Tanzania will host the inaugural East African Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE), according to The Citizen. The Expo is being held by the United Republic of Tanzania in conjunction with the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat. It will take place in the northern city of Arusha October 9-11.

The goal of Expo is to promote the region’s tourism attractions. After the three-day Expo, a trip will be held October 12-16 to allow media and international buyers to tour some top tourist attractions in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

“As a region, East Africa is endowed with a unique combination of tourist attractions comprising tropical beaches, abundant wildlife in natural habitats, scenic beauty and a geographically diverse landscape that spark imagination,” said the East African Community in a statement.

The Expo’s theme will be Promotion of Resilient Tourism for Inclusive Socio-economic Development. Future Expos will be held in different East African countries, rotating year to year. After Burundi declined to host this year’s event, Tanzania stepped up and offered to do so.

The East African Regional Tourism Expo will implement part of the EAC’s Tourism Marketing Strategy and serve as a platform for collaborative business dialogue that can potentially lead to the recovery and sustainable development of the region’s tourism and wildlife sectors.

As in the rest of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic had a calamitous effect on East Africa’s tourism sector. Tourism is an important area of cooperation for the EAC, also affecting additional sectors, such as transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Dr. Peter Mathuki, Secretary General of the EAC, said East Africa saw a decrease of nearly 70 percent in international tourist arrivals in 2020, which led to major losses of tourism earnings and tourism related employment opportunities.

“Similarly, wildlife conservation in the region suffered a major blow from the pandemic through loss of conservation revenue, most of which is generated through tourists visiting the protected areas and wildlife conservancies across the region,” Dr. Mathuki said.

Related: South Africa Hosting Inaugural ‘Africa’s Travel And Tourism Summit’

arusha, tanzania