Tanzania Association of Tour Operators – TATO is a the number one body as well as support organization for the multi-billion dollar tourism sector in Tanzania a country greatly endowed with natural resources.
One of the country’s accomplished business administrators Mr. Akko having good trainings in private business development, succeeds Mustapha Akunaay who has served for long that stepped down following Twenty years of service at the controls of this association.
The nomination of a youthful CEO by TATO merged as a surprise step, signaling TATO’s resolution to change the way it carries out operations in the face of multitude challenges that the tourism industry is facing.
The CEO heads the TATO secretariat, which is an executive arm of this association having more than three hundred members, and is practically its responsibility, among other things to create lobbying plus advocacy strategies, head negotiations with the Tanzania government, international plus local bodies.
The new CEO comes in office at a time that is considered to be very trying to TATO, and his initial assignment is to make sure that the association properly negotiates with the Tanzania government to cut back pestering taxes so as to promote tourism development.
As the tourism industry is facing attacks on multiple fronts within the region, such as the increasing poaching of elephants crisis, unstable tourism environments, adverse consequences of travel advisories experiencing Kenya its northern neighbor, an important gateway for almost Forty percent of the tourists traveling into Tanzania, certainly Mr. Akko has his duties cut out.
On the other hand, in contrast to Mr. Akunaay, who is a disciplinarian lawyer nut politician belonging to Chadema the leading opposition party of Tanzania, Mr. Akko is regarded as a vibrant young professional having a calm personality with top level diplomacy attributes TATO considerably requires currently so as to elevate its profile much higher.
Recognized for his uncompromising position on promoting wildlife conservation, the brand-new CEO is in addition attributed as a straightforward individual, with higher negotiation capacity in nearly all aspects of life.
The Managing Director of Tanzania Rift Valley Tours Ltd Rashid Mtungi, who is among the most influential members of TATO, says the Mr. Akko has a wonderful capability for mobilizing people into resolving problem through insisting on concentrating on interests but not positions.
Mr. Mutungi clarifies that In accordance with the short amount of time he knew him as the executive officer of TATO, he can point out that Mr. Akko is exceedingly skilled in inventing methods of communal gain, through indicating interests-convergence. He added that he doesn’t remember any unsuccessful dialogue that he has had.
Given that he hardly ever shares his experience with the general public, less is known about the young CEO.
He started shining considerably following the successfully coordination of a session during which the World Bank was dealt with several stakeholders from the tourism sector to re-draft the tourism Policy of Tanzania so as to create unexploited potentials within the tourism industry.
Some of the Sources claim that he as well possesses strong ties within the European Union – EU and the East African community – EAC.