Tanzania’s Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources has directed the National Museums of Tanzania (NMT) to strengthen the antiquities preservation and promotion of museums and to ensure they are known nationally and internationally. The directive was given by Dr Hassan Abbasi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources, during a meeting with NMT management in Dar es Salaam.
Promotion of Museums
Dr Abbasi stressed the importance of conservation work in museums and antiquities as a spiritual act that reminds humans where they came from and where they are going. He urged NMT to focus on sustainable conservation and promotion to increase awareness and understanding of Tanzania’s cultural heritage both domestically and internationally. Dr Abbasi commended NMT for their work in preserving heritage and urged them to collaborate with the Tourism Board to promote tourism opportunities in museums and antiquities.
Museum University Hub Programme
NMT has launched the “Museum University Hub” program to motivate university and college youths to promote cultural and heritage tourism. The program aims to increase tourism earnings and create awareness among young people about their cultural heritage. NMT’s Senior Education Officer, Ms Anamery Bagenyi, said that Dar es Salaam has many cultural heritage sites with untapped potential to attract domestic and foreign tourists. She added that during city tour the UDSM students watched 100 cultural and heritage sites, including artifacts found within NMT premises, monuments, oldest buildings and sites.
Income Generation from Cultural Heritage Sites
Apart from conducting city tours, NMT nurtures youths with the best tourism ideas on how they can tap the potential from such cultural heritage sites and generate income. Ms Bagenyi said the program would inspire young people to be creative in preserving the sites and creating jobs for themselves and others. By promoting Tanzania’s cultural heritage domestically and internationally, the program will increase tourism earnings, create awareness of cultural heritage, and preserve Tanzania’s cultural heritage for future generations.
