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Tanzania’s big win at the Oscars a plus for tourism

Friday March 09 2018
oscars

The best and supporting actors of 2018 Oscars. All the nominees got a goody bag worth $100,000 that included a safari to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. PHOTO | AFP

By BEATRICE MATERU

Tanzania might not have had any expectations at the 2018 Oscars but they were East Africa’s biggest winners on the night.

Ugandans of course were hoping that British-born Daniel Kaluuya would win Best Actor for his role in the horror comedy film Get Out, and Kenyans were crossing fingers for Watu Wote, nominated for the Best Short Film.

Following Academy tradition, Oscar nominees were treated to lavish swag bags from sponsors from marketing company called Distinctive Assets.

Here is the Tanzanian connection. This year the nominees received really extravagant gift bags with more than $100,000 worth of goodies including an exclusive voucher for a 12-night luxury safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.

The voucher covers adventure-packed excursions during the day and luxury lodges and tents at night, surrounded by the famous Big Five and wildebeest, zebra, hyenas and other abundant wildlife.

Luxury safaris don’t come cheap and this is a big boost for Tanzania tourism which has been on the rebound lately, proving that the marketing, quality and product offering are paying off by attracting big spenders. And they don’t come bigger than Hollywood’s A-list.

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Tanzania is also the only country in the region whose tourism advertising graces the stadia hosting the English Premier League games.

To give perspective to the 12-day safari, the goody bag entails not one, not two, not three but four vacations. There is a stay at Avaton Luxury Villas Resort in Halkidiki in Greece, which overlooks the Athos Peninsula and the Aegan Sea, where the gods supposedly lived.

Then there is a week-long stay at Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu in Hawai’i. It’s a luxury five-star resort with waterfalls and it’s very own tropical rainforest.

Last is a week-long spa trip at the Golden Door in southern California for indulgence at the popular celebrity SoCal spa, Golden Door. It offers massages, skin, body and haircare.

Other gifts include a conflict-free diamond necklace. Among those who received the goody bags are Gary Oldman, Frances McDormand, Meryl Streep and Margot Robbie who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in I, Tonya as disgraced US figure skater Tonya Harding.

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