Business in Tanzania during Covid-19
Our Maasai Honey sales office in Arusha City stands empty after tourism shut down in Tanzania.
The coronavirus pandemic (Covid_19) has quickly and suddenly spread across the world. The effects are expansive, raising fears of public health and safety, but also ravaging economies and upturning the travel industry. Its impacts on each country are different, but for developing economies that have depended on tourism, the sudden shutdown has been devastating.
For Africa, of primary concern is the potential devastation of dangerous outbreaks that can easily spread through impoverished communities. Additionally, the healthcare systems of most African countries are very limited in their treatment abilities. Hospitals do not have enough of the necessary tools to care for patients in critical states. According to an article in the New York Times,
“In all, fewer than 2,000 working ventilators have to serve hundreds of millions of people in public hospitals across 41 African countries, the World Health Organization says, compared with more than 170,000 in the United States. Ten countries in Africa have none at all.”
Still, the economic impacts across Africa are equally if not more frightening and Tanzania has already suffered immensely. Over the years the country has grown dependent on this income as it has become a popular destination for wildlife safaris, Kilimanjaro climbs, and Zanzibar beach vacations, among other popular activities. In 2018, the tourism industry in Tanzania generated over 2 billion dollars, with over 1.5 million tourists entering the country. But now, in the wake of corona, tourism has been completely shut down, leaving an astounding number of people with no income.
For Maasai Honey, these sudden changes have had a massive impact on our sales and business operations. Typically we rely on the assistance of local safari lodges for transportation of honey and materials, but with tourism at a stop, there are no vehicles traveling. Of greater consequence are drops in sales. Over 80% of our honey is sold to Tanzanian tourism companies for their kitchens and gift shops. Now, with tourism shut down across Tanzania, Maasai Honey sales have reached a standstill.
Not knowing when tourism will return, we are forced to adapt - rethinking our sales and marketing strategies, plus seeking alternative markets for our products. We are hopeful that the project can continue and that, for all of the tourism companies in Tanzania, the economy can heal after the devastation of corona. In the meantime, we are relying on donations in order to cover the ongoing operating costs of Maasai Honey.