Places & Regions

  Printable version        Email to a friend

Plan Underway to Brand EA As Single Tourist Attraction

Posted: Friday September 26, 2008 5:55 PM BT

A comprehensive management plan aimed at halting crises and related risks in the tourism sector, which is key to the economies of East African Community partner states, is in the pipeline. The plan has been mooted by the tourist boards of the five EAC partner states in view of the vulnerability of the sector to risks such as negative travel advisories in tourism source markets.

The plan will be more informative requiring all stakeholders to give thorough attention to different types of crises and related risk management, according to EAC secretariat.

Mr. Shedrack Shauri, a principal tourism officer with EAC said in Arusha last week that consultants are already working on the plan to be jointly undertaken by all the member states.

"In view of the greater vulnerability of the tourism industry, the heads of tourist boards in the partner states have recommended consultants to work on the comprehensive tourism management plan to halt crisises and risks in the sector" he said.

The plan is among strategies aimed to boost the tourism industry in the region through branding EA as a single tourist attraciton. Currently, the region attracts nearly 2.5 million foreign tourists annually.

All the five EAC partner states -- Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda -- have since last year participated in the major international tourism fairs held each year in Berlin and London under one roof.

Plans to start promoting the region to the virgin markets in the Far East, especially China and Japan are already underway, according to the official.

"EAC will continue to pride itself as a rich and varid tourist attraction unmatched in many parts of the world. Tourist products in the region range from some of the world's finest beaches to unique wildlife sanctuaries," he explained.

In pursuit of this, Mr. Shauri said, the partner states are currently undertaking and developing a "collective and co-ordinated " approach to the promotion and marketing of quality tourism into and within the region.

A common code of conduct for private and public tour and travel operators are being established as standardisation of hotel classification. The professional standards of travel and tourism agents are also being harmonised.

Furthermore, the partner states are developing collective and coordinated policies for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of wildlife and other tourist sites.

Mr. Shauri also announced the establishment of the East African Tourism and Wildlife Coordination Agency (EATWCA) as a marketing arm of the Community. It would also coordinate all tourism activities in the region.

"EATWCA will harmonise required policies to brand the region as a powerful tourist destination. In this regard EA states will continue to compete and cooperate with each other and, therefore, bring about quality and efficiency in the tourism services," he pointed out.

Establishment of the agency may be finalised by next month when the matter is brought for consideration to the meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism in the EAC member states.

  Printable version        Email to a friend

Advertising

Your ultimate web and safari website and graphics in your safari or others business...

www.mephics.co.tz

Advertising