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The completion of an
ultra-modern, 60,000 capacity sports stadium in
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, part of a new national
sports complex, is expected to usher in an
exciting and successful new era of sports
tourism in Tanzania. The $56 million dollar
stadium was funded largely by the government of
China. Other facilities in the new national
sports complex include the Main Stadium,
Warming-up Ground, In-door Stadium, Sports
Theater, Olympic Standard Swimming Pool, Sports
Village/College and Training Grounds.
Begun two years ago, the stadium is the most
spectacular in the region, built to the highest
FIFA and Olympic specifications. The latest
advanced technology was used in its construction
by the Beijing Construction Engineering Group
Company. Comfort for spectators and optimal
conditions for players were paramount in the
stadium’s design and construction.
Timing of the Dar Es Salaam Stadium was
predicated to coincide with the 2010 World Cup
Tournament to be hosted by the Republic of South
Africa. This selection represents the first time
that the prized games will be played in Africa.
Huge audiences throughout the world follow the
World Cup, with sports tourism positively
impacting not just the host country but the
region. There are daily direct flights from
South Africa to Tanzania for those who want to
do pre or post game safaris to Tanzania.
“Dar Es Salaam, the commercial capital of East
Africa, is an ideal place for this magnificent
facility,” comments Hon. Prof. Jumanne Maghembe,
Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism. “The
city has efficient transport systems and
excellent accommodations and dining options. It
will provide us with an excellent opportunity to
host world sporting events in the future. It
will also help our own Tanzanian teams,
providing them with a competitive edge in world
sports.”
Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director of the Tanzania
Tourism Board (TTB), predicts that the
opportunities for sports tourism in Tanzania --
a safe, friendly and democratic republic -- can
be monumental. “This year, tourism based on our
famed tourist sites such as Mt. Kilimanjaro, the
Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Selous and
the Spice Islands of Zanzibar, is expected to
yield about $1 billion dollars to our economy –
an increase e of $862 million from last year.
With the new sports complex, we expect sports
tourism to add significantly to this number in
the years to come.”
Recently, the concept of Sports Tourism has
represented major impetus in economic growth in
many countries. More fans are willing and able
to travel to see special and interesting games
and players, and to visit other sites within the
host country. |
