TAWA MAKES HISTORY IN AFRICA AS SELOUS AND MPANGA-KIPENGERE WIN WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2026

📍 Its attractions beat some of Africa’s tourism giants

By Beatus Maganja, Zanzibar

TANZANIA has made a new mark on Africa’s tourism map after the Selous Game Reserve and Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve, both managed by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), emerged winners at the 2026 World Travel Awards. This marks the first time TAWA has entered its destinations in the prestigious global tourism competition.

The historic victories were announced during the 33rd World Travel Awards ceremony, held on August 28, 2026, at Diamonds Bijoux Hotel in Bwejuu, South Zanzibar. The achievement marked a remarkable start for TAWA, which entered three destinations in different categories, with two emerging as winners.

The destinations were the Selous Game Reserve, Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve, and the ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara, which competed against some of the most recognised tourism attractions in Africa.

In the Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2026 category, Selous, Mpanga-Kipengere and Kilwa Kisiwani competed against some of Africa’s most renowned attractions, including the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Table Mountain, Robben Island and V&A Waterfront in South Africa, Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Lake Malawi.

Other Tanzanian attractions in the competition included Mount Kilimanjaro, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Amani Nature Forest Reserve and Pugu Hills Forest Reserve.

In the highly competitive category, the Selous Game Reserve emerged the winner, making history for TAWA in its first participation in the awards.

Meanwhile, Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve also made history after winning the Africa’s Leading Honeymoon Destination 2026 category. It competed against Marrakech in Morocco, the Mozambican Islands, Okavango Delta in Botswana, Red Sea Riviera in Egypt, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Tanzania’s Kitulo National Park.

Speaking shortly after receiving the awards, TAWA Board Chairman, retired Major General Hamis Semfuko, thanked Tanzanians for voting for the destinations and contributing to their success. 

He attributed the achievement to innovation, hard work and dedication by the TAWA Board, management and staff in improving the areas under the Authority’s management and making them more attractive to tourists.

“The major secret behind this victory is the innovation of all my young people, from the Board to all our employees, and above all, the hard work they put into ensuring that our destinations are attractive for tourism,” Semfuko said.

Semfuko said the victories would strengthen TAWA’s commitment to promoting domestic tourism and opening up more destinations managed by the Authority to Tanzanians and international visitors.

“We promised His Excellency the President that TAWA would be a leader in domestic tourism. TAWA wants to achieve great things in Zanzibar... you will see our impact next year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Acting TAWA Conservation Commissioner, Mlage Y. Kabange, congratulated Tanzanians who voted for the destinations and said Selous and Mpanga-Kipengere represent only a fraction of the vast wealth of attractions managed by the Authority across the country.

Kabange said TAWA was continuing to improve infrastructure in its destinations to make them more attractive, enable visitors to access them more easily and further improve the quality of services provided to tourists.

“We have many more destinations. We are continuing to improve their infrastructure so that they can attract more visitors. We assure Tanzanians that we will continue providing even better services in our destinations,” Kabange said.

The victories by Selous and Mpanga-Kipengere make August 28, 2026, a significant date in TAWA’s history, demonstrating the ability of destinations managed by the Authority to compete with globally recognised attractions in Africa’s and the international tourism market.

Beyond winning awards for the two destinations, the achievement is also a victory for Tanzania, as it raises the visibility of the country’s tourism wealth and creates more opportunities to promote Tanzania in regional and international tourism markets.

The victories further demonstrate the diversity of tourism products found in destinations managed by TAWA, ranging from wildlife and natural landscapes to waterfalls, historical heritage and cultural attractions, while opening a new chapter in the Authority’s efforts to develop and promote these destinations.

This is history for TAWA, a source of pride for Tanzania, and another invitation to the world to come and discover Tanzania.