Tanzania is using the growing international interest in football to promote its tourism attractions, with a group of international sports journalists and digital content creators arriving in the country for an eight-day tour.
The journalists, who arrived on Friday, October 2, 2026, include Liverpool blogger Haneefah, Spanish sports television journalist Sara Poraria, Alizee Morat, Cameron Corp, popularly known as the “Freekick Specialist”, and Adam Britton.
They are being led by Tanzanian international sports journalist John Jackson.
During their visit, the group will travel to some of Tanzania’s major tourism destinations, including Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, to experience the country’s wildlife and other attractions.
The visit comes as Tanzania prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Kenya and Uganda, putting the region under increased international attention from football fans, media organisations and visitors.
The journalists are expected to use their platforms to produce stories, photographs and other digital content about Tanzania, potentially exposing the country's tourism attractions to audiences beyond the traditional travel market.
Some members of the group previously participated in the Destination Tanzania campaign during the World Cup, where they promoted Tanzania through their respective media and digital platforms.
Speaking during a dinner with the visiting journalists, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Hassan Abbasi, described the visit as a continuation of the Destination Tanzania campaign.
“This is a continuation of Destination Tanzania. We have received them and they will spend eight days experiencing the beauty of Tanzania,” Dr Abbasi said.
The latest initiative reflects efforts to connect Tanzania's tourism marketing with international sports audiences, particularly as the country prepares for Afcon 2027.
For Tanzania, the tournament presents an opportunity not only to host football matches but also to expose international visitors to attractions outside the stadiums.
The visiting journalists are expected to gain first-hand experience of the country's tourism products before sharing their experiences with their international audiences.
Their visit also comes at a time when Tanzania is seeking to strengthen the international visibility of its tourism sector, with wildlife, nature and cultural attractions forming a major part of its appeal to foreign visitors.
By combining sports media reach with tourism promotion, authorities hope to turn international sporting interest into wider awareness of Tanzania as a destination.
The Afcon tournament is scheduled to be hosted across Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda in 2027, providing the three East African countries with a major regional platform for tourism, business and sports promotion.
For Tanzania, the challenge will be to convert the international attention generated by the tournament and related campaigns into sustained tourist arrivals and spending beyond the competition period.