Tourism Minister Calls on FIs to Support Growth of Southern Tour

The Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Constantine Kanyasu, said in Arusha this weekend, during his visit to the pavilion of NMB Bank Plc during an exhibition on the Karibu Kili fair, that the Southern tourist circuit has not received sufficient investment and is therefore not known around the world.

Kanyasu commended bank-led financial institutions for supporting private sector investment in tourism, which saw the sector grow under the impetus of the Northern Tourism Circuit, contributing to economic growth.

"The government supports NMB's efforts to boost the country's growth by working with the public for development. I would now like to call on financial institutions, including the NMB, to focus their efforts on those areas of the South that have huge potential, "he said.

He said the government, through a Regrow project funded by the World Bank, is committed to unleashing the potential of the southern regions by ordering all regional administrative secretaries to attend. Tourism fairs organized by other countries of the East African Community.

Siding on Kanyasu's observations, Songwe Ras, David Kafulila said that President John Magufuli had already ordered the opening of the southern tourist circuit, so his region was already applying the directive.

"We hope that the NMB will help in this regard by providing loans to businessmen so that they can play a role in opening the southern regions," Kafulila said, noting that strategies are already in place. to ensure that the region can compete with its neighbors. North Pair in the future. In addition to Songwe, the southern tourist areas include: Iringa, Katavi, Mbeya, Njombe and Ruvuma.

Filbert Mponzi, head of the bank's retail bank, informed the top government officials who came to visit the NMB pavilion, that they have allocated 500 billion euros to lenders, including those in the bank. tourism sector, although loans have been slowly absorbed.

"As a bank, we are ready to work with the government and the private sector to develop the tourism sector in the southern regions," said Mponzi, who promised that the region would now enjoy a special status to support the government's efforts.

"Our commitment to developing the tourism sector is also visible in the sponsorship of the Karibu Kili fair, which aims to demonstrate the potential of this region and its contribution to gross domestic growth," he added.