The old tourism minister of Tanzania is now also the new one

The Tanzanian President made a cabinet reshuffle the ended week with changes of ministers where some were left to their previous positions with others changed to other ministries.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism remained with no changes of its minister, Dr. Damas Ndumbaro, and his Deputy Minister, Ms. Mary Massanja.

Dr. Ndumbaro was sworn in as the full Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism by the former Tanzanian President, the Late Dr. John Pombe Magufuli in December 2020 and had since then, held his ministerial position up until now. 

He is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the ministry and its key departments made up of wildlife conservation and protection, tourism, heritage sites, and nature that include forests, wild creatures, and natural plants.

A professional lawyer and a member of parliament for Songea Urban Constituency in Southern Highlands of Tanzania, Dr. Damas Ndumbaro was appointed as the new Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism after Tanzania’s 2020 General Elections.

Before his new appointment to head the Ministry of Tourism, he was Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and the East African Cooperation.

Under his new ministerial portfolio, Dr. Ndumbaro will be responsible to oversee then supervise tourism development in Tanzania in cooperation with government departments, the private sector, and international organizations responsible for tourism, wildlife, and nature conservation.

Wildlife conservation and protection is the key area falling under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, as well as conservation and development of heritage sites including historical, cultural, and geographical sites identified and marked for tourism development.

Dr. Ndumbaro is among leading and high-ranking African government officials who are working closely with the African Tourism Board (ATB) to implement tourism development projects in Tanzania and Africa as a whole.

The Tanzanian Minister had met several times since 2020, with the ATB Executive Chairman Mr. Cuthbert Ncube to chart out tourism development strategies in Africa.

The African Tourism Board has been working together with governments on the continent to market and then promote Africa’s tourism through domestic, regional, and Intra-Africa travels.

Dr. Ndumbaro was the official host of the First East African Regional Tourism Expo that was held in Tanzania, October 2021, and in which ATB had actively participated.

Mr. Cuthbert Ncube had actively participated in the East African Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE) in its first edition, then committed ATB’s continued cooperation with EAC members to enhance the quick development of regional tourism in the bloc.

The Tanzanian government has increased the number of wildlife parks conserved and protected for photographic safaris from 16 to 22, making this African nation among the leading African states to own a big number of protected wildlife parks for photographic safaris.