Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ashatu Kijaji has directed the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) to speed up tourism infrastructure projects and ensure they are completed on time and meet the required standards.
Dr Kijaji said improvements at Endoro Waterfalls and the Elephant Caves would help make Ngorongoro more attractive to visitors and support Tanzania’s target of receiving eight million tourists by 2030.
She expressed satisfaction with the progress of construction works, stressing that funding for projects supported by the Tourism Development Levy (TDL) was available and that management must ensure the work is completed as planned.
The minister said Ngorongoro had been allocated TSh 10 billion for various development projects, including roads. She added that contractors were being paid as work progressed.
Of this funding, about TSh 1.67 billion has been allocated to tourism projects at Endoro and Ngoitoktok. The projects had reached 68 percent completion and were expected to be completed by December 2026.
Project supervisor SACC Mariam Kobelo said work at Endoro includes offices, an entrance gate, 2,200 metres of walking trails, a boardwalk, directional signs, toilets and rest areas for visitors.
At Ngoitoktok, improvements focus on the picnic area, including better facilities where visitors can sit and relax.
Meanwhile, Ngorongoro Conservation Commissioner Abdul-Razaq Badru said construction of the 29.5-kilometre road from Loduare to Seneto Gate was progressing, with completion standing at eight percent.
The road project is being implemented over two years at a cost of TSh 80.36 billion. Badru said efforts were underway to strengthen the workforce and supervision to help keep construction on schedule.
The improvements are expected to make tourism attractions easier to access, improve facilities for visitors and support efforts to attract more tourists to Ngorongoro.
For residents and businesses, better tourism infrastructure could also create opportunities through increased visitor activity and demand for local services.