East African Business Week (Kampala)
12 November 2007
editorial
Tanzania has been chosen to host the World Trade University that will train students in a Masters degree in Tourism studies.
The university, to be built in Dar es Salaam is expected to start classes in 2009/10.
This was announced during a signing ceremony of an MOU by the University's president and CEO Mr. Sujit Chowdhury and Tanzania's Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Prof. Jumanne Maghembe.
This was during the recently concluded World Tourism marketing Summit in Beijing.
The uiniversity will accept students from all over Africa.
This will be the first university of its kind on the continent. The WTU has its headqaurters in Canada.
It will initially take on between 60 - 80 students and later double the intake as infrastructure grows.
The curriculum will be world class and students will do 18 months of full time studies.
This is good not just for Tanzania but East Africa and the whole of Africa for many reasons.
The first is that this will bring world class standards to the continent and the region which is lacking in expertise and exposure.
Secondly, we will have less dependence on foreign training and more on local environment but also home grown expertise.
Thirdly as the region gradually grows its tourism portfolio which stands as the number one foreign exchange earner, this will boost our capacity and ability to handle clients' expectations in a world full of cut throat competition.
Tourism is arguably the largest and fastest growing industry employing 11% of the world's labour force directly and indirectly.
Africa still lags behind occupying only 4% of tourist arrivals in the world. Even combined Africa is behind some many ccountries in the singular. That calls for a pradigm shift in many areas. Wherein lies the foundation. Training!
The university will be a big boon and as East Africa plans a federation, we should laud the Tanzanian government for taking on this responsibilty to host this promising presitigious institution.
We pray that our brothers and sisters will not just learn but use the skills to boost and bolster the world's best kept secret- East Africa.
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