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National parks rake in 61bn/- from tourism
2008-07-11 09:32:49
By Hannah Mwandoloma, Dodoma
The government collected a total of 61.2bn/- from tourists who visited national parks in the 2007/08 financial year, which is an increase of 6.1 per cent over the previous year, the National Assembly was told yesterday.
In her budget speech, Natural Resources and Tourism minister Shamsa Mwangunga said from July, last year, to March, this year, the country received 617,776 tourists who visited various national parks.
``In 2006/07 the revenue we collected from national parks was 58.3bn/- from 557,370 tourists. This is a good improvement which has been brought about by the ministry\'s efforts to promote the country\'s tourism in and outside the country together with the improvement of national parks\' infrastructure,`` said Mwangunga.
She said from July last year to March this year Ngorongoro received 426,230 visitors, 244,379 of whom were foreigners and 181,851 were locals, adding that the revenue collected was 31.9bn/-.
Mwangunga told the House that in this financial year, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority expected to collect 42,336,858,035/-.
She also informed the House of a plan to buy a helicopter for the Authority.
Natural Resources and Tourism shadow minister Magdalena Sakaya (Special Seats, CUF) said the tourism sector was very crucial, but lamented that its contribution to the gross domestic product was far less compared to neighbouring countries.
Sakaya said many tourists landed in Kenya when they intended to visit Tanzania national parks due to poor infrastructure, adding that they spent more time there and just passed through Tanzania.
``Take Masai Mara, for example. Its 2006/07 revenue was USD 750 million while our Serengeti`s revenue was USD 30 million - a difference of USD 720 million, which is equivalent to 864bn,`` Sakaya said.
The opposition camp also warned the government over its decision to establish a soda ash factory near Lake Natron, saying that the move would scare away the lesser flamingoes.
She said that the government should not endorse the proposal to put up a factory there.
Job Ndugai, the chairman of the parliamentary committee on land, natural resources and environment suggested inclusion of Lake Natron and Mount Oldonyo Lengai in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority to ensure that the areas are protected.
Mwangunga asked the House to endorse 71,975,518,000/- for her ministry`s recurrent expenditure and 33,799,851,000/- for development expenditure.
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