East African Business Week (Kampala)
Leah Brown
7 November 2009
Dar Es Salaam — Following the improvements in infrastructure at Ngorongoro National Conservation Area, the number of tourist visiting Ngorongoro, one of Tanzania's largest wild life conservation area in the northern part of Tanzania, has more than doubled.
According to minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Shamsa Mwangunga, the number of tourists at Ngorongoro has increased by 253%.
Speaking during the opening of the gate to the area, Mwangunga noted that the rise has been recorded after the completion of the road leading to the world attraction area.
"It was difficult for tourist to travel from Arusha in the the north to Ngorongoro since Makuyuni Road - about 80 kilometers- that connects the two place was under contraction," she noted.
Due to the poor road, the number of tourist visiting the area was only 180,000 but has now shot up to 455,000.
The number of tourists is expected to increase to one million next year especially especially from Europe which is the main source of tourists.
The ministry promised to do whatever it takes to attract tourists.Though the minister said the increase of the number of tourists is a result of the completion of Makuyuni Road, experts say the reason was likely the recovering from the global financial crisis.
Tourism constitutes 17.2 per cent of Tanzania's gross domestic product (GPD). However, due to the economical slow down, Tanzania recorded a lower number of tourists, hence affecting the economy.
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