TANZANIA is leveraging the power of film to attract tourists, with a targeted focus on visitors from China, with a new documentary dubbed: ‘Amazing Tanzania,’ set for debut next month, it showcases the country's diverse attractions.

Featuring renowned Chinese actor Jin Dong, who serves as Tanzania’s tourism goodwill ambassador, the film will build on the success of ‘The Royal Tour,’ debuted in 2022; and is credited with helping increase tourist arrivals in the East African nation, after the pandemic downturn.

Like its predecessor, the new documentary will showcase some of the country’s top natural attractions, including wildlife havens, mountains and sandy beaches. It will also feature Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), tourist arrivals in Tanzania increased by 22 percent, reaching a record high of 1.84 million visitors by January 2024. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Tanzania saw a notable increase, with 44,438 visitors in 2023, marking a 32 percent rise from the 33,541 recorded in 2019.

Tapping into the Chinese market would be a major boost to the country’s tourism industry, which accounts for around 17 percent of the country’s GDP. Tanzania’s earnings from tourism grew to $3.4 billion in the year ending January 2024, up from $2.6 billion the previous year.

Speaking exclusively with this reporter, Mariam Ibrahim, an independent tourism expert said: “Film has proven to be a powerful tool in promoting tourism, making it an essential strategy to attract visitors from around the globe.”

She was of the view that through visually captivating storytelling, films have the ability to showcase the natural beauty, cultural richness, and unique experiences that Tanzania has to offer.

“By highlighting these aspects through the medium of film, potential tourists are able to immerse themselves in the destination and feel inspired to explore the country in person. Therefore, through targeted marketing and distribution, Tanzania can strategically leverage films to capture the attention of specific demographics, such as the rapidly growing Chinese market,” she affirmed.

“I think Tanzania has been slow to deliberately grow numbers from China compared to other countries with comparable tourism industries in the region, so this is a positive move,” Brian Mwinyi, a Dar es Salaam-based travel consultant, told Semafor Africa.

He cited South Africa and Kenya which grew Chinese tourist arrivals by 216 percent and 154 percent respectively in 2023, compared with the previous year.

“Using media and entertainment is one way to really capture the imagination of many people, but we also need more direct flights and partnerships with travel agencies and other stakeholders to actually increase these numbers,” he said.

Kenya, like Tanzania, has been expanding its focus to reach more Chinese tourists in recent years. Its strategy has involved marketing through travel agents, plus partnerships with airlines and tour operators, Kenya Tourism Board told Semafor Africa last year. There’s a particular focus on Chinese social media platforms including WeChat, Mafengwo, Weibo, and Douyin, the China-based sister video channel to TikTok.