State-run Air Tanzania has suspended its maiden flights from the country’s capital, Dar es Salaam to China, due to concerns over the deadly coronavirus that has killed 133 people.
“We have already received a permit to begin scheduled flights to China,” Air Tanzania managing director Ladislaus Matindi was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“But we will now have to take the necessary precautions ... We will decide when to launch our first flights to China after taking into consideration all the key issues to safeguard the safety of our passengers.”
Air Tanzania had planned to commence charter flights to China in February ahead of the launch of scheduled direct flights to China, one of its key tourist markets.
Tourism revenue in Tanzania $2.43 billion in 2018 compared with $2.19 billion in 2017, according to data released by Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa last April.
Tanzania’s tourism sector is expected to contribute 18.3% to the country’s GDP by 2020.
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