Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) in collaboration with Baidu China have launched a website to advertise the country’s tourist attractions aimed at attracting more tourists from China and Asian countries.
Speaking at the Wander Planet Project and Tanzania Shop launch ceremony, Tanzania Ambassador to China, Mr Mbelwa Kairuki said the country attracts 34,000 tourists annually from China but with the website they expect to increase the number to 100,000.
“The number could even increase further when Air Tanzania Corporation Ltd (ATCL) launches its route to China because the Chinese hate to connect and with our direct flight the number will increase,” he stressed.
He said the website is used by China and surrounding Asian countries and therefore expected to advertise the country’s attractions and attract scores of tourist from Asia.
He said statistics show that 75 per cent of internet users in China and Asian countries use Baidu website.
He noted that a team of 12 workers working for the website are in the country to take pictures of the tourist attractions that will be posted on the website.
“The team will be in the country for 11 days visiting various tourist attractions in the country including the Northern, Eastern, Southern circuits including Ngorongoro crater, Makumbusho, Bagamoyo and Zanzibar among many others,” he said.
He said that Tanzania was picked as the first country among seven countries whose tourist attractions will be advertised.
On his part, TTB Board Member, Richard Rugimbana said the project is a huge milestone for Tanzania because the country’s tourist attractions will be advertised.
According to him, Baidu website in China is like Google for the rest of the world and has many visitors.
On her part, Baijahao Brand Operation Manager, Ms Hepburn Jin said the website is used by 700 million people in China to access information about the world.
She said tourist wanting to visit Tanzania will visit the website to know areas of interest for them.
“China is well informed about Footprints attraction migration of animals but with the website we will be able to post more tourist attractions that they can visit,” she said.
Source:The Citizen,Tanzania By Rosemary Mirondo
