Hundreds of Russian tourists have started arriving in Tanzania, barely a week after President Samia Suluhu Hassan's official visit to Russia, signalling an early boost to the country's efforts to expand its tourism market through economic diplomacy.
The arrivals coincide with the inaugural direct flight operated by Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) from Russia to Tanzania, a development that government officials say marks the beginning of stronger tourism and business ties between the two countries.
Speaking to journalists aboard the ATCL Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on its maiden flight from Russia to Tanzania, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, said cooperation between Tanzania and Russia in the tourism sector had entered a new phase following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during President Samia's visit.
She said the agreement is expected to strengthen tourism promotion, facilitate travel between the two countries and deepen economic diplomacy.
"The cooperation has already started producing tangible results. The strong response to the first direct flight demonstrates the growing interest among Russian travellers in Tanzania as a tourism destination," Dr Kijaji said.
She attributed the development to President Samia's continued efforts to diversify Tanzania's international tourism markets and position the country as a preferred destination for global travellers.
According to the minister, the government now expects tourist arrivals from Russia to increase significantly following the agreement. Tanzania is targeting between 200,000 and 500,000 Russian visitors by the end of 2026, a sharp increase from the previous annual average of about 17,000 tourists.
Dr Kijaji said the ambitious target reflects growing confidence in the Russian market and the government's broader strategy to expand tourism beyond traditional source markets.
She also noted that Tanzanian tour operators who accompanied the government delegation on the Business-to-Business (B2B) mission to Russia welcomed the initiative, saying it had connected them directly with Russian travel companies and created new commercial opportunities.
"The business meetings have opened new opportunities for partnerships between Tanzanian and Russian tourism stakeholders, improving Tanzania's competitiveness in the international tourism market," she said.
Among the passengers arriving on the inaugural flight was Russian tourist Ola Vlandamir, who said media campaigns promoting the new direct service had inspired him to choose Tanzania for his holiday.
"I decided to visit Tanzania after seeing advertisements about the new flight. I am looking forward to visiting Zanzibar and Serengeti to experience the country's unique natural attractions," he said.
The launch of direct flights and the growing number of Russian visitors are expected to support Tanzania's tourism recovery and contribute to foreign exchange earnings, employment creation and investment across the hospitality value chain.
The latest development also reinforces the Sixth Phase Government's strategy of using economic diplomacy to open new international tourism markets, increase visitor arrivals and strengthen the sector's contribution to national economic growth.
