Tanzanian Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba on Wednesday launched 21 tourism infrastructure projects worth Tsh114.62 billion ($45.8 million) to bolster the country’s southern tourism circuit.

The projects were implemented under a strategic initiative aimed at promoting and developing tourism in southern Tanzania, in line with the government’s vision to expand the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

One of the projects inaugurated by Nchemba was the Mtemere Airstrip in Nyerere National Park. The other newly launched infrastructure includes park entry gates, visitor information centres, tourist campsites, picnic sites, guest houses, student hostels, an ecological monitoring centre, and ranger posts.

Nchemba urged authorities to ensure proper maintenance of the facilities, noting that the government has also invested in patrol vehicles and heavy-duty machines to strengthen conservation.

He also instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to liaise with Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) to maximise the use of the new airstrip.

The government will continue creating a conducive environment for investment in tourism and conservation through policies that encourage greater private sector participation for the broader national interest, the prime minister added.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report.