Tanzania Appoints Three U.S. Goodwill Ambassadors of Tourism

Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Ambassador Khamis S. Kagasheki, MP, has confirmed the appointment of three Goodwill Ambassadors to promote tourism to Tanzania in the United States, Patrick Steenberge, President, Global Football; Macon Dunnagan, Kilimanjaro Expedition Director; and Dr. Philip Imler, Founder and President, Seven Natural Wonders.

Ambassador Kagasheki, said, “Tourism is the leading earner of Foreign Exchange in Tanzania, and the United States is Tanzania’s most significant tourist generating market. For this reason, we recognize the pivotal role that Goodwill Ambassadors can have on impacting key agenda items of the country through marketing, promotion and facilitation of strategic partnerships in their special areas of influence.”

Each of the three Goodwill Ambassadors has already made an impact on Tanzania Tourism.

Patrick Steenberge, President of Texas-based Global Football, was the visionary who brought the first ever college American football game played on African soil to Tanzania in May of 2011. The game itself, played between Drake University from Iowa and an all-star team from the CONADEIP conference of schools in Mexico, generated enormous press coverage including ITV Tanzania, ESPN Magazine and a 45-minute documentary broadcast on CBS Sports Network. But the true highlight was the goodwill and friendships that were created when the players and their families and friends who joined them in Tanzania, completed a charity climb of Kilimanjaro and participated in volunteer projects to benefit the local communities. The visiting players and coaches also held American football clinics to introduce more than 500 local youngsters to the sport. The impact in the sports world and in the communities is on-going for Tanzania and Global Football is planning a second game and philanthropic visit to Tanzania in the near future.

Macon Dunnagan, based in Charlotte, North Carolina is the Kilimanjaro Expedition Director for Zara Tours and has led many charity climbs up Kilimanjaro. He has climbed “the Roof of Africa” 26 times, and by September 2013 will have completed his 30th summit. He is also the current record holder for climbing Kilimanjaro four times in 28 days and has used his position to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer Canada’s “Expedition of Hope” and the Rotary District 7680’s “End Polio Now”. In 2001, Dunnagan published his first book Sons of Kilimanjaro and has been a frequent speaker behalf of Tanzania at trade shows throughout the US.

Dr. Philip Imler, Founder and President, Seven Natural Wonders, was in Tanzania in February to announce Serengeti National Park as the number one winner for Africa in a worldwide voting campaign for the “Seven Natural Wonders of Africa”. Tanzania’s world famous Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest free standing mountain in Africa and the Ngorongoro Crater were also among the top winners for Africa. The contest, and Tanzania being the only country with the most winning nominations, generated wide spread publicity for Tanzania Tourism.