TANZANIA Tourist Board (TTB) has embarked on an initiative to market cultural tourism attractions in the Southern Highlands regions.

The efforts involve promotion of cultural tourism destinations that attract guests interested in learning about cultures of different communities in the areas to increase peoples’ income and stimulate development.

George Mwagane, tourism officer at TTB said yesterday that they have started by training 10 groups of tour guides from Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya and Ruvuma regions, equipping them with essential skills to encourage tourists to visit attraction sites.

He said this is part of the implementation of Tanzania Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project.

“Cultural groups use activities such as traditional dances as a product so that when tourists visit these places they are encouraged to watch entertaining groups and learn the culture and pay for entertainment,” he said.

Mwagane said that there is a good number of opportunities that are yet to be seized in the southern circuit.

According to him, apart from learning about culture, tourists are likely to increase the income of the local economy by buying various products produced in the respective areas as souvenirs.

“This will also help to create employment to our youth who guide tourists,” he said.

Hoza Umbula, TTB officer in charge of Southern Highlands said that this type of tourism is one of the new attractions that had not previously been encouraged and that now they have found that it is important to be promoted.

He said that tourists interested in such attractions will also enjoy food and other cultural activities that are available in the communities, adding that there are so many attractions in the Southern Highlands regions of Tanzania and that REGROW project will help to take people to the areas.

Joseph Ndomondo, one of the tour guide trainees from Ruvuma Region said that last year, promotion initiatives in the tourism sector focused on the northern circuit.

He added that apart from the efforts, the government has also improved transport infrastructure which allows tourists to reach the attractions easily.