A Tanzanian, John Corse, has been unanimously elected the chairman of African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA).
Mr. Corse is currently the Managing Director of Serengeti Balloon Safaris, a Member of the Board of Directors of Tanzania Association of Tours Operators (TATO) heading PR directorate, board member of Responsible Tourism Tanzania and Chairman of Arusha Bicycle Centre – a social enterprise.
He takes up the chairmanship of ATTA at a time when the tourism industry faces unique challenges.
The pandemic has threatened the entire tourism value chain, created a context where the traditional means of communication and collaboration may be shifting more towards the digital than the physical ways and means, and has highlighted potential shortcomings in terms of business.
Furthermore, global tourism needs to navigate the opportunities and obstacles presented by a variety of social, environmental and political considerations.
ATTA is a member-driven trade association that promotes better tourism for Africa from all corners of the world.
As a partner to each member, ATTA’s role is to connect businesses and individuals within the trade to facilitate knowledge sharing, best practice, trading and networking across the industry.
ATTA was established in 1993, after having seen an opportunity to set up a trade association to support those working within and representing the African travel industry.
Who is John Corse?
Mr. John was educated in the UK, earning a degree in Economics and Agricultural Economics at the University of Exeter.
He came to Tanzania in 1998 and since then he has managed Sand Rivers in the Selous Game Reserve, been General Manager of Tanzania Tea Packers, a founder member of the Aids Business Coalition of Tanzania, Managing Director of Nomad Tanzania for 8-years and ATTA board member 2012-14.
In 2015, he joined Fastjet Tanzania, an African low-cost air carrier and became General Manager at the end of that year.
He returned to Arusha in early 2017, taking over Serengeti Balloon Safaris and fully re-immersing himself in the safari tourism world, becoming a member of Board of Directors of TATO in September 2017 and rejoining the ATTA board in January 2019.
He is passionate about African travel, the environment that sustains it and the communities that are its stakeholders.
Mr. Corse believes strongly in the principle that tourism transfers wealth to these fragile places and their people, protecting their future and helping to develop their countries.
He is a bridge-builder, who likes to encourage a collaborative approach to complex problems.
Mr. Corse’s election as ATTA’s chairman will not only raise the profile of TATO with 300 plus membership base, but will also help promote the country as a lock-down free tourism destination, thanks to the low cases count, and has been welcoming travelers to enter the country restriction-free, amidst Covid-19 pandemic.
Tanzania reopened its airspace for international passenger flights on June 1, 2020, after a three-month stint of Covid-19, becoming the pioneer country in East Africa to welcome tourists to sample its endowed attractions.
Latest statistics from the state-run conservation and tourism agency shows that France is leading in terms of number of tourist arrivals in Tanzania over the three months period covering July, August and September 2020.
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)’s Assistant Conservation Commissioner in charge of Business portfolio, Ms Beatrice Kessy, said that records indicate a total of 3,062 French tourists visited national parks in the period under review, raising the France’s flag high as the top international tourists market for Tanzania amidst the crisis, overtaking the U.S.A with 2,327 holidaymakers.
It is also understood that Tanzania has been credited as one of the most stable and peaceful countries in Africa.
“Tanzania also remains the most anthropologically diverse country in Africa which makes it most ideal destination for cultural tourism apart from being endowed with most pristine beaches and herds of wildlife, such as famous Serengeti, Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar Isles and other virgin parks of Katavi, Ruaha among many others” said TATO CEO, Mr. Sirili Akko.
It would also recalled that Tanzania has extended the areas under conservation in the last five years at the point where the rest of the world is facing decreased wildlife space.
‘TATO through its members in the just concluded Annual General Meeting moved a motion to acknowledge and wish him well in his new role at ATTA” Mr Akko revealed.
Tags: Tanzanian tour operator,TATO, ATTA
