Mr. Mchengerwa will be responsible for overseeing and supervising Tanzania’s tourism growth in cooperation with government and private sectors
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has switched two ministers in a minor cabinet reshuffle, appointing Mohammed Mchengerwa new Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism.
Mohammed Mchengerwa swapped the Tourism Minister position with Dr. Pindi Chana who has been appointed to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports to take the ministerial position once held by Mr. Mchengerwa.
Dr. Chana held the Tourism Minister portfolio for about 11 months since her appointment in March of last year.
President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has also shifted Dr Hassan Abbasi, Permanent Secretary Culture, Arts and Sports to the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources. The Tanzanian president made the changes this week.
Dr Abbasi who was also worked as Chief Government Spokesperson, then permanent secretary at Ministry of Culture, is taking over Professor Eliamani Sedoyeka in the Ministry of Tourism.
In his new post, Mr. Mchengerwa will be responsible for overseeing and supervising Tanzania’s tourism growth in cooperation with government and private sectors, both in the national and international arenas.
He will also be responsible for supervising and taking a leading role in wildlife conservation and protection in Tanzania, with that being the key area falling under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
Other areas in quick need of action are the conservation and development of heritage sites, including historical, cultural, and geographical sites identified and marked for tourism development, among them is the Olduvai Gorge excavation sites where skull of the early man was discovered in 1959 by the world’s famous archaeologist, Dr. Louis Leakey and his wife Mary.
The other such an important excavation site is Tendaguru in southern Tanzania, where remains of dinosaurs were discovered.
Tanzania ranks high among African tourist destinations with its rich wildlife resources, attractive historical sites, geographical features, the warm beaches along the Indian Ocean and the rich cultural heritage sites.
The Tanzanian government has increased the number of wildlife parks conserved and protected for photographic safaris from 16 to 22 parks, making it one of the leading African states to own a big number of protected wildlife parks for photographic safaris.
Newly appointed Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism will be responsible for overseeing development of tourism in Tanzania welcoming about 1.5 million tourists per year, with revenues of US $2.6 billion and contributing 17.6 % to Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Tanzania aims to attract five million tourists by the year 2025, with expected earnings of US$6 billion.
