REMARKS BY H.E. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE SERENGETI BILILA LODGE ...
REMARKS BY H.E. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OFTHE SERENGETI BILILA LODGE KEMPINSKI, 10TH JULY, 2009
Honourable Maj. Ge. Kahinda QtafireMinister for Tourism and Natural Resources;
Mr. Reto Witter, President and CEO of Kempinski Hotels;
Mr. Ali Al-Bawardy, Chairman ASB Tanzania Limited;
Miss Kareen, General Manager of Bilila Lodge;
Honourable Ministers from Uganda and Tanzania;
Chairman of TANAPA;
Senior Government Officials;
Distinguished Guests;
Friends;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I feel greatly honoured and privileged to bear witness to this historic occasion of the opening of the Serengeti Bilila Lodge of the Kempinski Hotels. I thank you Mr. Reto Witter, President and CEO of Kempinski Hotels, Mr. Ali Al-Bawardy Chairman of the ASB Tanzania Limited and Mr. Hasu Masrani, Director of ASB Tanzania Limited, for the kind invitation.
I congratulate you all on this momentous achievement. Indeed, this is an achievement to be proud of. We congratulate you on this historic day.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
The opening of this iconic Kempinski Hotel in these wonderful endless plains, as the Serengeti means in the Maasai language, adds another milestone in the history of Kempinski Hotels in Tanzania. This is the third world class product of yours that you are adding to Tanzania’s tourist hotel infrastructure. The others being the Kilimanjaro Kempinski Hotel in Dar Es Salaam and the Zamani Kempinski Hotel in Zanzibar.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
In my life as Minister for over 15 years and now as President of my country for about four years now, I have had the opportunity of visiting many countries in the world. But, I must admit that the Bilila Lodge is one of the best. Seeing and staying here is quite an experience. It is a spectacular hotel depicting finesse and acumen in architecture and construction. It is an architectural marvel of a sort.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
I can’t hide that I have a big passion for wildlife. For many years now, watching wild animals and visiting wild places has been a big hobby of mine. Hobbies may come and go, but this one has remained with me. I visited the Serengeti and Ngorongoro for the first time in 1980 during the celebrations of 60 years of the establishment of these world’s greatest game sanctuaries. I don’t a year I have not been here. I fell in love with these game parks ever since and I have visited them countless times. I have even infected my children with this addiction of mine for which I have no regrets.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
I have deep seated love for the Serengeti but Bilila Lodge completes the ultimate Serengeti experience in terms of luxury and comfort amidst the beauty that the Serengeti is. I thank you, Mr. Witter of Kempinski Hotels, I thank you Mr. Ali Bawardi of ASB Tanzania Limited for deciding to build this hotel of the highest quality in the Serengeti and in Tanzania. With this Lodge, you have added another important landmark. Bilila Lodge increases Tanzania’s visibility in the map of world’s ultimate travel destinations. We thank you for making us proud. I thank you for showing faith in Tanzania particularly at these difficult times in the global economy.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen;
The opening of this Lodge adds another dimension to the Serengeti, already a famous national park in the world. As you know in 2006. The Serengeti National Park was voted one of the 7 new wonders in the world. With this launch today, two great global brands – the Kempinski and the Serengeti – are coming together as a force. At the same time, we are taking one more step forward in ensuring that there are sufficient beds in this national park to cater for the needs of those wishing to enjoy a stay in the Serengeti. Currently, there are 6 hotels and 4 tented camps providing 836 beds in the Serengeti National Park. Given the sheer size of the Serengeti, there is an opportunity to have more hotel beds.
I am told a study done by Hart Howerton in 2006 had advised that the Serengeti can safely accommodate another 10 hotels and identified the suitable sites. My advise to TANAPA and the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources are two things. First, go slowly in implementing the study. Don’t implement the study wholesome and at a go. May be one or two more hotels and rest for a few years to assess the impact before deciding to allow the addition of another one. Also, liaise with authorities outside the park on the number of hotels to be built around the park because they too will have an impact with regard to the vehicles they bring into the park. The second thing I would like to advise is to insist on high class hotels and lodges to be built in the park. Don’t allow low class hotels to be built at these designated places inside the park. The Serengeti is a prime property, its hotels must reflect that character. After all, this is what the policy of low volume and high value tourism means.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Tourism sector has been one of the fastest growing industries in Tanzania. It has been growing at 12 percent for the last three years, and its contribution to GDP has been 17.2 percent, while it is contributing about 25 percent of our forex earnings. But, we in government understand that the growth of this sector does not simply depend on the abundance and the beauty of tourist attractions. Tourism infrastructure, particularly hotels like this one, plays an important role in the growth of the industry.
I believe that tourism sector can grow faster and contribute more to our GDP than it is doing at the moment. At the same time, we understand that we need to tackle several challenges. These notably include travel facilitation and inadequate human resource, to enhance this growth. We are dealing with all these obstacles. For instance, we are finalizing plans to build new terminal buildings at Dar Es Salaam International Airport. We also have plans to expand and modernise some of our airports and airstrips in the country. We are working to streamline immigration and customs clearance rules and procedures at all entry points. I know it takes too long for one to clear through our entry points. We also cut down by half the cost of Tanzanian visa for tourists coming to Tanzania.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
We also understand and appreciate the importance of having a sizeable pool local highly trained professionals to serve in the tourism, hotel and the hospitality industry as a whole. Currently, there is an acute shortage of the requisite professional cadre among the Tanzanians. Operators have to hire from abroad or train. We have taken measures to rectify that situation. We are expanding training facilities in the county. Our universities have introduced courses tailored to produce some of such professionals. With the support of the French Government, a Tourism College is being built. In fact, things are in their final stages for the college to start. In next two to three years the situation will be completely different.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Today is not a day of long speeches. It is a day to celebrate this important achievement. But, before I finish, I wish to ask operators of hotels and tour services in the Serengeti National Park to retain the highest standards of products and services. Those who offer mediocre services are being unfair to our visitors who have paid a lot of money to come and enjoy the wonder of Serengeti. They are also doing disservice to this country for they undermine our efforts to promote Tanzania as a destination of choice for holiday makers the worldover. I urge TANAPA and the responsible authorities to look into this matter and take necessary steps. May be time has come to develop a check list of standards of hotels and services which must be observed by all. You could consider to institute an inspectorate system.
Mr. Al-Bawardy, Mr. Masrani, Mr. Wittwer;
Once again, I thank you for inviting me to participate in this historic occasion. This Lodge has done Tanzania proud. The challenge, which I know you are capable of meeting, is maintaining good services to match the beauty of this establishment. On the basis of what I saw yesterday and today and the reputation the Kempinski. I am very confident that visitors to this lodge will have the wonder experiences of their lives which they deserve.
To the workers the beauty of this hotel depends on you. The way you take care of the hotel and the way you take care the clients. If you do good the hotel will endure and people will love to come and stay here not only once but twice and many more times.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Guests;
I thank you for your kind attention
On the picture President Jakayas Mrisho Kikwete and the owner of the Bilila Lodge Kempinski Mr.Ali Al Bwardy unveils the plaque to signal the official opening of the Bilila Lodge Kempinski in Serengeti this morning(picture by Freddy Maro)
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