TPDF TO COMPLIMENT TTB’s EFFORTS IN MARKETING DESTINATION TANZANIA

The TTB’s Marketing Manager Mr Geofrey Meena (left) presents some of tourism promotional materials to the TPDF’s Chief of Operations and Training Maj. General James Mwakibolashortly after a meeting at the Headquarters of TPDF in Dar essalaam today. 

By: Geofrey Tengeneza

The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and the Tanzania Peoples Defense Forces (TPDF) have agreed to closely work together in order to ensure that thearmy significantly  contributeto TTB’s efforts in marketing destination Tanzania globally so that to attract more tourists to Tanzania. 

The agreement was reached recently following a meeting between two parties held today at the TPDF’s headquarters in Dar essalaamto discuss how effectively the army can be well involved in marketing Tanzania’s tourism attractions and promotion of our tourism in general.

“I wish this idea could has come earlier as we have been participating in a number of missions abroad of which we could effectively use them as a platform to market our tourism attractions as our colleagues from other countries have been doing” commented Maj. General James Mwakibola, Chief of Operations and Training, who also expressed the readiness of TPDF to extend full support to TTB in involving army officers in this initiative.

Explaining as to why TTB come up with this idea, the Marketing Manager Mr Geofrey Meena said that the idea emanated from the fact that army officers have passion in tourism and have shownthis element in different scenarios including visiting TTB offices to collect tourism promotional materials for the purpose of showcasing Tanzania in countries they go for trainings. 

“We have noticed that army officers have a passion to tourism and can play a vital role in marketing destination” noted Mr Meena. He further cited a tendency of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaroannually as an evident act that signifies love to tourism.

Among the activities to be undertaken by TPDF in the bid to market Tanzania is to take with them different tourism promotional materials to distribute to their foreign counterparts when they go outside the country to participate inregional and international assignments as well as for sports and games competitions. As for army officers who attend training overseas, these will be supplied with different available tourism materials to enable them among other things, to make good country presentations

To make this new approach a success TTB  will as from this month be conducting seminars on how better to market Tanzania as a preferred tourism destination for soldiers expecting to travel outside the country for various mission including peace keeping.