Tanzania eyes European football matches to attract more tourists

Looking to attract Spanish and other European tourists, Tanzania is
eyeing the leading European soccer teams to join a hand in its tourism
promotion and marketing campaigns through key European football
leagues.

A group of 25 former Real Madrid players made a five-day visit to
Tanzania a few days ago in a trip that was aimed at knowing this African safari destination, and also to play a friendly football match with former Tanzanian players.

About 40,000 football fans from various parts of the world led by
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, an ardent soccer fan, watched the
friendly match played at the National Stadium, an ultra-modern sports
ground in the Tanzanian capital city of Dar es Salaam.

During their visit to Tanzania, the former Real Madrid legends visited
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, and then Ngorongoro Crater,
famous for wildlife safaris in Africa.

The former Real Madrid legends including the team’s former soccer
stars Ramon Cobbo, Luis Figo, Christian Karembeu, Fabio Cannavaro and
Michael James Owen took a chance to visit and spend a day in
Ngorongoro Conservation Area where they made a day-long wildlife
safari inside Ngorongoro Crater.

The crater is full of wildlife species with an untamed nature where
the Real Madrid legends are said to have been excited most, according
to conservation officials there. They visited special Maasai
pastoralists cultural sites inside the wildlife conservation area.

“Ngorongoro Crater was a magnet to the Real Madrid Legends. They are
planning to come back for a safari here, accompanied by their
spouses,” said the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority official.

Tourism stakeholders in Tanzania welcomed the Real Madrid legends with
great hopes to see Tanzania achieving another mile in tourism
campaigns in Europe, the leading source of holidaymakers visiting this
African destination each year.

Through their visit, a number of media coverage programs will be
released to publicize Tanzania’s tourism in Spain through various
media outlets including newspapers, TV programs and international
sports media, tourism stakeholders said.

Before their departure back home, the Acting Managing Director of the
Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) Devota Mdachi took a chance to handle the
players with souvenirs packed with Tanzanian coffee, tea and Maasai
clothing.

Tanzania Tourist Board which is Tanzania’s official tourism marketing
institution said the Real Madrid legends will be good ambassadors to
sell Tanzania’s tourism in Spain and other European nations.

The Board (TTB) is currently running a tourism promotion campaign
through Sunderland AFC matches in the United Kingdom.