BY THE ARUSHA NEWS REPORTER
Tanzania is looking to draw international golf tournaments and a wider range of visitors to the Serengeti through a TSh 8.5 billion course designed to strengthen the link between sport and wildlife tourism.
The ambition places the new facility at Fort Ikoma, in Mara Region’s Serengeti District, within a broader national effort to increase tourism earnings, extend visitor stays and generate investment in hospitality and related services.
SERENGETI EYES GLOBAL GOLF SPOTLIGHT
Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ashatu Kijaji said the course would position Tanzania to host major African and international golf competitions, while supporting its development as a destination for sports tourism.
She was speaking at the facility’s official opening on October 18, 2026, where she represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
For Tanzania’s tourism sector, the anticipated gains include attracting golf enthusiasts from overseas and encouraging visitors to spend more time in the country. Kijaji said the resulting demand could support hotel development, expand other tourism services and create employment opportunities for young people.
Alongside its international ambitions, the project is expected to provide a platform for developing local golfing talent. The minister called for structured training programmes for young people, with particular attention to students at schools surrounding the course.
Such programmes, she said, should equip aspiring players with the skills to compete nationally and eventually represent Tanzania abroad.
The course’s long-term contribution will also depend on its management. Kijaji directed the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) to prepare a strategic plan to ensure sustainable operations and continued benefits from the investment.
According to TANAPA Conservation Commissioner Massana Mwishawa, the development includes a clubhouse, practice facilities and equipment needed to operate the course. A 5.2-kilometre perimeter road and electricity supplied from the national grid form part of its supporting infrastructure.
Tanzania Golf Union President Gilman Kasiga welcomed the facility and committed the union to working with TANAPA to develop the sport across the country.
Kijaji credited TANAPA’s management and board with delivering the project, which she said advances the President’s vision of combining conservation with new tourism opportunities.
