THE government has not despaired in its projections to boost tourism revenues to $6bn from five million tourists by end of next year.

Dunstan Kitandula, the Natural Resources and Tourism deputy minister, reaffirmed this expectation when officiating at the opening of World Tourism Day commemoration here yesterday, affirming the government had already collected over $3bn in this revenue category in 2023.

This was a clear indication that progress was being realised towards the target, he stated, noting that there are expectations that the goals “will be met and exceeded” by next year.

“Our plans involve developing areas that remain underutilised for tourism, particularly in the southern regions,” he said, pointing at ongoing work to enhance airport infrastructure, improve roads and promote attractions in these areas.

This contributes to moving towards achieving those objectives, he stated, highlighting the emergence of new tourism markets in countries such as Brazil, China and India, alongside established markets in Europe and the United States.

He stressed the preservation and protection of the country's natural resources, chiefly forests, as they are vital for the welfare of current and future generations.

Upwards of 25 percent of foreign exchange earnings derive from the tourism sector, which contributes 15 percent of the national income, pivotal to economic growth and the welfare of its citizens, he said.

He praised the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA) for organising the event, as marking World Tourism Day “facilitates new knowledge and exploration of how our country can collaborate with others to enhance the tourism sector.”

Prof. Eliamani Sedoyeka, the IAA rector, noted that the institute has five faculties, including one focusing on tourism, affirming that the conference to explore various themes related to the commemoration enabled stakeholders and scholars to intensely examine prospects in the sector, and areas needing to be researched upon.

“As stakeholders in the tourism business, the experience sold is paramount, and human resources play a crucial role. At IAA, we have developed a degree curriculum and provide students with practical skills to excel in the tourism sector,” he added.