ROYAL MAGIC: The tale of swelling arrivals, revenue numerals on Uhuru Peak
Misinformation, deliberately coined to confuse tourists bound for Kilimanjaro National Park, has been significantly demystified.
THURSDAY April 3, 2025
By Patty Magubira
The Tranquility News Reporter, Tanzania
Kilimanjaro National Park, the home to Mount Kilimanjaro – the world’s freestanding mountain and Africa’s highest point – anticipates breaking its own revenue collection figures this financial year.
The national park’s receipts are expected to reach a record-high Sh100 billion (over $38 million) by end of June, thanks to various marketing drives for making waves across the globe.
Between July last year and February this year, Kilimanjaro National Park had already collected Sh92 billion (over $35 million), just Sh8 billion (about $3 million) away from getting off the mark.
Tourists bound for Kilimanjaro National Park dropped from 54,000 to 49,000 following Tanzania’s travel and tourism industry being hardest hit during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Number of arrivals gradually began to recover from the pandemic in 2022/23 and 2023/24 fiscal years when 53,000 and 63,000 tourists climbed the mountain, respectively.
“Four months before this financial year elapses, over 55,000 tourists had already scaled the mountain,” the Tanzania National Parks’ (TANAPA) Senior Assistant Conservation Commissioner Angela Nyaki says.
Nyaki and tour guides operating in the national park ascribe the rising numbers of both receipts and tourists to Tanzania: The Royal Tour film featuring President Samia Suluhu Hassan as the country’s number one tour guide.
The film, Nyaki says, shows Tanzania is the exact location of Mount Kilimanjaro, demystifying misleading misinformation deliberately faked up to confuse tourists.
“The film was strategically launched (on April 18, 2022) in the US, the leading market source for Kilimanjaro National Park followed by Europe,” says Nyaki, adding:
“I wish other editions of Tanzania: The Royal Tour films were produced and promoted further and further and further.”
Immediately after the country opened up from the pandemic, Dr Samia was at the forefront of COVID-19 vaccination campaign and took the first jab, giving tourists confidence to flock in the park.
The President issued Sh800 million (about $ 307,510) to Kilimanjaro National Park to repair infrastructure damaged by rains, including rescue roads and hiking trails.
Tour Guide Benedict Mato admits earning enough income to pay school fees for his children as a result of the surging numbers of tourists compounded by the film.
He urges tour operators to emulate Dr Samia to attract even more tourists.
His counterpart Rogati Mtui says Tanzania: The Royal Tour film has inspired leaders to promote local tourism in their areas of jurisdiction.
As a result, he says, local tourism has increased almost tenfold. Many Tanzanians, who frequented to pubs and supermarkets to enjoy themselves, now show up in the park in their large numbers.
“I wish other editions of Tanzania: The Royal Tour films were produced and promoted further and further and further,” Tanzania National Parks’ Senior Assistant Conservation Commissioner Angela Nyaki.
“This spirit of promoting tourism should continue to attract new generations,” says Mtui, suggesting that ethnic groups surrounding tourist sites should accompany the President in future filming to incorporate cultural aspects.
In addition to Tanzanians, Mtui is, as a result of the film, receiving tourists, including persons with disabilities, from emerging markets of United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, China, and other Asian countries.
Senior Assistant Conservation Commissioner Nyaki unveils the national park’s main strategies for attracting visitors, including strengthening tourist infrastructure.
The park is currently constructing an accommodation facility at Horombo Hut. Situated at 12,204 feet, Horombo Hut is the second campsite for hikers scaling the mountain through Marangu Route.
With effect from next financial year, the park will increase the number of its accommodation facilities for persons with high socioeconomic rank or purchasing power at Kibo and Mandara huts.
Also in pipeline is pumping water to the desert landscape of the mountain with an assembly of all ecosystems present on earth, including rain forests, bushes, savannah, desert, and glaciers dubbed an arctic of the globe.
Moreover, the park is, in collaboration with Tanzania Telecommunication Corporation Limited, connecting the mountain to internet for interested trekkers to do live streaming as they ascend and descent, further buttressing the immense contribution of Tanzania: The Royal Tour film.
Save for Machame, Lemosho and Shira, and Rongai, Marangu Route has already been connected to internet.
In addition, Kilimanjaro National Park is, in collaboration with different players, introducing new products such as marathon and parachute to offer trekkers new experiences while on the mountain.
In its bid to build tourists’ confidence in the mountain, the World Travel Awards winning and ISO 9001 2015 re-certified park is strengthening its rescue service, with two firms already operating choppers to that effect.
Mount Kilimanjaro was voted Africa’s Leading Attraction for six years consecutively, defeating Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and Table Mountains in South AfricaΩ
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The Tranquility News Reporter/Sub Editor, Tanzania
Patty Magubira is an experienced environmental and business editor whose career started at the Tanzania's state-owned newspaper - The Daily News. He is a man of perfection. Aided by his extensive training as a community forestry expert before joining Tanzania School of Journalism. Magubira had successfully held various key posts in newsrooms, giving him an unmatched connections in media fraternity. Having worked as a bureau chief in Arusha and Mwanza, he managed to build a team work, boosting sales to the highest level ever. He was then promoted to a sub-editor after completing a training in Nairobi, Kenya. His incredible experience, critical thinking and exposure are critical to the quality of any media outlet.
