Dar Es Salaam — TANZANIA faces an acute shortage of specialised personnel in tourism and hotel managements, which has forced some hotel owners to employ foreign experts.

The contribution of Travel and Tourism to Gross Domestic Product is expected to rise from 9.0 per cent which is equivalent to 2,399.3bn/- in 2009 to 9.2 per cent equivalent to 6,052.7bn/- 2019.

The Permanent Secretary In the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Ladislaus Komba, said that in order for the country to reap the benefits of the tourism sector, there is need for the existing tourism college to produce more qualified and experienced graduates in the hotel and tourism fields.

The PS was speaking in Dar es Salaam during the 7th Graduation ceremony of the National Tourism College where 57 students graduated in the fields of tour guide operations and travel and tourism.

Dr Komba said that the sector was one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the country and that the government is giving priority in developing tourism in the country to allow the sector contribute to social and economic development.

Real GDP growth for Travel & Tourism economy is expected to be 2.2 per cent in 2009 and to average 5.per cent per annum over the coming 10 years.

He said that it is estimated that 7.1 percent of all the jobs available in Tanzania comes from the tourism sector and its related sectors hence the need to produce more professionals in the field.

The contribution of the Travel & Tourism economy to employment is expected to increase from 7.1,000 jobs in 2009 to 879,000 jobs by 2019.

"We are currently finalizing the construction of a new state of the art National Tourism College which will have the capacity to enroll 500 students in various fields related to tourism and that has been made possible with the support from the government of France," he said.

Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 27.5 per cent of total exports 1,557.7bn/-In 2009, growing to 4,396.0bn/- equivalent to 27.7 per cent of total in 2019.