Tourism
BEST Dialogue, Tanzania’s business, advocacy and dialogue facility, and the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato) have joined forces with Tanzania police to protect the country’s USD 2billion tourism industry.
Even though over 8 percent of Tanzanian’s work in the agriculture industry while tourism employs just a little over 1.5 million, it is the latter that reel’s home the largest amount of foreign exchange, up to 25 percent of all the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
In fact, tourism contributes more than 17 per cent of Tanzania’s GPD and remains one of the world’s favourite tourist destinations.
Tatoa and BEST Dialogue combined forces to build the USD 85 600 (Sh193.6 million) Arusha Tourism and Diplomacy Police Station.
The construction of the station has earned the two organisation’s overwhelming commendations for their private Public Partnership (PPP) initiative and for prioritizing the security of tourists and their best interest.
Presidential Commendation
The commendations came from the Executive office with President John Magufuli inaugurating the building.
Media reported President Magufuli urging other regional authorities to follow the in steps and increase more public-private partnerships.
Similar commendations were extended by the police, Simon Sirro Inspector General of Police acknowledged Tato’s contribution in the establishment and support of a special police unit meant to address tourist cases.
Mr. Willy Chambulo the Tato Chairman was elated over the inauguration and expressed profound gratitude to BEST Dialogue for their financial contribution to the project.
He pointed out to press that Tatoa took the initiative of having the police establish a special tourist desk at their stations to give the needed attention to tourist cases.
BEST-Dialogue
BEST-Dialogue (formerly known as BEST-AC) is supported by Danida, Denmark’s development cooperation to give grants to Tanzanian membership based organisations.
The grants are meant to help the organizations to conduct training, research and to generally identify and improve factors that cause huddles to their businesses.
Grantees present these ‘huddle factors’ to the government with proposals for policies to help improve the business environment.
BEST-Dialogue works in parallel with the government of Tanzania to achieve a more professional and fairer business environment.
It works to facilitate continuous discussion between organisations and the government concerning the Tanzanian business environment and the importance of private sector-led growth.
Private sector organisations in Tanzania face multiple challenges that reduce their ability to press for changes in existing policies, which would improve business operation – BEST Dialogue
BEST-Dialogue is part of Danida’s Business Sector Programme Support phase IV, which focuses on inclusive growth. This means attention is paid to targeting organisations addressing the particular needs of women and youth for example.
The programme also prioritises working in areas which hold particular potential for creating employment and increasing income.
Private sector organisations in Tanzania face multiple challenges that reduce their ability to press for changes in existing policies, which would improve business operation. Many organisations have a small, unsustainable membership base – BEST Dialogue
It is important to persuade the government to make changes on specific issues; we call this single-issue advocacy. There is also increasing demand for the private sector to engage in regular, structured dialogue specifically related to Tanzania’s investment climate and business environment. This is called a sustained dialogue – BEST Dialogue.
It is essential that the government recognises and engages the business sector as a significant partner in Tanzania’s development. On a positive note, the government has created a space in its agenda for the private sector to be consulted in the advocacy dialogue.
Since it was established in 2004, BEST-Dialogue has supported over 34 private sector organisations (PSOs), or business associations, conducting this kind of advocacy work.
