Tanzania to promote nature-based tourism

Stream in Amani Nature Reserve

Tanzanian tourism is planning to explore the possibilities of nature-based tourism in the east African nation’s forest reserves.

“The project will enrich the country’s tourism sector and open up more unexplored investment opportunities, which in turn will also enhance the conservation activities,” said Dos Santos Silayo, CEO of the Tanzania Forest Services.

“We have a number of nature reserves with its inimitable tourist destinations; but they’re yet to be explored to its maximum. With this promotion campaign, we hope to increase their visibility to domestic and foreign tourists,” he added.

Amani Nature Reserve located in north-eastern Tanzania’s district of Muheza has a number of unique flora and fauna, which would have been an eco-tourism hot spot, but very few tourists are aware of it. “That’s why we want to promote all areas which are similar to Amani Nature Reserve,” said Silayo.

The tourism department will improve the infrastructure facilities in the nature reserves, such as roads, accommodation and other amenities.

“Our forest nature reserves are rich in biodiversity and can lure a lot of tourists. There are people who are interested in viewing different types of insects, birds and plant species. And there are those who would be interested to do researches in those reserves,” added the CEO

Tanzania has twelve nature forest reserves, which are state-owned and are managed by TFS.