The event, held in Arusha, drew nearly 300 stakeholders from various continents and has been hailed as a new benchmark for international tourism gatherings in the region.
Arusha. Tanzania’s tourism industry players say the recently concluded Global Travel and Local Tourism Industry Players Summit has created a powerful platform for business deals and cross-border collaborations between international travel agencies and local tour operators.
The event, held in Arusha, drew nearly 300 stakeholders from various continents and has been hailed as a new benchmark for international tourism gatherings in the region.
Co-Partner at Msangai Tours, Mr Eric Joshua, described the summit as a “game-changer,” noting that it opened opportunities for direct partnerships with international travel agents. “This summit has allowed us to secure partnerships that will bring tourists directly to us.
Such global exposure would have been difficult to achieve without it,” he said, thanking Africa Booking.com for organising the event.
The summit was convened by Africa Booking Match Ltd, a pan-African safari business matchmaking platform, in collaboration with local industry stakeholders. It featured an indoor travel exhibition, Business-to-Business (B2B) sessions, and panel discussions aimed at advancing sustainable tourism.
Pro bono co-chair of the organising committee, Mr Sirili Akko, said the central theme, Bridging Gaps between Local and International Players, aligned with the 2025 UN World Tourism Day theme, Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.
“This summit sets a new standard for tourism events in the region and reinforces Arusha’s position as an emerging international hub for tourism development,” said Mr Akko.
Industry participants echoed calls to make the summit a regular event, especially to support small and medium-sized operators who face marketing challenges but aspire to grow globally.
As the summit concluded, participants expressed optimism that the partnerships and ideas forged in Arusha would drive long-term growth in Tanzania’s tourism sector.
Organisers announced plans to make the summit an annual event each September to coincide with World Tourism Day.
