On 11th October 2024, the President of Zanzibar, Hon. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, launched the 8th edition of the Swahili International Tourism Expo (SITE) 2024 at Mlimani City in Dar es Salaam.
The event, organized by the Ministry of Tourism through the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) under the theme “Explore Tanzania for a Lifetime Investment and Seamless Tourism Experience,” serves as a premier platform for promoting inbound and outbound travel to and within Tanzania with a focus on investment opportunities in the tourism sector.
Along with the launch of SITE 2024, Air Tanzania (ATCL) and TTB signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote tourism in Tanzania.
Speaking at the launch, President Mwinyi highlighted: “The Ministry’s initiatives through the TTB to organize the SITE 2024 exhibition at international standards is clear evidence that they understand the vision of our President Hon. Samia Suluhu Hassan. The participation of key stakeholders in the tourism sector from inside and outside the country will help promote our tourism internationally while also opening up business opportunities between our business owners and their counterparts in the tourism sector.”
“I also congratulate you for organizing the Investment Forum, which runs alongside SITE. This platform will attract investors to our tourism attractions and other important areas of the tourism sector,” added President Mwinyi.
He also stressed that the Government of Tanzania will continue strengthening Tanzania’s tourism sector by enhancing the operations of ATCL and encouraging other airlines to initiate direct flights between Tanzania and countries that are major tourism markets.
President Mwinyi elaborated that the government will build modern roads and railways that connect tourist attractions, construct and renovate airports, and improve other essential tourism services.
The government will also create a favorable investment environment to attract investors, especially in accommodation services within the tourism sector.
On her part, the Minister of Tourism and Natural Resources, Hon. Pindi Chana, said: “This exhibition began in 2014 […]. We are grateful to the President of Tanzania, Hon. Samia Suluhu Hassan, and the President of Zanzibar for the documentary ‘Tanzania the Royal Tour,’ which has invited the world to Tanzania.”
Latest Tourist Arrivals in Tanzania
In 2023, tourist arrivals to Tanzania increased by 24.3%, reaching 1,808,205 visitors, compared to 1,454,920 tourists in 2022, 922,692 in 2021, and 616,491 in 2020.
By August 2024, Tanzania had received 2,026,378 international tourists—the highest number ever recorded in the country—generating US$ 3.5 billion in revenue.
Tourism now contributes 17.2% to Tanzania’s GDP and 29% to Zanzibar’s GDP. The sector accounts for 25% of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and has created 1.5 million jobs, direct and indirect jobs.
The 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals that Tanzania’s travel and tourism sector experienced unprecedented growth in 2023, and the long-term outlook suggests that the sector will continue its upward trajectory.
