Tanzania Tourism UK to turn matchmaker for tour operators around the globe.

Tanzania Tourism UK is developing an innovative matchmaking system to allow international travel professionals to more easily find their ideal DMC or ground operator in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Tim Henshall of TTUK explained the concept ahead of the development stage of the online portal : "I tried to put myself in the mind of an international tour operator attending a trade show. Approaching the Tanzania stand, you'd be faced with 20, maybe even 30 would-be suppliers, all claiming to offer an all-too similar service. So how do you differentiate....how do you choose who you want to talk to?"

From the other side of the fence, it has also been clear that for DMCs, trying to break into a market is actually harder than for properties. So UMSHENGA this should provide a far more effective, efficient and transparent way of helping this process.

With the help of the specialist digital arm of Axiom Design, TTUK has set about creating UMSHENGA (kiswahili for Matchmaker is Mshenga), a very simple to use app to bring suitable partners together.

Think of any online dating app - where you put in your likes and dislikes, what you are ideally seeking and lots of information about yourself. UMSHENGA is the same, only it attempts to marry up tour operators with ideal DMCs. Both sides get to set their criterias, and the more information (and targetting) they put in, the more likely the match is to be perfect.

"Not everyone is looking for the same thing, so UMSHENGA should help buyers meet the right sellers through " said Tim, so TTUK has spent months compiling the various criteria that both sides of such an arrangement might apply to find the perfect partner. 

For example, does a small international operator want to capitalise on the possible buying strength and manpower of a huge Tanzanian DMC or might they prefer a similar sized ground handler where they might be more important to that company? Who knows, as everyone's going to be different and UMSHENGA tries to respond to that.

Criteria include company turnover, number of pax per season, insurance cover, specialities, languages offered, fleet sizes, years of operation and many, many more areas of differentiation.

TTUK will launch the pilot during August, with a roll-out long before the likes of WTM London (November)

To keep up with developments, see http://www.tanzaniatourism.uk/matchmaker