THE World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has endorsed the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) as a new member, raising the profile of the country tourism high.
TATO, is Tanzania’s leading members-only group advocating for over 300 private expert tour operators in Tanzania, the home of the number one safari destination in the world.
“I’ve the pleasure to welcome Tanzania Association of Tour Operators to the UNWTO, as your admission has been approved on October 18th 2023, during the 25th Session of the General Assembly, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan,” announced UNWTO Director for Affiliate Members, Ambassador Ion Vilcu.
“Consequently, hereinafter, you are considered UNWTO affiliate member, benefiting from all the services and rights inherent to your membership to the organisation”.
He said that the UNWTO considers the private sector as an important partner in fulfilling its general mandate for promotion of sustainable tourism development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
“Within this context, we recognise the great potential of the collaboration with your entity to contribute towards the creation of a more ethical and responsible tourism industry, for the benefit of the international community and we are delighted that your entity has decided to join the over 400 already existing UNWTO affiliate members,” Ambassador Vilcu explained.
It is understood, the UNWTO affiliate member serves as the major gateway for alliances and collaboration between the private and public sectors in tourism industry across the world.
“Joining as affiliate member allows your entity to achieve local, regional, national and global visibility through the network and channels of UNWTO. The affiliate member is a fundamental tool in increasing competitiveness of the private sector actors in the tourism industry,” reads a UNWTO document.
The UNWTO networks serve as a venue for active collaboration where UNWTO member states and affiliate members can interact, share and access relevant information.
Furthermore, TATO would benefit from the platform to generate, disseminate and apply specialized knowledge in order to take advantage of the great potential to address pressing tourism-related issues of common interest such as skills transfer and access cutting-edge technologies from a variety of sectors.
Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Ms Angellah Kairuki was quick to congratulate TATO for being endorsed as an affiliate member of the global tourism body.
“I wish to commend Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) for bringing Tanzania private sector to be intertwined into this key global tourism intergovernmental body,” Ms Kairuki who is the Vice-Chairperson of the 25th UNWTO General Assembly said.
“I’m so excited for TATO being embraced as an affiliate member of UNWTO. This is a major step forward to position our country as the best tourism and investment destination in the world map,” said TATO Chairman, Mr Wilbard Chambulo who led a high-profile delegation at the key UNWTO meeting.
Mr Chambulo told the dollar-billionaires attending the UNWTO investment forum that Tanzania has competitive advantage when it comes to natural and cultural attractions as it boasts the highest concentrations of wildlife per square kilometers than anywhere else in the World.
“We are here to tell the World’s investors to support our conservation stewardship. We invite you to come and invest in Tanzania to spur economic growth that, in return, generate funds for conservation and create jobs for the local who have sacrificed their ancestral lands for conservation,” Mr. Chambulo explained.
Tanzania houses four of the most coveted adventure destinations on earth – the Serengeti, Mt Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Ngorongoro Crater.
TATO’s primary mission is to support the vast members of tour operators in Tanzania. Tour operators create & curate-challenging expeditions out to the vast savannas of the Serengeti or coordinate complicated climbs up Mt Kilimanjaro. Travel agents depend on tour operators all around the globe to provide safe, well-orchestrated journeys.
TATO provides its members a platform to stay connected in a travel field that is also directly linked to the conservation of endangered wildlife, threatening climate change and cultural preservation.
After attending the 25th UNWTO, TATO’s mission will continue out to Turkey to perpetuate its promotion of Tanzania as the best safari destination to woo tourists and investors, TATO CEO, Mr Sirili Akko said.
“TATO will be meeting with investors in a variety of different business sectors in Istanbul, Turkey. Tanzania is one of the few African countries eager to discuss new business ventures with entrepreneurial Turkish investors who are looking to support and grow a vast number of export products within the country” Mr. Akko explained.
More importantly TATO would provide an exciting new conduit for Turkish investors to pick and choose emerging new Tanzanian businesses that would ordinarily not have access to the outside world let alone investors looking for projects to foster.
