TOURISM officers and practitioners in the country have been urged to work with integrity, dedication, and creativity to ensure the tourism sector is improved for the benefit of the nation.

Dr Pindi Chana, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism made the call in Tanga today during a working session with tourism and marketing experts from the Tourism Department, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, and the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB).

She urged all attendees to make the most of this valuable opportunity to gain knowledge and formulate solid plans to advance the country's tourism sector.

"I call upon all participants in this training to take advantage of this rare opportunity to learn and develop concrete strategies to enhance the tourism sector in the country," she said.

She also commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan, for demonstrating her commitment to transforming the sector through the Tanzania The Royal Tour and Amazing Tanzania programs.

She added: "For the first time, this sector has set a record by reaching 5,360,247 tourists, with international visitors numbering 2,141,895 and domestic tourists reaching 3,218,352. The revenue generated from tourism activities amounted to USD 3.9 bn" 

Dunstan Kitandula, the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, urged tourism officers to familiarize themselves with their respective working environments to provide quality services to citizens and visitors.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr. Hassan Abbasi, stated that the objective of the meeting was to enhance knowledge on digital marketing and introduce new tourism products.