Dar es Salaam - The Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) on Sunday introduced bicycle tourism when 27 cyclists started their ascent to the top of the 4 566-meter-high Mount Meru in the north of the country.
The 27 cyclists, including tour operators and tourists, began their attempt to conquer Africa's fifth highest mountain, which will take them three days for ascending and descending.
Speaking at the foot of Mount Meru, Albert Mziray, the assistant commissioner for Conservation with the Arusha National Park, said bicycle tourism on the mountain was a new concept that had the potential of attracting more visitors and tourists to the area.
Catherine Mbena, a TANAPA senior conservation officer, said TANAPA would diversify tourism products to enable tourists to have an assortment of tourism attractions.
Thad Peterson, the leader of the expedition, said tourists were now becoming more discerning, and they wanted more exercise even during excursions.
Peterson added the mission set the stage for more tourists to visit the Arusha National Park, offering a mix of flora and fauna and diversified landscapes.
The announcement comes after South African Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said All African countries have the potential for domestic tourism growth despite the problems they face at the opening of the 2022 Africa Travel Indaba, which was hosted in Durban.
Sisulu said KwaZulu-Natal was making good progress in recovering from the devastation of the recent torrential rain and flooding that had crippled the city.