Tanzania handled 3.8 million passenger arrivals at its airports in 2023

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA) has recorded an increase in passenger arrivals of 13 percent as of July this year compared to a similar period in 2023.

TAA also said it is planning to revamp and build new VIP lounges in the Mwanza and Arusha airports, as well as the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), in its efforts to improve services provided to tourists and investors arriving in the country.

TAA director general Mussa Mbura made the revelation on Monday, July 22, 2024, shortly after launching two brand new Mercedes-Benz E-Class 300 that were purchased by Swissport for the provision of transport services to clients using the VIP Lounge at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA).

Read: Shortage of manpower cause for passenger delays at JNIA

Speaking during the event, he said passengers arriving in the country through airports have increased from 2.8 million recorded in 2023 to 3.8 million, according to recent statistics.

The increase is equivalent to 13 percent, with Mr Mbura expressing optimism that since the high season has just commenced, arrivals through the JNIA, KIA and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) will surge further, reaching the end of the year.

“We are expecting to receive over four million arrivals this year, higher than past records. In 2021/22, only 2.2 million passengers arrived in the country through airports. However, the number has been increasing gradually for the third consecutive year,” he said.

Mr Mbura attributed the increase to the positive impact of the Royal Tour documentary that triggered an increase in tourists and the ongoing implementation of major investment projects in the country.

Speaking about the VIP Lounge projects, he said the government has allocated funds in the 2024/25 fiscal year to improve and construct new facilities at the Mwanza and Arusha airports, as well as the KIA.

He noted that about Sh500 million to Sh600 million would be used for the project, depending on the location.

“Since this is business, TAA will recover the invested amount in just a year because, unlike in the past, when clients were charged Sh50,000 per person, the amount has been increased to an average of Sh150,000 to Sh200,000 or Sh270,000 for business tycoons,” he said.

He said the VIP lounge service is provided according to the class of users, ranging from ordinary citizens, diplomats, and business tycoons to people who would like to maintain their privacy and those on private jets.

Read: JNIA: We cannot cope with huge number of passengers

Furthermore, he said in March last year, the sixth-phase government disbursed Sh600 million for the refurbishment of the JNIA VIP Lounge, which involved the provision of new furniture and Wi-Fi systems, among others, to meet increasing client demands.

He said the challenge remained in the provision of state-of-the-art vehicles that would be carrying VIP Lounge clients, a demand that has been responded to by Swissport through the procurement of the two modern cars.

Swisport Tanzania chief executive officer, Mrisho Yassin, said for the last 10 years, the company has been offering transport services to VIP Lounge clients using different types of vehicles.

“We are thrilled to launch the modern Mercedes-Benz E-Class 300 that will be used to transport passengers from the VIP Lounge to their respective aircraft,” he said, noting that the cars have a value of Sh700 million, including paid government taxes.

Mr Yassin said that despite the escalating competition in ground handling services, the company remains stronger due to its endless investment in human resources and improved services.