Tanzania Roundup: Tourism shifts, coffee production increase, air travel
Tourism to soar
Tanzania's tourism industry is set to break more records in 2024, with a forecasted economic contribution of over $7 billion. In 2023, the sector saw record-high international visitor spending and contributed $7 billion to the economy. Employment in the sector is also expected to reach a record high of 1.5 million. The sector is projected to continue growing and create more jobs in the coming years, with a total value of $11.6 billion and 2.25 million jobs expected by 2034, according to Tourism Update.
Coffee production to increase
The forecast for Tanzania's green coffee production in the 2024/25 marketing year is a rise of about 7%, reaching an estimated 1.5 million bags. This growth is credited to the effective restoration of older coffee farms and consistent demand from major purchasers, including the European Union. These forecasts, among others, are detailed in the latest annual report by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service on Tanzania's coffee industry, reports Daily Coffee News.
Court upholds 20-year prison sentence
The Court of Appeal in Tanzania has upheld the 20-year prison sentence for four people convicted of trafficking large quantities of illegal drugs. The defendants had challenged the judgment on several grounds, but the appeals court found their arguments to be without merit. According to Daily News, Justices Berke Sehel, Panterine Kente and Paul Kihwelo ruled against Mirzai Pirbakhshi, alias Hadji, alias Ally Mirzai, Aziz Juma Kizingiti, Said Mashaka Mrisho and Abdulrahman Mtumwa Lukongo after dismissing their appeal they had lodged to fault the judgment of the High Court. The justices also noted that the trial judge adequately addressed the assessors.
Zambia Airways resumes flights to Tanzania
Zambia Airways has resumed direct flights from Lusaka to Dar es Salaam after 16 years. The route will have three flights per week. The goal is to boost trade and tourism between the two countries. The move is expected to strengthen the aviation presence in the region and simplify the movement of goods and people. The airline is also investing in fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft. Passenger numbers have shown significant growth in both international and domestic air travel, adds Kenyan Wall Street.
103-year-old woman waited years to meet her white boyfriend
Mariam Hussein, a centenarian from Tanzania, has shared her enduring tale of love and waiting, recounting her profound feelings for a man named John, a white suitor she never saw again after his departure. In a recent interview with Afrimax's English presenter, Simon Greenwood, conducted in Swahili and translated into English, Hussein expressed her belief that John, her European love interest, would eventually return to reignite their romance. Despite her hopes, she remained single and celibate throughout her life. She remembers John as a spirited and generous young man who arrived in Tanzania in search of adventure, Punch reports.
