Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09DARESSALAAM204, TANZANIA'S TOURISM SECTOR TAKING A HIT

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09DARESSALAAM204.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09DARESSALAAM204 2009-03-27 10:09 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Dar Es Salaam
VZCZCXRO1957
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDR #0204/01 0861009
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271009Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8371
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 2847
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3369
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1296
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 0004
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1211
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000204 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E JLIDDLE, INR FEHRENREICH, AF/EPS 
STATE PASS USAID/EA, USTDA, USTR 
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL 
NAIROBI FOR FCS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EIND EINV PGOV TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA'S TOURISM SECTOR TAKING A HIT 
 
DAR ES SAL 00000204  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. Summary: Tanzania's tourism sector will be the hardest hit 
domestic industry during the economic downturn.  With its biggest 
tourist sources, primarily the U.S. and Europe, focused more on the 
bottom line than on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro - times are going to 
get very tough.  While the true extent of the decline is difficult 
to forecast, a decline in bookings presages trouble for the industry 
through 2010.  A new governmental task force is a positive step, but 
likely will have limited ability to protect the sector or the 
broader economy. End Summary. 
 
2.  Tourism is one of Tanzania's most important industries, 
currently making up 20 percent of GDP.  The Tanzanian Tourism Board 
estimated that 840,000 visitors spent $1.3 billion in the country in 
2008.  Not only is it the largest source of foreign exchange, 
followed by gold, but the World Economic Forum estimated that in 
2007 the tourism industry employed almost 680,000 individuals. 
While most of the tourism is centered in Tanzania's Northern Circuit 
(combining the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Mt. Kilimanjaro), 
both the island of Zanzibar and Tanzania's Southern Circuit (mainly 
Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park) are also popular 
destinations.  The combination of game viewing and hunting with 
beaches and scuba diving allows Tanzania to cater to a broad 
spectrum of travelers. 
 
Current Situation: Getting Tough 
-------------------------------- 
3.  Although the government and the private sector disagree over the 
extent of the decline, it is clear that tourism numbers are 
dropping.  Scott Coles, the local representative for Nomad Tanzania 
and the Vice Chairman of the Tourism Confederation of Tanzania 
(TCT), stated that he was seeing, "between a 17 to 30 percent 
downturn across the sector" for 2009.  Leopard Tours, one of the 
largest safari operators in the Northern Circuit, is projecting an 
average 41 percent decrease in March, April and May of 2009 relative 
to 2008.  Zanzibar appears to be faring even worse, with many saying 
they are seeing a 50 percent drop this year. 
 
4.  The government-run Tanzania Tourist Board remains more 
optimistic about the current situation.  Claiming that most clients 
book at least a year in advance, the board's Acting Director, Musa 
Kopwe, stated that he would "be hearing about it" if local operators 
were really having a hard time.  Confident that the situation in 
2009 would not drop by significant numbers, the tourism board only 
reduced its 2009 forecast by three percent - estimating that 921,500 
tourists would still come to Tanzania.  Even the Director of the 
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Gerald Bigurumbe, seems to 
disagree with the Tanzania Tourist Board; TANAPA expects a 10 
percent drop in 2009 visitors on top of a 15 percent decrease in the 
last half of 2008. 
 
Future: Even Worse 
------------------ 
5. Everyone agrees that the second half of 2009 through 2010 will be 
very bad for the tourism sector, though how bad is unclear.  Samai 
Said, Chairman of the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors 
(ZATI), said forecasting right now is "like throwing a spear in the 
dark."  He knows the numbers will be down, but he has no frame of 
reference to calculate how the changes in the world market are going 
to impact Tanzania.  Jo Bertone, the co-owner of Naipenda Safaris, 
stated that although her numbers for 2009 were holding, her bookings 
for 2010 were down 25 percent and she did not expect that to 
improve.  Leopard Tours expects a "gradual increase staring in July 
2009," but this is relative to its 41 percent downturn in early 2009 
and is based on two price reductions.  Big properties, such as the 
Serena group of lodges, are dropping prices in the hope of 
attracting late bookings - at a time when they would normally be 
fully booked. 
 
Government Intervention - Too Little, Too Late 
--------------------------------------------- - 
6.  Many in the business community have been clamoring for a 
decrease in the government park fees.  According to an analysis 
conducted by TCT, Tanzania's fees on average are the highest in the 
region - almost three times that of Kruger National Park and 25 
percent higher than the Masai Mara in Kenya.  Tanzania bases these 
fees largely on the high operating budgets for managing and 
protecting the animals in the parks.  The GOT carefully crafted the 
fees to draw high-end tourists; by encouraging tourists with a lower 
 
DAR ES SAL 00000204  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
budget to skip the major attractions tourism's environmental 
footprint on the major parks is decreased and visitors feel like 
they are having a more private experience.  (Comment: We do not 
support a decrease in park fees, which, in addition to having at 
best a slight short-term benefit for tourist numbers, would further 
undercut TANAPA's dire budget situation.  TANAPA already is 
hamstrung in its essential anti-poaching and maintenance activities. 
End comment.) 
 
7.  To its credit, the GOT has called together a task force to help 
the tourism industry during the economic downturn.  Comprised of 
industry and government officials, the task force has already held 
one meeting and will present a plan of action to the Ministry of 
Tourism and Natural Resources in April.  Because TCT's market 
analysis showed that in 2006 Tanzania's average room rates were USD 
112 compared to USD 104 in South Africa and USD 84 in Kenya (both of 
which in general have better tourist infrastructure and higher 
service standards), high park fees are not the only issue facing 
Tanzania in an increasingly competitive travel market. 
According to Richard Rugimbana, the Executive Secretary of TCT and a 
task force member, the task force is wisely putting together a plan 
that includes both governmental and business solutions. 
 
8. Comment.  As a relatively immature and expensive tourism market, 
Tanzania will be hard pressed to respond quickly and effectively to 
the global slowdown, especially in comparison to its better 
developed regional competitors.  Any government-led action plan at 
this point is going to be too little and too late to have a 
significant impact.  A substantial decline in this sector is going 
to tough for an already weak Tanzanian economy.  Jobs are going to 
be lost and only those businesses with high cash reserves are going 
to be able to survive.  Tanzania's tourist sector can only hope for 
a rapid rebound in the global economy. 
 
ANDRE