Hope for sports tourism

The Tanzanian Basketball Federation (TBF) is finalising plans to stage the FIBA Africa Zone 5 Under-18 Championship. The event to be held at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam from June 17 to 26, could not have come at a better time.

The top three teams in the continental youth championship will go on to represent Africa at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. It is such events that relevant authorities, especially the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), ought to promote to entrench sports tourism.

We must diversify our country’s tourist attractions. We’ve got to realise that we have a great potential as a premier destination for sports, where at the same time, we can put our country on the map for sports fans around the world.

That said, TBF and the national basketball team’s technical bench, should ensure our team consists of players who have the potential to excel internationally.

Over the years, our teams have been faring poorly in the regional tournament. Last year, for instance, Angola, Egypt and Mali were the three African countries at the 2017 World Championships staged in Cairo, Egypt. Our teams should avoid another dismal show this time around.

Sports play a vital role in boosting the country’s economy, which in turn trickles down to benefit every Tanzanian.