BA to Promote Tourism in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam, Sep 01, 2008 (East African Business Week/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- BAIRY | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- One of the world's leading airlines - British Airways (BA) has concrete plans of promoting Tanzania's tourism sector by launching a new route to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).

The BA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Willie Walsh, said due to the increasing number of tourists in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, plans are in the pipeline for the UK airline to start a direct flight to the region, blessed to have the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro.

"Introducing a direct flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) will give us an opportunity to promote Tanzania's tourism in the world, and I believe there is high demand in Kilimanjaro," he explained.

Currently, the Dutch airline, KLM flies daily to KIA en route to Dar es Salaam. Another airline, which flies into KIA is Ethiopian Airline.

The new route will also help to lift flowers from Kilimanjaro and Arusha to the European Union (EU). Todate, stakeholders in the flower sub-sector export flowers to the EU markets via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Meanwhile, Walsh who was in Tanzania recently has commended the 'Change for Good' programme in Tanzania for bringing a positive impact on the communities in the areas where it has been implemented.

Walsh was in the country to mark the 14th anniversary of the programme, which was launched in partnership with British Airways and UNICEF way back in 1994. The celebrations were also attended by UNICEF's UK executive director, David Bull.

Since its inauguration, the programme has collected 25 million pound sterling (Tsh55 billion), which has been used to fund vital UNICEF projects in 55 countries worldwide.

Under the programme, passengers aboard BA planes donate small amounts of money (change), which is used to fund projects initiated by UNICEF.

Tanzania was the first country to benefit from the programme with a donation of 50,000 pounds, which was directed towards water and sanitation programmes. Until now, 800,000 pound sterling has been donated to UNICEF projects in the country.

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