Happy World Tourism Day 2019!

United Nations World Tourism Day is celebrated every 27 September around the world. It gives us the opportunity to thank all of our clients for letting us show them the wonderful wildlife, people, landscape and heritage our country has to offer. It also allows us to thank all the people and suppliers who work with us everyday to bring our wonderful country to you.

Over the weekend in Dar es Salaam I took a lazy rest in my sitting room. However, I had a smartphone in my hands, which unfortunately  did not allow me to rest as I kept jumping from one app to another searching for what was new! I came across two quotes on tourism which I found myself agreeing with: “It is bad manners to let a vacation wait,” and “Once a year go somewhere you have never been before” (the Dalai Lama).

Something on television later caught my attention which brought these quotes to life. It was about a soccer game that was being played before World Tourism Day (26 September 2019) between Kagera Sugar Factory football club (Wanankurukumbi – Kagera province’s strongest team) and Simba Sports Club (Tanzania’s strongest soccer team). For some reason, Simba usually gets beaten by the Kagera Sugar Factory team causing hundreds of unbelieving eyeballs, and many people to travel across Tanzania to Bukoba’s Kaitaba football stadium to see for themselves the outcome of this entertaining, exciting and unpredictable game.

This is domestic sports tourism at its best. People seizing the moment to come together to experience a memorable occasion; some visiting Bukoba for the first time; all happy to exchange their hard earned money for quality goods and services to ensure they have a wonderful time. 

Around the world, the tourism sector is a leading source of employment, supporting many millions of jobs and driving economies forward, both at the local and the national level. Let us all celebrate the tourism industry today and all the good it brings in building a better life and future for everyone.

HAPPY WORLD TOURISM DAY!

Join the celebration: #WTD2019

Mary Kalikawe

Managing Director Kiroyera Tours, Tanzania

Chair Person Association of Women in Tourism Tanzania (AWOTTA)