Over 120 firm to attend tourism expo

SWAHILI International Tourism Expo (SITE) is expected to attract more than 120 firms for exhibition from various parts of the world, organisers said in Dar ex Salaam.

SITE 2015 is scheduled for October 1 to 3, this year, at the Mlimani City Conference Centre (MCCC) in the city.

A director with the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Ms Devota Mdachi, told a news conference that this year's SITE exhibition will have more tourist companies and agents than in the previous year.

She said the Expo would focus on inbound and outbound travel to Africa and is expected to draw hundreds of International tourism and travel professionals, including travel wholesalers.

"We had 18 international buyers last year, mostly from USA, Spain, China, UK, Ireland and other Asian and European nations in which this year we expect to have more than 50 international buyers."

She said the Tanzanian companies involved in tourism would have crucial benefits from the exhibition, because they will have the chance to publicise their services to the international visitors.

TTB tourist service manager and also the coordinator of the exhibition Mr Philip Chitaunga, called for the tourist companies to grab this golden opportunity by buying spaces to advertise themselves globally.

"Todate, only 58 per cent of the space has been sold in which we remain with 42 per cent, we call for the Tanzanian companies who are in tourism sector to buy spaces before filled with other foreign companies."

To ensure that Tanzania companies fully participate in the Expo, SITE has come up with the table top option for exhibitors who can not afford to pay for the full stand where they would pay USD 600 only, he added.

SITE this year will also provide opportunities to all registered exhibitors to participate in training seminars that will take place concurrently with exhibition.

"We expected to have some of the renowned speakers in the SITE training seminars, including Terry Dale, CEO and President of the United States Tour Operators Association and Nigel Vere Nicholl, CEO of Africa Travel Trade Association (ATTA)."

The tourist board also disclosed some of the challenges that hinder the development of the tourism sector which are lack of sufficient accommodations for the tourists and poor infrastructure.