Tanzania: Afcon 2027 - Tanapa Strategy to Turn Football Fans Into Tourism Revenue

Arusha — AS East Africa prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in history, Tanzania is pursuing a strategy that extends well beyond football.

Officials believe the month-long tournament could become one of the biggest tourism marketing opportunities the country has ever received, creating a pipeline of new visitors, investment and business opportunities that could outlast the final whistle by years.

At the centre of that plan is the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), which is redesigning visitor experiences across parks near tournament host cities in an effort to convert football supporters into safari tourists.

The 2027 AFCON tournament, scheduled between 19 June and 17 July and jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to East Africa.

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For Tanzania, whose northern tourism circuit begins just outside the host city of Arusha, the event presents an unusual economic opportunity, leveraging a major sporting event to drive growth in wildlife tourism, one of the country's most important foreign exchange earners.

"Our teams are enhancing visitor services, establishing official watch zones and managing visitor capacity to accommodate the expected increase in international sports tourism," said TANAPA Conservation Commissioner CPA (T) Mussa Nasoro Kuji.

Major sporting events have increasingly become platforms for destination marketing.

Countries hosting events such as the FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games and continental championships often seek to convert temporary visitors into future tourists or investors.

Tanzania is attempting to apply a similar model.

The country's tourism industry already enjoys strong international recognition through attractions such as Serengeti National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, Manyara and Tarangire national parks.

However, officials see AFCON as an opportunity to broaden visitor spending and encourage longer stays beyond match days.

One of the key beneficiaries could be a 66 -year-old Lake Manyara National Park, located approximately 126 kilometres (78 miles) southwest of Arusha.

The park is close enough to function as a day trip for football visitors, reachable within one-and-a-half to two hours by road or about 20 minutes by air from Arusha Airport.

But TANAPA believes accessibility alone will not be enough to compete for visitor spending.

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Instead, the authority is investing in new adventure tourism products aimed at a younger demographic increasingly interested in active travel experiences.

"Our experts at Lake Manyara are working extra time to finalise tourism activities that resonate with sports enthusiasts while complementing our traditional wildlife attractions," Mr Kuji said.

For decades, Tanzania's tourism model has largely revolved around game drives and wildlife viewing.

Now park managers are experimenting with experiences that blend conservation tourism with adventure travel.

Assistant Conservation Commissioner, Dr Yustina Kiwango, the Commanding Officer of Lake Manyara National Park, said five new attractions are nearing completion.

These include a zip line, a giant swing, canoeing activities, an elevated canopy walk and hiking trails along the Rift Valley escarpment.

"We have developed these adventure activities specifically for tourists with a sporting mindset who will be attending AFCON matches," she said.

The strategy reflects broader shifts in global tourism demand, where travellers increasingly seek experiential activities rather than passive sightseeing.

The new products will complement existing offerings including game drives, night safaris, guided shore walks, birdwatching and walking tours in the Marang' Forest.