Tanzania is angling itself in becoming a leading destination for Europe and the West with Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announcing plans to launch direct flights to Tanzania in a bid to promote tourism.
Johnson recently met with a team of Tanzanian ministers on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. This was part of an agenda to expound on US-Tanzania trade ties focusing on tourism.
According to Tanzanian spokesperson Gerson Msigwa, Tanzania is bent on marketing itself as a top tourist destination in East Africa. And Dallas is a hotspot as it has many avid tourists who would want to visit Tanzania.
He spoke in New York where he accompanied President Samia.
“One of the things were going to the US to do is adding our tourism numbers by adding the number of direct flights from tourist populated states in the US,” he said.
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President Samia left for a two-week US trip with a full-in-tray programme. First, she graced the launch of ‘Royal Tour’, a documentary about Tanzania’s wild.
Part of her agenda was talks on Dallas-Tanzania direct flights which she sent a team of ministers to represent her.
How Many People Live in Dallas?
According to 2022 data, Dallas in Texas has 1.331 million people. Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas after Houston and San Antonio and the ninth most populated city in the United States.
It is located in northern Texas, and the city covers 385.8 square miles (999.3 sq. km).
Why is Dallas Launching Direct Flights to Tanzania?
Tanzania has a solid relationship with Dallas. For instance, Tanzanians in diaspora put up the largest festival of its kind, Tanzania Day in this city.
Also read: Opportunities for Americans investing in Tanzania
Through the event, Dallas natives learn more about Tanzania’s rich culture, natural resources, and people as a whole.
A major goal of the event’s organisers is to always raise awareness about how important tourism is to the overall economy of the country. Since it is endowed with an abundance of tourist attractions and adventurous landscapes, the country has been able to promote its allure throughout Europe.
Tanzania Day planners and organisers are motivated to invest more in catering to the needs of the market after receiving excellent feedback from the event. The event has been well-received by the surrounding community.
Thus, the Dallas-Tanzania Direct flights is long overdue. The event has held several successful editions starting in 2018.
Which Other Country is Interested in Tanzania’s Tourism?
The appeal from Arusha in Northern Tanzania where the iconic Mount Kilimanjaro sits is something Russia wants to explore more in terms of tourism.
Moscow, the Russian capital, is looking at direct linkage to Northern Tanzania in a bid to offer Russians an alternative travel destination to East Africa.
Tanzania’s Moscow envoy Frederick Kibuta held a meeting with Ammosov Petr Revaldovich a member of the Russian Parliament.
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Revaldovich sits in Russia’s National Federal Assembly. They discussed plans for a new tourism collaboration network between Tanzania and his country and Moscow.
The Russian legislator said that Russia was left isolated after travel sanctions by the US following its Ukraine invasion in February.
As a result of the trade and travel sanctions by Europe, and the US, Tanzania is turning out to be a fantastic tourism spot for Russian tourists.
Tanzania is now an alternative destination for Russians who still want to enjoy their vacations outside of Russia.
Now, Revaldovich wants Tanzania to create a conducive environment for Russian tourists planning to take their holidays in the Kilimanjaro area.
How Many Russians Visited Tanzania in 2021?
Revaldovich who represents the Northern Sakha Yakutia Republic of Russia said tourism-rich regions in Tanzania stir a lot of interest among Russian travellers.
Also read: Russians looking at Tanzania as new holiday destination after sanctions
Moshi Municipality and Arusha City are two Tanzanian cities that Revaldovich hopes to establish sister city links with.
In 2021 Russian tourists were the most popular foreign visitors to Tanzania. Tanzania welcomed about 85,000 Russian tourists.
Tanzania was one of the few nations that allowed Russians to visit despite the COVID-19 outbreak, and as a result, tourist numbers rose dramatically in the last two years.
Russian and Ukrainian tourists visiting Tanzania continue to rise, with many choosing Zanzibar Island for its beaches and then continuing their itineraries to Nyerere National Park for wildlife drives.
