Dodoma. Tanzania has unveiled a four-pronged strategy aimed at attracting eight million tourists annually by 2030 and increasing tourism’s contribution to the national economy from 17 percent in 2025 to 20 percent by 2030.
Presenting the 2026/27 budget estimates for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in Parliament on Thursday, May 15, the minister Ashatu Kijaji said the government would rely heavily on international events, sports tourism and digital promotion campaigns to market the country globally.
Dr Kijaji said Tanzania would capitalise on major international events scheduled to take place in the country over the coming years.
These include the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the 2027 Miss World competition, the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the 2026 World Travel Awards.
She said the ministry and its institutions had already prepared strategies to maximise tourism opportunities linked to the events.
According to the minister, the IPU Assembly will be held in Arusha in October 2026.
The event is expected to attract more than 1,500 delegates, including 183 parliamentary speakers from across the world.
The 2026 World Travel Awards ceremony is expected to bring together over 1,000 participants from Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America.
Dr Kijaji said the 2027 Miss World competition would attract about 20,000 participants and visitors, including contestants from 120 countries.
She added that AFCON 2027, which will be jointly hosted by East African countries including Tanzania, would provide another major tourism platform.
The tournament is expected to feature 24 African national teams and attract more than 1.8 million stadium spectators.
Global television audiences are projected at 1.9 billion viewers through more than 185 broadcasting networks worldwide.
The minister said the tournament could generate economic benefits exceeding $2 billion.
Dr Kijaji further said Tanzania would begin promoting itself aggressively during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The campaign will involve international sports broadcasters, influential personalities, digital billboards and extensive online promotion.
She said globally recognised sports personalities and social media influencers would also be engaged to market Tanzania’s tourist attractions through platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
According to the minister, the personalities will visit various tourist destinations across the country, where promotional content will be produced and shared internationally.
The initiatives form part of broader efforts by the government to strengthen Tanzania’s position as a leading tourism destination in Africa.
