3 things to consider when planning for a Tanzania safari

Visiting Tanzania for a safari or volunteering in 2018 is easier,faster, cheaper and with more options like never before.

3 things to consider:

1.Where you will be staying... 

Find a lodge (try local for a better experience) it's cheaper to do the booking yourself and most lodges will cater to most of your needs.

2. Know what kind of safari you are wanting to take.
 If you are going to serengeti make sure you have ample time since it's a long trip. You can opt to visit Ngorongoro crater (Cradle of mankind) and still have an awesome experience for a cheaper rate. If you choose to climb Mt Kilimanjaro or mt Meru you can schedule those with the lodge.

3. Make sure you you know the currency conversion, this will save you time and money. local ATM's will convert the currency for you just make sure you call your bank first to notify them of your travels.


Tumaini Cottage Arusha accommodation is a local owned lodge located in Arusha Tanzania. let us know if we can help at http://tumainicottage.com 

Arusha Street foods

Visiting Tanzania for a safari? know the street food that can keep your mouth watering

1.Cassava aka Mihogo served with salsa.

2.Grilled Corn aka Mahindi ya kuchoma

3.Tortilla aka Chapati

4. Beignets aka Maandazi

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha accommodation, providing quality services,excellent customer service, conference facility, good food along the northern circuit. Online at www.tumainicottage.com phone number 255-784-588-698 for United States call 3179871066.

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Why Arusha is the hospitality capital of Tanzania...

Four things making Arusha the hospitality capital of  Tanzania E. Africa ;-

1.Geographical location near the famous national parks and mt Kilimanjaro (highest peak of Africa)

2.Alot of entrepreneurs  native and foreigners being interested and investing in this industry.

3.The weather

4.Diversity

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha accommodation, providing quality accommodation, excellent customer service, good food, clean environment and a quality conference facility . More at www.tumainicottage.com or conversation daily about Arusha city hospitality at www.twitter.com/tumainicottage ....Arusha Tanzania hospitality 2015 Edition.

Will Arusha city survive this recession?

Well there's no Ebola in Arusha Tanzania matter of fact there's no Ebola cases anywhere near east Africa but here we are today whereby  millions of people still think since a part of Africa is affected with this dangerous  disease then Arusha city should be in the red zone (The irony being the distance between the affected part of Africa and Tanzania is the equivalency of distance between Maine and California) and so this misconception has scared off tourists who were even thinking about coming to Arusha for a safari, mountain climbing or even volunteering.Our city that depends almost solely on tourism still doesn't have a plan to combat this "Lie" which has hit hard in almost every aspect of business within the city and it wont get any better in 2015 with the high dollar  exchange rates caused by the aid restriction earlier this year .
It's amazing that hotels are still coming up in each and every corner of the city, tour companies have hundreds of cars, the tourism/hospitality schools are still in high gear enrolling with hope that change will come and soon.
The million dollar question that everyone in the hospitality industry should ask themselves this very minute is will our city of Arusha Tanzania survive this unprecedented recession?. The answer lies with time which by no doubt indicates that we will survive this but we need to go back to the drawing board and get our priorities straight,our books in order and switch on survival mode .

Sponsored by Tumaini Cottage Arusha tourist accommodation offering excellent customer service,comfortable beds,free Wi-Fi internet , free breakfast ,quality restaurant and a wonderful conference facility.Go online and book your Arusha accommodation at www.tumainicottage.com

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Arusha city tourism industry challenges

Arusha Tanzania is by no doubt the capital safari of Tanzania and some might even say the whole of east Africa.Characterized by it's fast paced,hotels,bnb's,lodges,restaurants and tourism companies on every corner of  the streets.As per our previously posts every month a we have the pleasure of highlighting what our city offers,what to expect when visiting for a safari,the challenges faced by business owners and what future investors need to know.

Power cuts are still a major problem
Like many other African cities this dwarfs  businesses potential of any sector and the tourism industry is not immune to it either.Accommodations depend on electricity to provide simple basic services like elevators,air conditioning ,emergency services,security.food preparation,heating and cooling etc.Without guaranteed power the owners rely on back up generators ,solar power a necessary investment causing sky rocketing  running costs to provide their services which in turn has to translate on the prices.

Language barrier
 Also another clearly observed challenge compared to some other countries along the same hemisphere.Tanzania's national language being Swahili is a gift to the Tanzanian people but has also brought about some challenges as far as servicing it's international clientele which is it's bread and butter.A few hotels and accommodations have people that not only speak English but also several other languages which is excellent only problem is that's not the majority and so tourists sometimes have a hard time in getting even the minimum customer service because the people serving them don't understand what they are told.It's a learning experience indeed but the business owners are doing everything they can with what they have and i must say it's working for both the tourists and the businesses.

Internet expense and outages is still a major issue.
Embracing the twenty first century online business is on the rise on Arusha business but establishing an online presence or internet availability still costs an arm and a leg.With companies still charging per second increments to surf the web  it's so hard for accommodations to sell and advertise themselves online let alone provide these services to it's clients.Most hotels in the world are able to provide this simple and basic service to their clients for free or at  very affordable prices having an overall competitive advantage in quality and convenience.

Red tape across the board makes doing business in our city a hassle.
Even though Arusha gained city status most  business licenses , property registration etc still have to come from Dar-es-Salaam which may take months to get processed,approved  which is a problem for business funding, investing and operations due to uncertainty of these services .Not to say this is not changing but the city still has a long way to go to make business transactions smoothly so as to attract more investors and native start ups with less hassles.
We are an excellent and growing city and despite our challenges we welcome everyone to jump on the Arusha tourism band wagon and make our city great .

Brought to you in part by Tumaini Cottage Arusha tourist accommodation of choice.If you are visiting Arusha keep in mind your lodging/accommodation are in good hands.Book today at www.tumainicottage.com also join daily conversations at http://twitter.com/tumainicottage .

Is Arusha city Tanzania a model in the hospitality industry of Africa?

Some would argue that this is the safari capital of Africa, being close proximity to mt Meru, Mt Kilimanjaro (highest peak of Africa) and the most famous national parks in Africa ,"The Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Seronera, Manyara " . The region being rich in water and natural resources like the Tanzanite (only place it can be mined in the world) has in recent years finally got the prestige it deserves.
Home to the former United nations tribunal court, current home to the East African community, Nelson Mandela's university, Makumira university , and host of the popular East Africa travel show (Karibu) the city is legend to millions of tourists visiting Tanzania every year for Safari,mountain climbing, domestic travel etc.
The hospitality industry is also a booming business in the region with more high end hotels, lodges, restaurants and travel services like no other in Tanzania, almost everyone living in the region is somehow dependent to the hospitality industry for employment.
All this begs the question "Is Arusha city a model in the hospitality industry of Africa?" the answer may not be as simple  because the region still has it's hiccups in things like infrastructure, power outages,unreliable health services etc but as many third world countries the region is still finding itself and still has long ways to go but it's a step to the right direction and better than many other Africa cities when it comes to hospitality. "Hakuna Matata"

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha lodge,where we put people first, for more of your accommodation needs visit our website at www.tumainicottage.com also interact with us on www.facebook.com/tumainicottage and www.twitter.com/tumainicottage.com

There's no hurry in Africa? Well, think again...(Tanzania hospitality)

Breaking News: African hospitality industry Shakeup !!!!!

Marriott acquires Protea hotel group to be the largest African chain hotels,(Tanzania has a few in and outside the national park)
Hilton Worldwide and Carlson Rezidor in particular have "invested heavily" in development offices in Africa.
Sheraton already has hotels in Dar-es-salaam and Zanzibar .

These are news most Tanzanian and African hotel owners are waking up to hear on daily basis,brands that can take the very market that most local hotels have flourished and depended on for generations.Questions that loom around for these local accommodations include:Where do we go from here?, Should we invest more in marketing,buildings customer service and technology that these powerful brands have in order to survive and compete?should we change our business model or should we just quit all together and find a different gig?
These changes can be a blessing in disguise for the industry especially in our region of Arusha (Aka Safari capital of Tanzania) because with competition & pressure hoteliers will have to roll back their sleeves and come up with innovative ideas to survive and compete for the market share like never before.The term "There's no hurry in Africa" might have to be re-written in the 21'st century.

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha accommodation online at www.tumainicottage.com , phone number 784-588-698 or for United States call our representative at 3179871066 and 2102684166.
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Arusha hospitality insider

Arusha city has the travel industry to thank for when it comes to the economic booms of the last few years.Now the city bosts hundreds of tour companies small and large each giving it a hundred 100% to get all the customers it can get within the tourism seasons every year.With the safari business on the high gear alot of industries have now emerged to support the idustry providing employement to thousands of people.

Hotels:
There has been an explosion of hotels, accommodations, bnb's and quality guest houses emerging on daily basis to support the increase of tourists coming to Arusha,you can expect to pay anything from $20 from a low end accommodation all the way to $225 a night for a high end accommodation (Just remember you get what you pay for).The international community has been embracing this growth and Arusha city is loving it.

Restaurants:
Another industry that in the past few years has seen a tremendous rise is the restaurant industry, you can now taste anything from African, Italian,Indian even mexican cusine any day within city limits. Tourists have the choice to eat any of the international cuisines with an African twist, a trend that Tanzanians have embraced to the fullest.

Hotel Management and Chef Schools
With the high demand of qualified labor work various schools have opened up to train and fulfill those postitions by training everything from bartending,reception,janitorial,management and cooking lessons.Experts from within and outside the country have rolled up their sleeves and got to work and earning huge success while doing it.

Body shops
The tour companies require specialized vehicles customized to fit the safari and the Tanzania terrain.Companies large and small have taken this opprotunity to the next level and are able to provide quality vehicles like never before employing alot of people that would had other wise been unemployed .

Advertising agents
All the safari companies , hotels etc need someone to get their business known inside and outside the country thus advertsing agents have sprung into action to provide the services much needed to these companies helping to improve life standards of the people and the city in general.

All in all Arusha aka "A town" is the safari capital of E. Africa and we are so excited about the future.

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha accommodation,serving guests 24/7 more online at www.tumainicottage.com

Happy New year 2014 from Arusha

Yes we have been quiet with our Arusha Tanzania hospitality updates but we promise you bigger and better things in 2014.We are so excited of all the changes our city of Arusha has been going through to enhance the tourism industry as a whole.
With international name brand hotels now eyeballing our city and region of Arusha 2014 is sure going to be an interesting year.Stay tuned for interview updates with Arusha hotels,bnb's, restaurant,tourists and safari experts planned for this coming year.
Happy New Year

Arusha tourism and hospitality business

It's no secret that despite having the famous Tanzanite mines and all the beauty of Arusha city,the number one focus of everything that has made Arusha city famous and prosperous than many cities of Africa  is tourism.Every season hundreds of thousands of tourists from all works of life visit our city coming through by air,buses,even motorbikes.The city owes everything it has to the tourism business,which is the bread and butter for the economy and the businesses in Arusha.
The hospitality industry is however playing catch up with the increase number of tourists, businesses, universities that are making Arusha home,travel hub,business centers etc.One can say tourism and the hospitality business go hand in hand like an African clear blue sky.The hospitality industry has seen a sharp rise in investors both natives and foreigners trying to dip their hands on this cookie jar which may  be very profitable if done right.Competition is heating up every given day with restaurants wanting to out perform each other,hotels and accommodations adapting to differentiation techniques to catch their target market by doing everything in their power to provide quality accommodation,affordable prices,good food and flawless customer experience.Tricky as it may be these owners are trying their level best with the hand they have been dealt with like poor infrastructure,high taxes,tough business environment,high operating costs etc.
May we be able to embrace our city of Arusha Tanzania by giving it everything we got to make it better day by day ...  (Tumaini Cottage).

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha accommodation,where we strive to be the best  safari accommodation along the northen circuit of Tanzania.Travellearn,volunteer and enjoy Tanzania for more information about us visit our website at www.tumainicottage.com .
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What not to do when planning a Tanzania safari

Don’t wait till the last minute, as every sane person  tell you, traveling to Tanzania takes money , time and careful planning.Waiting till the 11th hour will bite you hard, It’s a chaos like no other when you have to start the basics only a few weeks away from taking a safari. Simple questions like when do you take your malaria and typhoid pills,should you use travelers cheques, cash, or atm card. A mistake that many people make till it starts becoming overwhelming and frustrating, Traveling to Tanzania is a trip of a life time and so just like a running a marathon you need preparation and a game plan, so dont wait start today.

Don't fly all the way to Tanzania, and then try to book a safari and accommodation once you get here. Stories from ultimate backpackers have listed this way of traveling among the best and cheapest way to go on an African safari. This might work for some, but hell for most people, not only do you have to pass the language barrier wall once you get to Tanzania, but also the touts in the street coming to you from every direction each one claiming to have  "The best deal"  and so what might sound like a good idea at first,might become more of a hustle than you ever bargained for.

Don't send your hard earned money to some company without doing your research. There are millions of so called agencies and tour companies that claim they can plan a safari or trekking mountains Kilimanjaro/Meru. But  unlike many other business transactions, there's a great possibility of being scammed in several ways,one is either that company doesn't exist or two the company is able to  provide the service but not at the quality of the services you paid for. Some companies are legitimate and probably provide the best services at an affordable rate more than others but a little research on your part may go a long way to make sure you know who you are dealing with and a peace of mind.

Don’t just agree to the cheapest price. Just remember that if it sounds too good to be true ..."It probably is”. You should put under consideration questions about the quality, safety and experience,knowing how safe you are, how your next meal is cooked and by whom, is your truck well equipped for that safari or if your guides have the experience they claim to have should be the main factor rather than saving a few dollars here and there.There are thousands of stories from tourists that can probably write a book about how to go about this but please look at your budget  and  how adventurous you are in such matters then make the choice you are more comfortable with.

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha tourist accommodation dedicated in providing quality and unbiased information to tourists and companies all over the world about Arusha city and Tanzania in general more information www.tumainicottage.com.

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Or call us at
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Rating Arusha accommodations

A question in most tourists minds before entering our great city of Arusha, and also a  lingering issue among hotels, lodges, bnb’s and guest houses owners. It is also a genuine concern for the Tanzania travel industry as a whole which has in recent years tried to put in place a body that rates these facilities in a uniform manner.

Most western countries have a system that rates their accommodations considering everything from the location, the type of the building, the facilities included (business facilities, elevators,gyms,spas,pool etc), modern convenience, customer service etc.Unfortunately for most of the accommodations in Africa it can be a hit and miss. Some of the most beautiful accommodations in Tanzania  especially in Arusha city  don’t fit those specific criteria defined in the western nations.Entrepreneurs in most 3rd world countries can only do so much to get through that huddle by making sure their facilities are clean, provide quality customer service, invest heavily in their buildings and create their own infrastructure where there's non.Basic things like lights on the streets towards their accommodations, building nice roads, power outages, water outages, the neighborhood surrounding buildings etc,are  totally out of their control and they can only hope that the hefty taxes they are paying will someday work in their favor.

We hope people can rate accommodations  by taking in account all the effort,hard work and dedication these owners have put into their businesses by creating ambiance sometimes in the midst of almost nothing, a creation by the way that provides the much needed employment  and development  of these areas which may somehow motivate others to follow suit as it can be seen in various areas in Arusha city Tanzania.

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha's choice accommodation,providing excellent accommodation,comfortable beds,good food and excellent customer service.More online at www.tumainicottage.com  or call 784-588-698.Our United States customers can call local at 3179871066 and 2102684166.

Investing in Arusha hospitality industry

Caution
Investing on Arusha hospitality industry is not for the faint-hearted, there are no concrete numbers or reliable researches to look into before pouring your hard earned money to what might either be a money pit or a gold mine.Here are a few things to consider.

Infrastructure
Power outages,power shortages,water supply,few suppliers,bad roads (some of the finest accommodation found in the cut). These are completely out of the hotels,lodges,Inn and accommodation control,despite of millions of dollars invested by business owners you are not guaranteed to have a a good road to your accommodation,water is a hit or miss,and most of the time you have to create your own supply chain which is expensive and time consuming.As a business owner you have to take all this into account in order to set your prices and be competitive.

Tax
The taxation is an eye opener considering the fact that the taxes paid dont reflect the infrastructure it produces.Tourist complain about things that the taxes should supposedly have paid for like no lights on the streets,no paved side walks etc, making it hard for hotels to compete and maintain certain international standards without charging an arm and a leg.As a result accommodation can be very expensive comparing to the services provided putting a dent on the hospitality business as a whole.Accommodations can only hope that the tax man with the heavy hand and  no breaks or future plans to help this thriving industry might change his mind and soon.

Workforce
A tide that is slowly changing but still has some challenges along the way. With schools openning in Arusha and Dar-es-Salaam to train the hospitality industry for customer service,management and restaurant services.Most accommodations are moving to the right direction by hiring trained staff,but the elephant in the room is Tanzania still faces language barriers comparing to it's neighboring countries which tend to speak better "English" it being the number one tourist used  language,more companies need to either teach or spend money to get people that speak the language to provide better customer service to their international customers.

Wishing you the best in your Arusha Hospitality investment..Hakuna Matata

Sponsored by

Proving that excellent customer service,quality accommodation,good food, can be found in Arusha Tanzania,for all your accommodation needs visit us at www.tumainicottage.com or call us at 784-588-698.

Arusha accommodation classifications

Once and for all putting an end to the accommodation classification confusion for customers visiting Arusha Tanzania.  The city is known by many tourists around the world to be E.Africa's capital safari hub and is also home to the most popular accommodations in Tanzania.  While blessed with hundreds of thousands of tourists coming to our city every year efforts to sustain the demand there has led to a rush of  entrepreneurs taking advantage by building accommodations all around the city.  In the past tourist had no choice but to have their tour companies place them in accommodations wherever they saw fit, well all that has changed  and for the first time customers have a choice on where to stay in Arusha, what type of accommodation is perfect for their needs, budget and standard.  So vital is this process that most experienced tourists may even swear it is this choice that sets a tone for the whole Tanzania safari experience.  Make a good choice you are in for a treat, make a mistake and your Tanzania visit is a disaster before it even begins.
And so according to the various Arusha accommodations, this is the information tourists can use as a road map to get familiar with the big 3 classifications of accommodations mainly hotels, lodges/  b&b and guest houses.

Hotels
Most have a full time reception personnel, more that 15 rooms, various en suite bedrooms, room service, full time restaurants, inclusive breakfast, sometimes a large garden with a public pool, a public bar, conference facilities, airport transfer (extra charge), Wi-Fi internet(extra charge) and business facilities.  Guests are mainly tourists with few locals.

Lodges and B&B
Full or part time reception personnel, 15 rooms or less, en-suite accommodations and some shared bathrooms, some have room service, some have restaurants(most on part time basis) or breakfast nook, inclusive breakfast, Wi-fi internet (extra charge).  Some have a garden and a pool, some provide airport transfers (extra charge), some have conference facilities, guests are a mix of tourists and locals.

Guest houses 
Full or part time reception personnel, 5 to 10 rooms, mostly shared bathrooms, no restaurant, no room service, no airport transfer, no conference facilities, no pool, no conference facilities, most have no internet access, no business facilities. The guests are mainly locals.

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha tourist accommodation, supporting the tourism of our great country of Tanzania.  For all your accommodation needs contact us today.
See and interact with us at
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www.facebook.com/tumainicottage
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Or call us at
255-784-588-698
Or for United States call
317-987-1066
210-268-4166

2013 Arusha hospitality news updates.

Tanzania tourism has been on the roll in the past few years and Arusha city has been a recepient of this great fortune.The hospitality business has been short of a miracle,the city is experiencing a boom like never before (more than the Tanzanite rush back in the early 90's),this E.African safari capital hub seeing hundreds of thousands a tourist a year has sparked the interests of hundreds of intrepreneurs who have jumped in and started to create a hospitality standard of it's own ,catering for tourists with everything from high end restaurants spreading out like mashrooms,massage parlors with therapists providing inhouse and making outcalls,Coffee shops making a name for themselves using the rich aromatic peaberry Tanzania coffee  and hotels,lodges,Inns and guest houses revamping their facilities and services to accommodate more international clients.These are strategic,exciting and progressive moves that only time will tell the outcome but there's a feeling one gets talking to these hardworking self made business owners, that it's going to  be a boom that last for generations and they are ready to sacrifice it all to rip the benefits.It's been a long time coming but it's music to the ears of the owners of these establishments especially when the tourist board announced that Tanzania is projecting about a million tourist by the  year 2013.Not the best number compared to the neighbouring country but never the less a promising future for our great city.
It's going to be a good year in this business and if you are a tourist and reading this bless us with your visit by getting online and booking a Tanzania safari,volunteering, mountian climbing or just a cultural tour and  if you are a business owner look inside your business and see how you can make the best out of the Arusha tourist boom while it lasts.We all can make a difference welcome to Arusha Tanzania.

Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha tourist choice accommodation providing quality accommodation, delicious food, excellent customer services and free safari consulting. Book your Arusha accommodation today online at www.tumainicottage.com or call 255-784-588698 and for United States call 317-987-1066.
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3 tricks in choosing a safari company in Tanzania

  Visiting Arusha Tanzania for a safari? Dont stress out..

 Go through online reviews first, with millions of tourists reviewing safari companies daily it’s not a surprise that it is the number one way to get information before choosing a tour company. Your fellow tourists will be real without sugar coating which is very important to know before you open up your wallet. Read multiple reviews to make sure they are unbiased, then visit the company’s website to get a feel of the company, make sure it fits what you want as far as price and dates.F.Y.I (You get what you pay for).

Use your base accommodation/hotels/lodges/bnb's.Another very popular way of planning and choosing a tour company without the headache.Because of the already set connections accommodations are able to hook you up with reputable companies and better rates than you can otherwise get for yourself, they have a reputation to maintain so they will do anything in their power to get you the best at your price. So make sure to explore this option.

     

Family and friends can be one of the best sources before you make that choice. With the power of social media through facebook , twitter, LinkedIn etc, you can just post to your connections and ask them if they have any recommendations ,the outcome might surprise  you, either your friends or their friends might get you inside information obtained only from experienced first hand traveler,so before spending thousands of dollars check out this option.

 Brought to you by Tumaini Cottage Arusha,dedicated in providing quality accommodation,execellent customer services,delicious food and inside information to tourist/tour companies, travel agencies about the hospitality business in Arusha city and Tanzania in general.For more information visit us at www.tumainicottage.com or call us at 255-785-588-698..for United States call 317-987-1066 and 210-268-4166