Mbonde: How young Tanzanians capitalise on new tourism boom

Towards the end of 2019, a pandemic of a scale not seen in a very long time ravaged the world and brought the tourism industry to its knees. Strangely, Tanzania kept its borders open while the rest of the world closed its airspace.

That decision turned out to be a stroke of good luck, helping Tanzania’s tourism industry to recover more quickly than most countries.

After the dust settled down, what emerged was a growing number of young Tanzanian travel enthusiasts who spent time exploring the country and soon realised that they could use their love for traveling around their country, and sharing the stories on social media reels could also be a business opportunity.

The tourism companies that cater to tourists coming to Tanzania have traditionally been reserved for large organisations with substantial budgets to back their operations, but a growing trend of European and American tourists entrusting young Tanzanians to be their tour guides is on the rise.

Captivated by engaging social media videos being posted, tourists are gravitating toward more affordable small tour companies rather than the much-experienced organisations with decades of experience.

Francis Mbonde is a former filmmaker and professional photographer who, for the last two years, has built a small but vibrant tour company based in Zanzibar.

He is determined to grab a share of the industry that is booming due to the Tanzanian government's enthusiastic marketing to the world.

His change of heart to jump into tourism came after he received a contract as a photographer for a tour company.

There, he learned the ins and outs of the tourism business; the expeditions he undertook while photographing tourists fascinated him, and he couldn't resist sharing them on his platforms.

That's where his work caught the attention of the online community, and soon people started inquiring about Tanzania and the pictures he took.

“Then I thought to myself, if they want to come to Tanzania, I can host them, take them around, and make money out of it,” he said.

He puts more effort into creating social media content and has an advantage over others because he can multitask as a photographer, graphic designer, and editor.

While other tour operators had more experience than he did, being tech-savvy gave him an edge.

The business challenge for youth in Tanzania is obtaining capital for any venture.

Mbonde had to sacrifice weekend parties and save every coin he could earn to secure his starting capital while staying focused on creating his tour agency.

He emphasized that a young person must have discipline and a vision; the drinking binge is temporary, but creating a company is your legacy.

The business network he cultivated over time has been very helpful to him; he would constantly meet tourism stakeholders in Zanzibar and share his vision.

“Most young people are afraid of sharing their vision and plans because they think someone will steal their idea. But, on the contrary, you might find a mentor who will guide you,” he said.

The tourism industry in Tanzania has embraced all kinds of investors, both locals and foreigners.

Francis is not worried about the large foreign tourism investors because he knows his niche and is dedicated to the consistency that will help this agency grow.

He had to learn quickly how the industry works and prepare for the high tourist season while knowing how to survive during the low season.

Being multilingual is an added advantage; a tour guide has to know more than just English. He noted that some hotels would only have Italian or Russian guests, and knowing how to communicate with them beyond basic greetings would encourage them to recommend your services to others when they return home.

Most of his earnings are in foreign currency, which is advantageous when he converts forex to the Tanzanian shillings.

However, he insists on developing a culture of saving money because the tourism market is tricky; sometimes, one can go three months without any clients.

During this time, he focuses on posting previously recorded videos to drive more traffic to his page. His Instagram page, ‘lubaacris,’ features truly amazing videos and pictures.

For a young Tanzanian who ditched the unemployment line and bravely went to Spice Islands to capitalise on the tourism boom, Mbonde has done remarkably well in a short period of time.

Right now, he is focused on safaris to Serengeti, Mikumi, and Selous, as well as Zanzibar excursions and photography for hire.

His reputation is paramount in this business; being honest and handling people’s money properly can make or break a tour operator in an instant.

“I give my clients three options regarding payment. Sometimes, I let them pay online, while in other cases, they pay me after they land and we meet face-to-face,” he explained. He further elaborated that Zanzibar is known for having trustworthy tour guides, but it helps to make clients feel comfortable and at ease.

With the presence of social media review apps like TripAdvisor, word of mouth is everything. Mbonde is extremely careful about his interactions with clients and ensures he provides them with the best service possible.

He encourages young people to explore the tourism industry, as it has huge potential and is bound to grow as the world’s economy stabilises and more people have money for vacations.

He mentioned that not having formal studies in tourism should not be a deterrent for youths pursuing a career in the field. Crash courses can be helpful, but volunteering with a tour company to gain practical experience is the quickest way to get in the game, he said.

“Tanzania has actively promoted its tourism in the United States, and we are seeing a focus on strengthening diplomatic relations with China, which includes tourism and culture. It is a safe bet to predict that more Chinese tourists will flock to the beaches of Zanzibar and venture into our national parks. Tanzanian youths have all the leverage to position themselves to directly benefit from their God-given natural resources,” he said.

Mbonde hopes the government will assist young Tanzanians in venturing into tourism as a form of self-employment.

He hopes there will be greater ease in being issued with a licence to operate as a tour guide, especially in Zanzibar, where it can be challenging to obtain one if you come from Tanzania Mainland. He urged young people to be courageous in pursuing their goals and advised them to "show, not tell."

“Don’t tell people what you will do; just work on your craft, and they will see the results for themselves,” he said.