Tanzania Kagera Region month-long exhibitions to Boost Tourism
Kagera Region, Northwest of Tanzania has launched a month-long East Africa Business Agriculture, Innovation and Tourism Expo to unlock the regional economic potential including tourist attractions, the Chief Executive Officer of Kiroyera Mary Kalikawe has said recently.
The Kiroyera Tours Company provides a range of Travel and Tourism Services from its offices in Bukoba (Kagera Region) and Dar es Salam, pioneer to increase the number of tourists to the Kagera Region and specializes in tailor-made eco-friendly safaris and educational tours across Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.
The company boss hinted that the expo has brought together tourism stakeholders from East African countries to learn and share ideas on how to boost the industry in the region, expounding that the exhibitions have kicked off and will close on July 9, 2023.
“The National target up to 2025 is to boast over five million tourists. If all goes well, we are set to keep stepping up a raft of measures to make this region a destination for visitors from across the worlds”, said Kalikawe.
She noted that one of her company’s activities is to promote Lake Victoria and make it widely known as the largest tropical lake, the second largest fresh lake in the world, and the first Africa largest lake by area with a surface of approximately 59,947 km². She added that the surface area of Lake Victoria is divided into three nations: Tanzania owns 49 percent (33,700 sq km), Uganda 45 pc (31,000 sq km), and Kenya 6 pc (4,100 sq km) where in Tanzania, Kagera, Geita, Mwanza, and Mara regions border the lake.
“This Lake hasn’t been fully utilised to boost tourism in the country, specifically in our region, so this time around, on the 8th of July, we will have a gala night on Lake Victoria Super Kalemera Award, which we foresee have more participants versed with knowledge about opportunities to invest in tourism”, said Kalikawe.
Lake Victoria supports an enormous flora and fauna biomass, lush tropical islands, and beautiful beach side, fishing tourism to enjoy indigenous fish such as Ningu (Labeo Victorious), Africa Lungfish (Protopterus), and Catfish (Xenoclarias eupogon). Some tourist attraction honeypots include Islands like Musira, Goziba, and Bumbire.
Ambrose Basizi from the Democratic Republic of Congo has journeyed all the way to attend the expo after learning about beautiful national parks to visit in Ibanda- Kyerwa and Burigi- Chato National Parks).
“I also need to inspire Tanzanians to visit our national parks, some of whom with mountain and lowland gorillas, some with silverbacks. All these are interesting to watch, so to speak“, said Mr. Basizi.
A Mwanza-based Nitetee Foundation C.E.O which supports the less privileged people Frola Lauwo said she has joined the expo to educate women about urinary tract infection (UTI).
“We have come with medicines which have been approved by the authorities, thanks to organisers for showing us the best cooperation,” says Lauwo.
Tanzania is a country with many tourist attractions. Approximately 38 percent of Tanzania’s land area is set aside in protected areas for conservation. There are 17 national parks, 29 game reserves, 40 controlled conservation areas (including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and marine parks. Tanzania is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa Travel and tourism contributed 17.5 percent of Tanzania’s gross domestic product in 2016 and employed 11.0 percent of the country’s labor force (1,189,300 jobs), according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
By Mutayoba Arbogast, K-NEWS Tanzania Contributor
