Diplomatist Special Report - Tanzania Tanzania 2018 | Page 55

T
anzania occupies an area of about 947,303 square
kilometers (365,756 square meters) of which over
225,000 square kilometers has been allocated for
natural reserves, which are habitats for wildlife, plants and
landscape. In their report for 2017, the World Economic
Forum’s World Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report
ranked Tanzania 8th position globally for being home to one
of the most impressive concentration of natural resources and
wildlife, with a rich variety of landscapes. However, a good
question to ask is that is it the natural resources and wildlife
that makes Tanzania worth a visit or is there more to it than
that? This article will touch upon prime tourist attractions
that make Tanzania a visitor’s magnet.
World Heritage Sites
There are seven World Heritage Sites in Tanzania; these
include 3 cultural sites (Kondoa Rock Art Paints, Ruins
of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara and Zanzibar Stone
Town); and four natural sites (Ngorongoro Conservation
Area, Serengeti National Park, Selous Game Reserve and
Kilimanjaro Mountain National Park). A visit to these
remarkable areas is considered once in a lifetime experience.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Kondoa Rock Art Paints
World-class Wildlife Assets
Tanzania contains seven bio-geographic regions in which
there are 19 broad habitat types. Climatic conditions coupled
with variations in topography have resulted in species richness
and endemism. As a consequence, Tanzania is classifi ed as
among the top few mega-diversity countries globally. With
16 Wildlife National Parks, 28 Wildlife Game Reserves,
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and among many other, most
surveys done for incoming visitors and international tour
operators have showed that most respondents consider that in
terms of quality, quantity, diversity, and visibility of wildlife,
Tanzania is superior to that of competing destinations. The
Selous Game Reserve, Ngorongoro Crater and the annual
wildlife migration in the Serengeti, all of which are World
Heritage Sites are considered to be some of the unique wildlife
viewing experiences on offer in Tanzania.
TANZANIA• 55