Tanzania Airports Authority will this financial year reconstruct VIP Lounges at Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Arusha airports to cater to the growing number of international tourists and business travelers. According to TAA’s Director General Mussa Mbura the envisaged state-of-the art VIP lounges will cost about 600m/- each.
“This year the government has allocated budget for improving these VIP Lounges so that they have similar status with this at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA). We really thank President Samia Suluhu Hassan for endorsing funds for improving these facilities,” Mr Mbura stated.
“We will spend about 600m/- each and its return will be in less than a year because this the business,” he affirmed.
He made the statement yesterday in Dar es Salaam when officiating the launch of two brand new salon cars, worth 350m/- each, belonging to Swissport company for providing ground handling services at the VIP Lounge at the JNIA.
In March last year the government did a major revamping of the VIP lounge at the JNIA for improving its infrastructure also at a cost of 600m/-.
Upon this, the TAA moved to encourage service providers including Swissport who offer ground handling services also to improve their services to march with the improved infrastructures.
‘We wrote to Swissport to make services improvement, we are glad that today they have unveiled two brand new Mercedes Benz vehicles for ground handling services, to carry VIP passengers from the lounge to the aircraft,” he said.
He said the government’s efforts to lure more investors and businesspeople into the country have led to the increased arrival of tourists and businesspeople who use the VIP Lounge.
“So, it was our duty to improve our services so that the customers get high quality services, so these new vehicles have international standards,” he said.
In his remarks, Swissport Tanzania Chief Executive Officer Mrisho Yassin said the investment on new vehicles is very important as they look forward to continuing improving services they offer to the VIP Lounge.
He said they made investment following the investment done by the government to improve the VIP Lounge infrastructures.
“We believe, the initiative we have taken will definitely bring different experience in the way we offer the ground handling services,’ he said.
Source: Daily News