RUVUMA Regional Commissioner Colonel Laban Thomas has directed District executive directors to open tourism information centres in their respective areas in order to promote tourism sites available in the region.

He equally tasked the Regional Administrative Secretary to build the main centre at the regional's office to provide information and news to foreign and local tourists on historical, cultural and other tourism products available in the region.

In line with that, Col Thomas asked the District executives to come up with a planned development approach to promote domestic tourism that will in turn spur economic growth in the region.

"To start with, we public servants should come up with a programme to visit tourism sites every month, starting this month and by doing, so we will be encouraging citizens to see the importance of them visiting the sites too, in order to promote domestic tourism," he said.

Col Thomas made the directive here over the weekend, when launching tourism activities at Lundo Island in Nyasa District, Ruvuma Region.

The event was held in line with handing over Lundo and Mbambabay Islands, Tumbi and Mbamba to Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), for the areas to be conserved.

Col Thomas said Nyasa has several tourism sites, reiterating the need for the government leaders at the area to encourage wananchi to visit a move he said will help generate significant revenue for the economy of the local area.

On the other hand, the RC asked TAWA to ensure the resources including wild animals in the areas as well as cultural and traditional resources are well protected, preserved and managed.

"We need to see 100 per cent tourism here in Lundo, all the resources including culture and tradition should be well preserved to ensure sustainable tourism in the District," he said.

Conservation Commander for the Southern-Eastern Zone Mr Abraham Jullu assured the RC of TAWA's commitment to ensure all the resources are preserved and managed accordingly.

Mr Jullu told the RC that TAWA have plans to conduct research that will provide a better move of protecting the resources to lure domestic tourism to boost local and national economy.