Saudia Airlines Begins Four Weekly Direct Flights to Tanzania

Saudi Arabia is now connected to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city and former capital, by direct flights that commenced on Sunday, March 26, from Jeddah to the Julius Nyerere International Airport.

The airline will fly between JNIA and King Abdulaziz International Airport four times a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

The flights by Saudia Airlines are part of increasing ties between Saudi Arabia and Tanzania.

Tanzania’s Works and Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said the airline will boost the number of international travellers to the country.

“The expansion of SAUDIA’s operations and the launch of new direct flights to Dar es Salaam strengthen the relations between the Kingdom and the United Republic of Tanzania and will provide a seamless experience for Hajj and Umrah guests from Tanzania,” the Chief Commercial Officer of SAUDIA, Mr Arved Nikolaus Von Zur Muhlen siad.

“In alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objective of increasing the number of visitors to Saudi Arabia, international expansion is vital to help achieve that goal. SAUDIA is continuously working to reach new destinations and improve guests’ experiences,” he added.

Tanzania becomes the 14th African country in which Saudia Airlines operates direct flights.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics of Tanzania (NBS), from January to December 2022, tourist arrivals increased to 1,454,920, up from 922,692 recorded during the corresponding period in 2021, equivalent to 57.7 per cent.

During the period under review, Tanzania hosted tourist arrivals from Africa and the rest of the world. The United States of America recorded the highest number of arrivals from the rest of the world at 100,600, followed by France (100,371), Germany (67,718), the United Kingdom (60,116), and Poland (46,431).

Meanwhile, arrivals from Africa were from Kenya (166,324), Burundi (100,851), Zambia (46,787), Malawi (44,438), and Rwanda (44,288).

Tourist arrivals from the top 10 countries out of 214 were 778,918, accounting for 53.2 per cent share of total arrivals.