MCT, Media Stakeholders Impressed By Investment In Ruaha, Pledge To Promote Tourism Attractions 

MEDIA practitioners from various media organisations in Tanzania, led by the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), have expressed their admiration for the Government’s investment in Ruaha National Park (RUNAPA), pledging to use their respective media platforms to promote the park’s tourism attractions and investment opportunities.

The delegation visited the park to witness first-hand the Government’s investment through the Regrow Project, which aims to improve natural resource management, strengthen tourism infrastructure and promote tourism in Southern Tanzania.

Among the improved infrastructure showcased to the delegation was Kiganga Airport, which has the capacity to handle 140 passengers at a time, comprising 70 arriving and 70 departing passengers.

The delegation also toured the Visitors Information Centre (VIC), which provides tourists with essential information about the park, its attractions and available services.

Other facilities inspected included hostels, modern rest houses and a restaurant offering hospitality services to visitors. The delegation was also briefed on the ongoing construction of a tarmac road connecting Iringa and Ruaha National Park, another major infrastructure investment being implemented through the Regrow Project to improve accessibility to the park.

Speaking about accommodation services, Amina Salum, Senior Conservation Officer and Head of the Tourism Department at Ruaha National Park, said the park still faces a significant shortage of accommodation facilities, estimated at approximately 2,000 beds.

She said the park had set aside investment areas for both temporary and permanent tented camps to encourage private sector participation in addressing the accommodation gap.

“We have designated investment areas for temporary and permanent tented camps. We therefore welcome investors to establish accommodation facilities both inside and outside the park to address the existing shortage. There are still 20 investment sites available,” Salum said.

Leading the delegation, MCT Executive Secretary Ernest Sungura, who is also the Chairperson of the Coalition for Rights and Information (CoRI), said the visit was organised to strengthen collaboration between media practitioners and the tourism sector while enabling journalists to appreciate the scale of Government investment in the park.

He said the approximately 50 MCT members who participated in the visit had an opportunity to witness the improved infrastructure, particularly accommodation facilities, which are essential in supporting tourism growth.

“We have visited Ruaha National Park with approximately 50 MCT members, and we are impressed by the various infrastructure developments established in the park. One of the challenges previously facing the park was the shortage of reliable accommodation for tourists. However, we have now witnessed investments in lodges, cottages and hostels, which are important in improving the visitor experience,” Sungura said.

He added that media organisations have an important responsibility to ensure that information about tourism investments and attractions reaches the public, thereby encouraging more Tanzanians to explore destinations within their country.

The visit also seeks to promote domestic tourism and expand public awareness of Tanzania’s tourism potential through effective media coverage and publicity.

Meanwhile, Ruaha National Park Chief Warden, Assistant Commissioner of Conservation Emmanuel Ole Moirana, commended the media stakeholders for visiting the park, while expressing appreciation to the Iringa Regional Government for supporting the visit.

He emphasised the importance of cooperation between the Government, media practitioners and tourism stakeholders in promoting the park’s attractions, publicising investment opportunities and strengthening the country’s tourism sector.

Moirana said the Government’s continued investment in tourism infrastructure was expected to improve the park’s competitiveness and attract increasing numbers of visitors.

“With the investments we have made, we are confident that the number of tourists visiting Ruaha National Park will continue to increase day by day,” Moirana said.

Following the visit, the media practitioners pledged to use their respective platforms to publicise Ruaha National Park’s tourism attractions, improved infrastructure and available investment opportunities, with the aim of boosting domestic tourism, attracting more investors and increasing visitor numbers.