Tanzania Commits $56 Million to Southern Safari Circuit Infrastructure in Bid to Rival Northern Route
Tanzania has invested 146.6 billion Tanzanian shillings ($56 million) in tourism infrastructure across its southern safari circuit, targeting Nyerere, Ruaha, and Mikumi national parks in one of the largest public investments ever made in the region. Funded through a partnership between the Tanzanian government and the World Bank under the Resilient Natural Resources Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project, the programme has delivered new entrance gates, visitor centres, campsites, staff housing, and accommodation facilities across all three parks. In Nyerere National Park, a new main entrance gate, ranger facilities, and a 20-room guest house have been constructed alongside upgrades to Mtemere airport. Ruaha National Park - Tanzania's largest - received extensive investment in visitor lodges, ecological monitoring facilities, and airport infrastructure, while Mikumi saw new visitor facilities and airstrip improvements. Equipment procurement worth more than 31 billion shillings ($12 million) has already helped reduce maintenance costs by over 60 per cent, supporting the rehabilitation of more than 1,200 kilometres of roads and upgrades to seven airstrips.
TANAPA Conservation Commissioner Musa Kuji described the programme as "a strategic investment in the future of southern Tanzania's tourism economy, conservation sustainability and community development." The southern circuit, which contains some of Africa's largest protected ecosystems, has historically attracted a fraction of the visitors drawn to Tanzania's northern route - home to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro - due to weaker transport links and limited facilities. Authorities hope the infrastructure improvements will make the circuit more competitive in a growing market for less-crowded safari experiences, encouraging private lodge and camp development while spreading tourism revenues more evenly across the country. Tourism remains one of Tanzania's most important sources of foreign exchange, and the southern circuit is widely regarded as one of the country's most significant untapped opportunities for sector expansion.
Source: Daily News