Tanzania sends a delegation to Doha seeking investment in the tourism and hospitality sectors and co-operation between tourism and hospitality-related businesses.
Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has sent a delegation to Qatar to promote key sectors in the East African country that could be strategic investment opportunities for Qatari investors. The delegation is headed by Professor Eliamani Sedoyeka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism who is joined by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage, the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism and the Tanzania Tourist Board.
Tanzania seeks Qatari investment
The delegation is aiming to build a strong relationship between tourism and hospitality-related businesses and companies in the two countries. “We’ve seen how Qatar developed, especially in the past 10 years, and that only shows how aggressive the country is in terms of how it wants to strategically position itself, so in the same manner, business people from Qatar can come to Tanzania and invest in our country,” Sedoyeka said.
“The main objective is to invite the global business sector and forge partnerships with our tourism operators. One angle we’re looking at is to maximize Qatar Airways flights to and from Tanzania to give tourists a good time, while the other is in the physical infrastructure. One of our very strategic partners is Qatar Airways, which brings people from all over the world to Tanzania. When they land in Tanzania, it would be beneficial for Qatari companies to tap those numbers; visitors can stay in Qatari-owned hotels in Tanzania, for example, and that would be a win-win situation,” he said.
MICE
Alongside tourism, the delegation will also present opportunities in the transport and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) arenas. Zanzibar, Dar-es-Salaam, and Arusha will be showcased as examples of where partnerships between the two countries could help support B2B and G2G (government-to-government) opportunities. According to Sedoyeka, a frequent service by Qatar Airways would help to improve the growth of tourism in Tanzania.
The FIFA World Cup
Fatma M. Khamis, Principal Secretary, at Zanzibar’s Ministry of Tourism and Heritage said that the delegation’s main target is to position the country as a tourist destination while Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup. “We understand that the whole world would be here during the tournament, which is why this is the perfect opportunity for us to further promote our country as a destination, as well as for investment opportunities. We are hoping that this visit would help increase investor and tourist interest in Tanzania, but at the same time, we are also looking to forge long-lasting relationships with authorities from Qatar Tourism, Qatar Airways, Qatar Chamber, and other key players and stakeholders to promote tourism and investments on both sides,” she said.
Tanzania also offers investment opportunities in a range of sectors, including agriculture, mining, oil and gas, sports tourism, and halal tourism. Sedoyeka also called for Qatari companies to join the sixth edition of the ‘Swahili international Tourism Expo’ (S!TE), which will be held in Dar-es-Salaam from October 21 to 23.
In June, a delegation from Algeria visited Qatar to promote investment in the country’s tourism sector.