The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Investments (PIC) has urged the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) and tourism stakeholders to step up international marketing of the area’s unique attractions to increase tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings.
The committee made the call during a visit to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area over the weekend, where members toured several attractions, including the famous shifting sand, a rare geological phenomenon associated with the area.
Led by its chairman, Masanja Kadogosa, the committee said Ngorongoro has significant untapped potential to attract more international visitors by promoting its natural, archaeological and historical heritage.
Mr Kadogosa said the area’s tourism appeal went beyond the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, pointing to the shifting sand, Olduvai Gorge, archaeological discoveries associated with researchers Louis and Mary Leakey, and the Laetoli footprints believed to be about 3.6 million years old.
“Ngorongoro has huge potential to generate foreign exchange and attract more tourists. It is a destination like no other, and what we are advising is that greater efforts should be made to market these attractions internationally,” he said on behalf of the committee.
He said stronger global promotion of the attractions could help Tanzania maximise the economic benefits of its rich natural and archaeological heritage while positioning Ngorongoro as an even more competitive international tourism destination.
The committee also assessed various aspects of the authority’s operations and offered recommendations aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening the conservation area’s contribution to the tourism sector.
NCAA Board Deputy Chairperson Dr Harriet Mtae thanked the committee for its recommendations, saying the authority would work on them to improve its performance.
Dr Mtae, who is also a senior lecturer at the Open University of Tanzania, said the committee’s guidance would contribute to efforts to improve the management and development of the conservation area.
NCAA Deputy Commissioner responsible for corporate services, Aidan Makalla, said the authority was also investing in infrastructure and service improvements to enhance the experience of visitors.
He said construction had begun on the first section of a road linking Loduare to Seneto and extending towards Golini.
The infrastructure improvements, he said, were part of broader efforts to improve accessibility and facilitate efficient delivery of services within the conservation area.
The committee’s call comes as Tanzania continues to position tourism as a key pillar of the economy, with natural and cultural attractions playing an important role in generating foreign exchange, creating employment and supporting local communities.