Historiographical Analysis of Tourism Development in Tanzania: A Review of Tourism History from Ancient to Postcolonial Time

Abstract

study analyzed the history of tourism development from ancient to postcolonial based on the five essential
elements of tourism as a guiding framework. Several development facets of tourism have been well elaborated but tourism
development history has received insufficient attention in Tanzania. Tourism has passed through ancient, colonial and
postcolonial phases. With exception of the ancient phase, colonial and postcolonial phases encompass all five essential
elements of tourism. The ancient phase is disqualified as a complete tourism phase because it lacks amenities and ancillary
essentials of tourism. Tourism operations started formally in a colonial phase where all five elements of tourism essentials
were actively and fully implemented but for the interest of the colonial government. Diversification of tourism typologies and
efficiency in tourism services delivery has only been observed in postcolonial times. However, the adoption of socialism
ideology after independence somehow subverted tourism development momentum in Tanzania which was again revitalized
following the adoption of the national economic reform policy in the 1990s. That is to say, after independence, Tanzania has
relatively customized and improved sufficiently most elements of tourism to fit the needs of domestic and international
tourists. In short, tourism has passed all development phases as a trend of evolvement rather than a fully developed entity.
The country has not fully unlocked and developed, to needed potential, all available tourism opportunities and typologies, and
local communities are not sufficiently empowered to participate fully in unlocking those opportunities for poverty alleviation
and socio-economic development.