Experiences of SNV in Tanzania- Birgit Steck - Travelers' Philanthropy

Tanzania Cultural Tourism Program:SNV’s perspective over a decade12 January 2009

TanzaniaTop Destinations• Ngorongoro Crater• Serengeti National Park• Zanzibar and Pemba• Tarangire National Park• Lake Manyara National Park• Mt. Kilimanjaro• Selous Game Reserve• Ruaha National Park• Mafia Island• Mt. MeruIncluding 6 WorldHeritage Sites2

TanzaniaRich Cultural Heritage of 120 Ethnic Tribes5

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramThe Beginning1995: Young Maasai approached SNV and the Tanzania TouristBoard (TTB) for supporting a tourism initiative as incomeopportunity for them.1996- 2001: TTB and SNV responded by developing a fiveyears program to support local tourism initiatives withfocus on Northern Tanzania.2000: CTP receives ToDo!99 award for sociallyresponsible tourism at ITB Berlin.7

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramDirect Benefits to the People• Visitors to experience authentic cultures• Rural life as attraction itself• Income generation and employment in rural areas.• Local design and organisation of the toursand guiding of the guests.• Visibility of the visitors‘ contribution tothe improvement of living conditions.8

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramServicesAccomodation (campsites,homestays, guesthouses);tasty traditional food andbeverages are provided bylocal men and womenwho became tourismentrepreneurs.In all areas of the programlocals guide you through asurprising variety of toursand activities. Theguestssharepartof thedailylife and culture during ahalf or a full day or mayeven stay several days withthe people.9

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramGuidesTrained guides come fromthe village are familiarwith their area and knowhow to tell stories on theirculture.10

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramToursHiking in the forests to waterfalls andcaves; mountain climbing, canoeing,fishing, dancing, bicycle tours, dhow trips,visiting healers, story tellers, craftsmen,historical sites, joining women preparingtradtional food.11

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramDevelopmentPerspectiveFor the services, like guiding andpreparing meals or providingaccomodation, direct incomesare generated.A Village Development Fee ischarged for supporting communitydevelopment initiatives. They arecomplemented by VoluntaryDonations:+ Improvement of primary andsecondary schools+ Scholarships for local pupils+ health sevices, dispensaries+ Renovation of cattle dips+ Establishment of tree nurseriesfor reforestation+ Maintenance of access roads.12

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramCTP Figures1996 2002 2008Number of enterprises 3 17 25 (+ 6 in the pipeline).Total visitors per year 600 21,278 about 30,00013

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramEnterprise survey 2007/2008Average Range• Number of villages 4-5 1 - 30• Total population of the CTP activity area• (tourist destination)20,000 500 - 70,000• Total Households of the CTP area 4,000 13 - 14,000• Number of households directly involvedby the CTP activities• Number of people directly benefiting fromthe CTP:Coordinators, Guides, Food providers,Dancers, Story tellers, Traditional healers,Transporters• Number of people in-directly benefitingfrom the CTP such as Handicraft makersand sellers;Food stuff producers/suppliers(farmers, livestock keepers)• Number of people enjoying general benefitsthrough the VDF, and other donations60 6-80040 6-220100 16-30012,000 34 - 31,00014

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramBusiness Performance Informationper year (2007)Average(in TZS)Range(in TZS)Number of tourists 700 10 – 5332Village Development FundDirect/individual income e.g.•Guide fees•Administration FeeContact person fee (warriors, farmers, medicineman, story teller)•traditional food and beverages•Activities: biking/riding hiking, cultural/bomatour, or other•Accommodation (Home stay, camping)•Souvenirs/HandicraftsVoluntary donations: e.g. forEducation, Health, water, conservation(9 enterprises do not report voluntarydonations)Total income per enterprise4,000,000 80,000 –18, 000,00020,000,000 300,000 –73,243,00011,000,000 0 – 67,000,00031,000,000 400,000 –270,000,00015

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramMajorChallenges• Different levels of performance withsome enterprises doing quite well andothers struggling.• Reporting, record keeping(from project module to enterprises).• Lack of formalized legal status andregistration.• Low level of business management andplanning skills.Limited facilities and services• Shortage of trained tour guides.• Umbrella organisation still building up.16

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramSNV – Supporting the TanzaniaTourist Board• Marketing and promoting the CTP as a fully fledged tourism product.• CTP Coordination office provides guidance for existing and newinitiatives in establishing and improving cultural tourism businesses.• CTP Coordination office and TTB Arusha branch also act as contactpoints for individual tourists, groups, tour operators, and localtour guides.• Development of Cultural Tourism Guidelines with Quality Standardsand Seal of Approval, together with MNRT.• TTB is spearheading the revamping ofexisting cultural tourism products and theexpansion of the concept countrywidein collaboration with the MNRT andwith support of UNWTO ST-EP initiative.17

Tanzania Cultural Tourism ProgramLessons learnt and suggestionsfor further improvement:• Need for continued capacity building: in businessmanagement, ICT, product packaging, negotiation skills,market intelligence, PR, marketing, hospitality training,interpretative skills, languages, food processing etc.• Functional network establishment: strengthenumbrella organisation for CTP members for futureindependent advocacy, quality standards and marketingpurposes.• Establish monitoring system: Record keeping etc.• Access to finance: Seed capital for facilityimprovements on site, expansions and individualmarketing.• Support for local producers and suppliers foraccessing tourism markets even beyond CTP.18

Ahsante sana!Thank you!12 January 2009