The completion of an ultra-modern, 60,000 capacity sports stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, part of a new national sports complex, is expected to usher in an exciting and successful new era of sports tourism in Tanzania. The $56 million dollar stadium was funded largely by the government of China. Other facilities in the new national sports complex include the Main Stadium, Warming-up Ground, In-door Stadium, Sports Theater, Olympic Standard Swimming Pool, Sports Village/College and Training Grounds.

Begun two years ago, the stadium is the most spectacular in the region, built to the highest FIFA and Olympic specifications. The latest advanced technology was used in its construction by the Beijing Construction Engineering Group Company. Comfort for spectators and optimal conditions for players were paramount in the stadium’s design and construction.

Timing of the Dar Es Salaam Stadium was predicated to coincide with the 2010 World Cup Tournament to be hosted by the Republic of South Africa. This selection represents the first time that the prized games will be played in Africa. Huge audiences throughout the world follow the World Cup, with sports tourism positively impacting not just the host country but the region. There are daily direct flights from South Africa to Tanzania for those who want to do pre or post game safaris to Tanzania.

“Dar Es Salaam, the commercial capital of East Africa, is an ideal place for this magnificent facility,” comments Hon. Prof. Jumanne Maghembe, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism. “The city has efficient transport systems and excellent accommodations and dining options. It will provide us with an excellent opportunity to host world sporting events in the future. It will also help our own Tanzanian teams, providing them with a competitive edge in world sports.”

Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director of the Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB), predicts that the opportunities for sports tourism in Tanzania -- a safe, friendly and democratic republic -- can be monumental. “This year, tourism based on our famed tourist sites such as Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Selous and the Spice Islands of Zanzibar, is expected to yield about $1 billion dollars to our economy – an increase e of $862 million from last year. With the new sports complex, we expect sports tourism to add significantly to this number in the years to come.”

Recently, the concept of Sports Tourism has represented major impetus in economic growth in many countries. More fans are willing and able to travel to see special and interesting games and players, and to visit other sites within the host country.