach Club & Spa, HotelAward. TTB also presented its first-ever World ClimateChange Award to Prof. Pius Zebbe Yanda, Ph.D., Universityof Dar es Salaam, for his Nobel Peace Prize as part of AlGore’s team. As part of the Award Ceremony, Tanzania alsorecognized ATA’s Premier Partner, Dubai World Africa. [Note:For more details, please see the full-story article in this issue’sAfrica section.]

Host Country DayTanzania’s Host Country Day treated delegates to a daylong

excursion to the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater—oftencalled the “8th Natural Wonder of the World—located in the8300 sq km protected Ngorongoro Conservation Area.Descending into the collapsed crater along its rim, visitorspassed through lush rainforest and thick vegetation intograssy plains filled with wildebeest, black rhinos, lions, ze-bras and elephants, and flamingo-filled lakes for a trulyunique safari experience. That night, a gala dinner andNigeria-designed fashion show rounded out the festivities.

In ClosingDuring the closing ceremony, Zanzibar’s president

H.E. Dr. Amani Abeid Karume, lauded delegates for their crit-ical deliberations of the many challenges and various initia-tives for unlocking the continent’s unparalleled tourism de-velopement potential and pointed out the direct co-relationof the travel industry to countries’ infrastructure develop-ment. Noting ATA’s efforts to tap lucrative Asian and MiddleEast markets, he also urged more aggressive strategies tar-geting America’s African Diaspora sector. “I, having just vis-ited the United States of America recently, found a lot of in-terest from African-Americans and others to visitAfrica…which needs to be cultivated and developed,” hesaid. Calling for increased intra-African and domestictourism, Karume noted “domestic tourism will generategreater awareness of the value and importance of tourism inour respective countries, thereby winning support of localpeople to the industry…and help develop a true continentaltourism brand.”

ATA executive director Bergman thanked participants, saying, “I expect this next year to be transformational for ATAas we continue to create new initiatives and partnershipsdedicated to developing travel products the world canenjoy…in particular, we look forward to advancing our part-nership with the African Union in our goal to have 100%Africa country membership and to market ‘Destination Africa’worldwide.”

Upcoming ATA events include the 12th Annual Eco and Cultural Tourism Symposium later this year and the 34th Annual Congress in spring 2009 (details to be announced).Africa Travel Association, www.africatravelassociation.org


ATA FROM PAGE 5

H.E. President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, The United Republic ofTanzania, greets Vivienne Willison, Sales Director, CHI Hotels &Resorts, and a newly elected Vice President of the International Boardof Directors, the Africa Travel Association Congress.

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Keys Hotels Travel & Tours is a Tanzanian family-runcompany situated literally on the slopes of MountKilimanjaro. The 25-year-old tour operator operates

from two locations: one near Arusha in Moshi and one in Dares Salaam. At the gateway to the legendary roof of Africa,these are ideal centers from which to explore Tanzania.

Arusha-born, managing director Lucy Ndesamburo is thefounder’s daughter, and is passionate about maintaining thesame high standards set by her father. Clients are treated withthe same consideration reserved for respected family mem-bers, and she promises, “we work on the principal of totalcustomer satisfaction and go out of our way to make sure thatthey go home having had the experience of a lifetime….andthen hope that they come back to do it again!”

Keys offers guided tours for climbing Kilimanjaro or Meru,Northern and Southern Circuit safaris, cultural tours to localtribes, and trips to Bagamoyo, and Zanzibar’s islands. Aunique aspect of Keys’ operation is that they also own fourhotels countrywide to provide a complete “Keys” safari.

Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit takes in some of the mostfamous national parks and landmarks in the world includingSerengeti National Park, Ngorongoro National Park, LakeManyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and“mankind’s cradle,” Olduvai Gorge.

For many of your adventurous clients, climbing iconic Mr.

Kilimanjaro will be a memory to treasure — tell them nomountaineering experience is needed to climb the MaranguRoute to the summit and that more challenging routes are do-able (guides/fees/accomodations all included).

Keys works with a globe-spanning network of travel agentsand tour operators.In addition to their standard itineraries, theyoffer fully customized FIT programs at competitive, negotiablerates, all of which are are agent-commissionable. In addition toensuring that all the company’s guides are Tanzania NationalPark-certified, Ms. Ndesamburo trains her staff on a regularbasis, noting, “We believe that staff performance is key (no punintended!) to the entire client experience.” Keys Hotels Travel & Tours, [email protected],www.keys-hotel-tours.com

Keys Hotels Travel & Tours Brings You the Wonders of Tanzania

Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski HotelRedefines LuxuryThe Spice Island’s leading international luxury resort welcomes guests to the mystical island ofZanzibar to rejuvenate body, mind and soul.J E N N I F E R M . L A N E


Enjoying a commandingoceanfront position on exoticZanzibar’s prestigious northeast coast, the Zamani

Zanzibar Kempinski is designed toblend in harmoniously with the beautyof its natural surroundings. The combi-nation of an elegant design, the tropicalclimate and warm African hospitalityguarantees an experience that will lasta lifetime. With 30 acres of surface, eachguest enjoys more than 500 square me-ters of lush, tropical gardens and whitesandy beaches.

The resort boasts 110 guest rooms andsuites, each with their own private ter-race and courtyard, a Presidential villa,and six private villas. All accommoda-tions at the resort have complete, unin-terrupted views of the Indian Ocean. Allrooms, suites and villas are contempo-rary in style with exceptional attentionto comfort, privacy and relaxation.

The resort offers five-star services andfacilities including a choice of restau-rants, a beach club, a dedicated relax-ation area for guests, two boutiques,Anantara Spa Zanzibar, a fitness center,tennis court, and children’s play area,as well as a wide range of indoor andoutdoor leisure facilities.

The hotel’s 60-meter infinity pool isperched on the cliff and is ideal tolounge around or swim in. Airport/sea-port transfers, business center services,and wireless Internet access are also offered.

There is also a multi-lingual staff, 24-hour concierge, 24-hour room service, laundry and dry-cleaning services, limousine service, tour desk, currency exchange, and a doctoron call 24 hours. A specialized banquetand meeting area for up to 150 guests, with state of the art telecommu-nications and audio visual equipment isavailable.

Restaurants and DiningZamani’s cuisine leans directly on the

rich and colorful local specialties, par-ticularly Zanzibar’s array of fresh spicesand, of course, the Indian Ocean on itsdoorstep that provides daily fresh fishand seafood.

A choice of international dining op-tions are available including The RedSnapper, specializing in local seafood;Cloves, offering all day casual diningand Mediterranean cuisine; The ZanziBar, the perfect place to enjoy a refresh-ing drink or light snack; The Pool Bar,serving a variety of alcoholic beverages,freshly squeezed fruit juices, iced teas,smoothies and light snacks; the JettyBar, for relaxing during the day and stargazing at night; and the Zamani Beach

Club Grill & Bar, offering light snacksfrom the grill.

The Anantara Spa Located within the resort is a

sanctuary for the mind, body and soul. Anantara Spa Zanzibar is man-aged and operated by world-renownedMandara Spas of Thailand. This modern day spa is the most luxurious in Zanzibar and encompasses bothhealth and wellness elements and spe-cializes in a wide range of massagesand treatments.

The Anantara Spa Zanzibar consists ofsix private treatment rooms and twooutdoor Thai massage pavilions, a mag-nificent outdoor swimming pool withsun deck and pool bar, a fully equipped

A view of the Indian Ocean from the one of six private villas at Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski.


fitness center with yoga and aerobics rooms, and an outdoorlap pool.

Feel-good therapies and natural healing are the lifestylemantras of the new millennium, and the combination of luxurious facilities and tropical surroundings, together withprofessional therapists will ensure a relaxing and pleasurableexperience.

Excursions in ZanzibarThere is plenty for the activity enthusiast to do while visit-

ing Zanzibar. A wide variety of water sports on offer includesailing, snorkeling, surfboarding, deep sea fishing and waterskiing, and it is the ideal location for scuba diving.

Zanzibar is reputed to have some of the best diving in theworld, and the coral reef structures that surround ensure thatthe marine life is abundant.

There are several dive centers on the island and most runcourses using the international PADI system of diver educa-tion. In this way, the certification you gain in Zanzibar can beused anywhere in the world.

Diving in Zanzibar is not restricted to beginners.Experienced scuba divers can enjoy exciting wall dives, nightdives and drift dives.

In deeper waters, lush coral gardens often stretch as far asthe eye can see, and large game fish (barracuda, kingfish,tuna and wahoo) hunt together with large Napoleonicwrasse, graceful manta rays and sharks. Shallower waters arethe playground of tropical fish, including a huge variety ofIndo-Pacific marine fauna.

Tours of Zanzibar Island are a rewarding experience withcultural sights and natural beauty on the itinerary. The GuestRelations Manager can arrange tours with knowledgeableguides. Popular tours of Zanzibar Island include: Stone Town,a fascinating look at the essence of Zanzibar; SpicePlantations, illustrating the rich history of Zanzibar; JozaniForest, home to the rare Red Colobus Monkey, which is en-demic to Zanzibar; North Coast, the dhow building capital ofZanzibar; Kizimkazi Mosque & Dolphin Tour, worth a visit forboth natural and cultural reasons; and Prison Island, ideal fora day-trip.

Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski is a perfect destination forhoneymoon or wedding vacations as well as meetings and incentives.

After being voted in 2007 as the best hotel in category"Luxury Villa Resort" at the World Luxury Hotel Awards andLeading Resort in Tanzania at the World Travel Awards,Zamani has once again been nominated for the World LuxuryAwards in 2008.

Rates and PackagesRates at Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski are from $230 on half-

board. From now until September 2008, enjoy their “EasyZanzibar Package” which includes airport pick up, welcomedrink, buffet breakfast, daily changing dinner at Cloves

Restaurant, and service charge and tax. Rates start from EUR681 (approximately $1,070) for three nights.Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski,[email protected], www.kempinski-zanzibar.com

“THE BEST OF TANZANIA NATIONALPARKS” FROM HLO TOURS, INC.

HLO Tours, Inc. presents “The Best of Tanzania National Parks”FAM trip via Cairo, Egypt and Nairobi, Kenya, 12-days/11-nights,October 30 – November 10, 2008. FAM is available when you joinHLO Tours, Inc. 20th Anniversary Celebration on another Tanzaniasafari adventure with a taste of ancient Egyptian history.

In Tanzania, enjoy Africa’s most dense population of wildlife inthe most breathtaking national parks. Relive the enchantment ofan ageless continent while still enjoying all the comfort and luxu-ries of modern life. A brief stay in Egypt is highlighted by a visit tothe world famous Great Pyramids of Giza and the legendarySphinx. An adventure to the Land of the Pharaohs is a thrilling lookinto the history of Egyptian culture.

Price is $3,638 for IATA approved agents and $3,963 forspouse/companion. The price includes12-days /11-nights; air andland package from New York (JFK); all transfers and domestic airwithin Tanzania; most meals; deluxe accommodations in hotels andlodges; game drives daily in Tanzania; and guided tours in Cairo,Egypt. FAM is limited to 15 participants.HLO Tours, 800-736-4456, [email protected]

During Africa Travel’s (ATA) 33rd AnnualCongress, held recently in Arusha, Tanzania,TWN sat down with Tanzania Tourism Board’s(TTB) managing director Peter Mwenguo and

marketing director Amant Macha, to get a first-hand updateon the industry in their country.

No doubt about it. Tanzania’s tourism star is rising. Itsiconic, snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest andthe world’s tallest free-standing mountain) was named the“Top Exotic Adventure” destination by USA Today in 2008.And Zanzibar’s Chumbe Island Coral Park was singled outby Islands magazine as one of world’s “most offbeat, eco-con-scious travel adventures.”

More than 750,000 international tourists are expected thisyear (up from 2007’s 719,031 arrivals), predicted to generaterecord-beating revenues of about US$1bn — surpassing agri-culture as Tanzania’s leading economic sector. The country’sfirst-ever U.S.television tourism campaign debuted late lastyear with the tagline “Tanzania: Land of Kilimanjaro,Zanzibar and The Serengeti.” Part of an aggressive world-wide promotional effort to highlight the country as a world-class destination, the campain has been working. Americanvisitors now represent Tanzania’s largest single tourism mar-ket, attracting a record high total of 58,379 — 83,930 whencombined with Canada as the North American total in 2007— overtaking the traditional high held by the UK.

Tanzania’s tourism policy stipulates the promotion of ahigh-yield, low-volume, longer-stay product, and targetingthis sector remains top priority.

Mwenguo explains, “Our focus remains upmarket becausewe need to be competitive with our neighboring countries,but, we’re certainly not excluding mid- and lower-market vis-itors — there are plenty of extraordinary, very affordable ad-ventures to be had here, no matter what your budget!”

Added to Tanzania’s product portfolio plans is the burgeon-ing sports tourism market. Timed to coincide with the ap-proaching 2010 World Cup Tournament to held in SouthAfrica, a US$55m state-of-the-art, 66,000-capacity sports sta-dium debuted in Dar es Salaam earlier this year as part of anational sports complex comprising warm-up grounds, in-door stadium, sports theater, Olympic-standard swimmingpool, sports village/college and training grounds.

Tanzania: North, South, East & WestAlong with promotion of two safari routes — the popular

Northern Circuit and the lesser-known, “wilder” SouthernCircuit — and the exotic delights of Zanzibar’s Spice Islands,is something new. Mwenguo reports, “We’re introducing twoadditional routes: the Slave Route (from Kigomo], which is

our Western Circuit,” towards Bagamoyo and the palm-fringed Coastal Circuit, which explores Tanzania’s towns andvillages along the way to the border with Kenya.

New properties around the country include the five-star,120-room Naura Springs Hotel and the 40-room, all-suiteEast African Hotel in Arusha (jumping off point for theNorthern Circuit); the four-star, 69-room Giraffe Ocean ViewHotel in Dar es Salaam (starting point for the SouthernCircuit; and on Zanzibar, the 76-room La Villa Beach Cluband the luxurious Zanzibar Royal Beach Hotel.

Conservation is KeyOf all [of Africa’s] wildlife countries, Tanzania has the great-

est percentage of protected land, with nearly 30% of the coun-try dedicated to wildlife, fauna and flora conservation.

Conservation is more than key for Tanzania, with land andwildlife protection always top-of-mind.

Mwenguo continues, “Our primary mandate is conserva-tion, with tourism an essential means to sustain our ef-forts…we’ve increased our operational costs and are con-stantly working on improving relationships with surroundingcommunities. This is paramount for developing creative al-ternative land uses…essential because we receive no govern-ment subsidies…our southern and western circuits don’t gen-erate enough revenue to break even…yet!”

Revenue Maximization Strategies, based on “limits of ac-ceptable use” (LAUs) are increasingly important growthtools, utilizing partnerships and coordination to promote low-volume/high-income tourism as TANAPA seeks to diversifyactivities and control visitor load. Ever-optimistic, Mwenguoremarked, “Success is measured by increased number of vis-itor days…tourists are realizing that we offer true, uncompro-mised wilderness experiences. In fact, our parks are increas-ingly becoming first-choice destinations.” He continued,“Even more encouraging is that whereas before Tanzania was


Updates from the Land of Kilimanjaro,Zanzibar and The SerengetiM A RY E L L E N S C H U LT Z

Pretty in Pink.

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an add-on to, say, a Kenya or Ugandasafari for U.S. operators, now, we’re be-coming a single-destination choice!”

New Parks and ProductsThis year marks the exciting debut of

Mkomazi as the newest national park.The 56-year-old former game reservehas been joined with the Umba ForestReserve, and shares a border with TsavoNational Park and is another reason toexplore the Southern Circuit. It’s a newsafe-haven for the critically endangeredblack rhino and wild hunting dogs.

By 2009, Africa’s largest national parkis expected to be announced inTanzania: Ruaha National Park will becombined with Usangu Game Reserve,increasing its size by over15,000 sq mt(9,320 sq mi). Ruaha is home to over10,000 elephants, the largest popula-tion in East Africa.

Tied to park viewing countrywide isan emerging niche — wildlife manage-ment training, which attracts both pro-fessional and amateur students fromaround the world. The Eastern AfricaWildlife Management Training Collegein Moshi accepts students; volunteersshould contact the TTB, Department ofWildlife and Ministry of Wildlife andFisheries for study-visits with lodging inlocal communities surrounding the var-ious parks.

To complement traditional wildlife sa-fari tourism, TTB has developed multi-day cultural safaris that traverse thecountry north to south, visiting local vil-lages to provide opportunities for “one-on-one” interaction with various tribes.

Marketing TanzaniaAt press time, TTB’s advertising bud-

get was not yet finalized, but Mr. Machasaid that marketing plans for the com-ing year include expanded TV promo-tion, continued participation in tourismtrade shows/travel industry roadshows,new collateral print material, a re-freshed/relaunched website with an e-newsletter signup and expanded e-mar-keting are key publicity tools, alongwith travel agent and media FAM trips.Complementing consumer reinforce-

ment of Brand Tanzania, TTB recentlyinitiated a travel agent “Tanzania TravelSpecialist Program” with Travel AgentUniversity. To date, over 600 agentshave completed the course.

Airlift challenges are increasinglybeing met. In order to satisfy the grow-ing need for transportation, QatarAirways (currently offering four flightsweekly from Newark and daily from

Washington, DC to Doha with dailyconnections to Dar es Salaam; three-times weekly Houston–Doha servicewill begin later this year) has recentlyincreased its passenger capacity on theDar es Salaam–Doha route by over1,000 seats per month. Tanzania Tourist Board, [email protected], www.tanzaniatouristboard.com


NINE LODGES - ONE WEBSITE

[email protected]

Serengeti Tented Camp

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Lake Manyara Tented Camp

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Lake NatronTented Camp

TANZANIA

Moivaro CoffeePlantation

ARUSHA

Safari Spa

ARUSHA

Kia Lodge

KILIMANJARO

Fumba Beach LodgeZANZIBAR

Unguja LodgeZANZIBAR

Speke Bay LodgeTANZANIA

Sweeping panorama of Ngorongoro Crater – sometimes referred to as the 8th Natural Wonder ofthe World.

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Tanzania’s quintessentially African landscape encourages even the most timid traveler to take a walk on the wild side. Stepping out onto the endless plains of say, the Serengeti, makes

you feel pretty small. Not surprising, since you’re now among one of the largest and wildest animals populations in the world. The Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard), monkey, gazelle, flamingo, zebra — they’re all here!

One of Africa’s unique destinations yet to be discovered by many, Tanzania is a wonderland filled with an astoundingdiversity of flora and fauna. From Kilimanjaro, the highestpermanently snow-capped freestanding mountain in Africa,to the marvelously game-filled sanctuaries of Serengeti, LakeManyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Selous, Ruaha andMarine Park of Mafia, and the exotic spice-perfumed islands(and palm-fringed, sun-kissed beaches) of Zanzibar, adven-tures large and small abound.

But beyond its natural diversity, perhaps Tanzania’s primeasset is its warm and courteous people. While best-known are

the cattle-herding Masai (colorfully garbed in traditional redplaid robes), there are 127 other tribes here, each with equallyrich traditions, customs, beliefs and music. This combinationof scenery, topography and friendly people are constantlyevolving into super-shot photographic safari experiences,historical and archaeological explorations, fascinating cul-tural tourism and beach getaways.

Everybody in the jeep! Tanzania’s four main Safari circuits are: The Northern Circuit is the most-traveled and best known

for two reasons. Names such as Ngorongoro Crater, Serengetiand Kilimanjaro are major attractions of this route and sec-ondly, most of the destinations and local towns and attrac-tions are fairly close in proximity.

The Southern Circuit’s parks and game reserves are gaining a reputation as the hidden treasures of Tanzania's authentic Africa. These parks are enormous, with some of the highest concentration of animals anywhere on the continent. Selous, Mikumi, Saadani and Ruaha (soon to become Africa’s largest park) are some of the jewels in this circuit’s crown. Lodges and tented camps here aresmall and intimate, which means far fewer tourists than in the north. Travel times between parks are long, and so eachmay be visited independently or by combining several intoone circuit.

Comprising the also lesser-known Western Circuit are theGreat Rift Valley’s lovely inland lakes, including the mightyLakes Victoria and Tanganyika. Parks include MahaleMountains and Gombe Stream (home to some of Africa’s lastremaining wild chimpanzees).

The habitats of these areas are where western and easternAfrica merge; therefore, the cultures, rainfall and flora aretruly unique to this small corner of Africa. This circuit is sel-dom a single-safari destination, but is often combined theNorthern or Southern ones.

The Coastal Circuit follows Tanzania’s 800 km (500 mi) his-tory-steeped coastline — lined with the sugar-sand beachesand the ancient towns of Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, andKilwa, Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia Islands. Many explorers,slavers and sultans first stepped on African soil here, and theSwahili (from the Arabic world “sawahil”—“of the coast”) lan-guage and culture trace their roots to this fascinating IndianOcean cultural blend

Going and Staying Easy air access from the United States via Europe and other


Try Tanzania and Take a Walk on the Wild Side!From safaris in the legendary Serengeti to snorkeling in exotic Zanzibar, this East African country offers adventures galore.M A RY E L L E N S C H U LT Z

P.O. Box 933 Moshi, TanzaniaTel: +255272752250/+255272751875

Fax: +255272750073email: [email protected] or

[email protected]

www.keys-hotel-tours.com

Situated on the slopes of Mountain Kilimanjaro

Specializes in Mountain Climbing,Accommodations,Wildlife Safaris,

Eco/Cultural Tours & Islands Tours


African countries, along with a wealthof multi-budget lodgings make gettingto and staying in Tanzania an irre-sistible vacation. Following are severaltour operator and hotels options to helpyou plan your clients’ first (or second, ormore!) visit to “The Land ofKilimanjaro, Zanzibar and TheSerengeti.” All prices quotes are agent-commissionable:

In Dar es Salaam, the commercialcapital of Tanzania, eco-sensitive andsocially responsible touches form just asmuch a part of the port city’s SouthernSun Dar es Salaam’s comfortable décoras the 152-room property’s prime,Indian Ocean-view location and sophis-ticated, up-market design (featuringstunning, hand-carved Zanzibar wooddoors and Swahili artwork).

Formerly a Holiday Inn property, it re-cently relaunched as a shining star inthe Southern Sun Hotels’ South Africanproperty portfolio. General managerAdam Fuller oversaw the property’saward-winning “going green” program,including water-conserving toilets, re-circulating its “white” (polystyrene)rubbish and donating “gently worn”hotel bedding and food to the hospitalnext door.

Consider booking clients here enroute to the country’s “wilder”Southern Circuit and/or exoticZanzibar’s Spice Islands. Besides themore distant safari/sea destinations,closer attractions include UNESCO-nominated World Heritage Site ofBagamoyo, the Dar es Salaam VillageMuseum, Kunduchi Village ruins andtraditional woodcarvers market. Mr.Fuller’s current promotional plans in-clude Internet specials for the interna-tional market and local deals to attractdomestic tourists.

Rack rates $233 (double) to $471 (executive queen); 10% agent commissionable; professional discountsavailable. Southern Sun Dar es Salaam,www.southernsun.com

Opening late 2007 and combining“home comfort and African splendor,”the four-star East African All-Suites

Hotel & Conference Center (a 45-minute drive from Kilimanajaro airport)is a new addition to the rapidly expand-ing lodgings choices in Arusha.Originally an apartment complex, theproperty was converted into the city’sonly all-suites property, and provides acozily elegant respite for your clients onthe way to/from the popular NorthernCircuit safari routes.

The 40-room hotel is a 10-minute walk from the town center’s clock tower (exactly mid-point betweenCapetown and Cairo). The on-site restaurant serves up award-

winning local and international cuisine. Rates for the spacious suitesrange from $125 (single-room), $160(loft) to $300 for the two-bedroom presi-dential suite.East African All-Suite Hotel &Conference Center, www.eastafrican.com

Family-owned Cordial Tours has beendesigning both group and customizedsafaris for over 10 years, and father/sonowners David and Anthony Kizito stressquality, reliability and absolute value askey components of their operation —

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Lion King encounter in Ngorongoro Crater.

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and pride themselves on helping making each client’s safaridream come true a top priority.

Both regularly scheduled departures, FIT safaris are wel-comed. Cordial’s 9-day/8-night Northern Circuit safari usesArusha as base and takes in Arusha National Park (Tanzania’sfirst park), Lake Manyara (home of the tree-climbing lions),vast Serengeti plains, Ngorongoro Crater’s unique habitatand Tarangire’s elephant-packed playground.

Price range $1,858–$2,444pp, depending on total partici-pants. Their 9-day/8-night Southern Circuit takes off from

Dar es Salaam and heads south to Mikumi (one of Tanzania’smost accessible and popular parks), then to divinely sprawl-ing Ruaha (soon to be Africa’s largest park), ruggedly remoteSelous and back to Dar. Approximate cost is$2,1000–$2,500pp. An abbreviated, 5-day/4-night safari ex-plores Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater;cost range $900–$1,326pp, and could be combined with a fewrelaxing days on Zanzibar.Cordial Tours, www.cordialtours.com, [email protected]


ABERCROMBIE & KENT 800 323 7308www.abercrombiekent.com

ABSOLUTE ADVENTURE TRAVEL *281-217-8111www.absoluteadventuretravel.com

ADVENTURES IN AFRICA *866-778-1089www.adventuresinafrica.com

THE AFRICA ADVENTURE COMPANY *800.882.9453www.africa-adventure.com

AFRICA DREAM SAFARIS 877 572 3274www.africadreamsafaris.com

AFRICAExperts.COM 800 387 8850www.africaexperts.com

BORN FREE SAFARIS & TOURS *800 472 3274www.bornfreesafaris.com

COX & KINGS 800-999-1758www.coxandkingsusa.com

DEEPER AFRICA *888-658-7102www.deeperafrica.com

GLOBUS 866 755 8581www.globusjourneys.com

GO AHEAD TOURS 800 242 4686www.goaheadtours.com

GOOD EARTH TOURS877 265 9003www.goodearthtours.com

GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL OVERSEASADVENTURE TRAVEL *800-959-0405www.gct.com

INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITIONS 800 633 4734www.ietravel.com

LION WORLD TOURS 800 387 2706www.lionworldtravel.com

MANGO AFRICAN SAFARIS 888 406 2646www.mangosafari.com

MICATO SAFARIS *800-642-2861www.micato.com

NATURAL MIGRATIONS 866 988 7575www.naturalmigrations.com

SAFARI VENTURES *888-341-7771www.safariventures.com

TAUCK BRIDGES 866 636 6500www.tauckbridges.com

TAUCK WORLD DISCOVERY *800-788-7885www.tauck.com

TRAVCOA 800 992 2003www.travcoa.com

THOMSON SAFARIS *800-235-0289www.thomsonsafaris.com

UNITED VACATIONS AFRICA 800 227 9246www.swaintours.com

* Tanzania Tourist Board Award-Winning Tour Operators

HOW TO BOOK TANZANIA

TANZANIA ROUNDUP FROM PAGE 13

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