Cruise ship from US docks at Dar Port with 1,000 tourists
Dutch cruise ship docking at the Dar es Salaam Port. PHOTO | THE CITIZEN PHOTOGRAPHER
What you need to know:
- Cruise tourism can be defined as a luxurious form of traveling, involving an all-inclusive holiday on a cruise ship of at least 48 hours, with a set and specific itinerary, in which the cruise ship calls at several ports or cities.
Dar es Salaam. The tourism industry received a boost yesterday after a cruise ship docked with 1,000 visitors who are expected to explore various destinations in Tanzania.
Cruise tourism has become an important segment in the industry after Covid-19 hit the travel industry.
The Dutch cruise ship, 237.7 metres (780 ft) long, which belongs to the Holland America Line’s, arrived at the port of Dar es Salaam from Egypt as part of its 71-day round-trip in the Grand Africa Voyage.
Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) managing director Amos Nnko said the tourists will be in Tanzania for four days in which they will visit different tourist spots within the city as well as Bagamoyo, Mikumi National Park and Zanzibar.
“Apart from the tourists, the ship also carried 573 crew members, they will visit different historical sites and then go to Zanzibar on November 12 -13, 2022,” he said.
“Cruise tourism is a new product in Tanzania and that is a positive response to the government efforts to boost the sector’s recovery,” said Mr Nnko.
Also Read: US is Tanzania’s top source of tourists
Cruise tourism can be defined as a luxurious form of traveling, involving an all-inclusive holiday on a cruise ship of at least 48 hours, with a set and specific itinerary, in which the cruise ship calls at several ports or cities.
According to online booking sources, the prices for 71 days round-trip Grand Africa Voyage for the Zaandam start from $11,799 (Sh27.51 million) for double occupancy rates.
Acting port director at the Port of Dar es Salaam Mr Mathew Anthony said the handling of the big cruising ship not only benefits the economy through the tourism sector but also it supports the growth of the ports.
“Some people only have this idea that big ships at the ports are only for cargo, but today (yesterday) we have seen that we can also receive big ships carrying passengers, especially tourists,” he said.
The acting assistant commissioner for the Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa) Mr Hassan Mohamed Nguluma said the arrival of the tourists will be beneficial in advertising the country to the international markets.
“It is a good opportunity to promote our country as one of the best tourism destinations. This is also showing that the target of five million tourists by 2025 as manifested by the ruling political party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) can also be possible,” said Mr Nguluma.
