By
ADAM IHUCHA -- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) has unanimously
appointed a 34-year-old, Sirili Akko, as its new chief executive officer.
TATO
is a leading lobby and advocacy agency for a multi-billion-dollar tourism
industry in the natural-resource-rich country, Tanzania.
Mr.
Akko, an accomplished business administrator with solid trainings in private
sector growth, succeeds the long serving, Mustapha Akunaay, who steps down
after 20 years at the helm of the association.
TATO’s
nomination of a young CEO came as a surprise move, signaling
the association’s resolve to change its way of doing things in the face of
myriad challenges facing the tourism industry.
The
CEO is a head of TATO secretariat, an executive arm of the association with 300
plus members, and is virtually responsible to, among other things, develop
lobbying and advocacy strategies, spearhead negotiations with the government,
local and international bodies.
The
incoming CEO takes office at a period that is perceived to be trying moments to
the TATO, and his first assignment will be to ensure that the association
successfully negotiates with the government to reduce nuisance taxes in order
to stimulate tourism growth.
With
tourism facing assaults on multiple fronts in the region, including the
escalating elephants poaching crises, unpredictable tourism business
environments, negative effects of travel advisories facing the northern
neighbor of Kenya, a crucial gateway for nearly 40 percent of all tourists
coming to Tanzania, Mr Akko has his work cut out.
However, unlike
Mr. Akunaay, a hardliner lawyer-cum-politician from Tanzania’s main
opposition party Chadema, Mr. Akko is seen as a bright young professional with
a calm personality and high level diplomacy-qualities TATO significantly needs
now in order to raise its profile even higher.
Known
for his intransigent position on supporting wildlife conservation, the new CEO
is also credited as a straightforward person, with high capacity of
negotiations in almost all areas of life.
Tanzania
Rift Valley Tours Ltd, Managing Director, Rashid Mtungi, one of key TATO
members, says Mr Akko possesses amazing gift for mobilizing people into solving
problem by insisting on focusing on interests, not positions.
“Based
on the little time I knew him in his capacity as TATO’s executive officer, I
can say Mr Akko is extremely gifted in inventing options for mutual gain, by
pointing out interests-convergence.” Mr Mutungi explains, adding, “I don’t
remember any failed dialogue under his watch”.
Background
Since
he rarely shares his personal experience with the public, little is known about
this young CEO.
Having
worked hard on his way up, available records testify that Mr Akko wasn’t born
in a silver plate, meaning he found nothing ready made. Instead, he had to work
from the scratch, against all odds.
Born
in 1980 and raised at Nangwa village in Hanang district, Manyara region in
northern Tanzania, Mr Akko comes from a typically African humble family, and
during his early years, he had to rear goats and cows, probably the most common
practice for boys in rural setups.
He
studied Ordinary level at a Catholic Junior Seminary and focused on science
related subjects, with the intention of developing a carrier in medicine.
In
line with his plans, Mr Akko was selected to join high school to study
Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) combination. While doing his
advanced level studies, he found himself spending most of his holidays
volunteering on microfinance programes for an NGO called the Multi
Environmental Society (MESO) whose main focus was then on rural devepment.
It
was during that time when he developed keen interest in rural development.
After
completing high school, and having been influenced by rural development
programmes during holidays, Mr. Akko joined Institute of Accountancy Arusha for
undergraduate studies, where he studied accountancy.
Compelled
by the spirit of rural developement he decided to work with a global
faith-based-organisation, World Vision in the finance department as an
accountant. After working for a few years with the World Vision, he later
joined the Tanzania association of tour operators as executive officer.
His
star started shining significantly after successfully coordinating a session in
which the World Bank was worked with multiple stakeholders from the tourism
industry to redraft the Tanzania’s tourism Policy in order to develop
unexploited potentials in the tourism sector.
Sources
say that he also has a strong tie with East African community (EAC) as well as
European union (EU).
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