Serengeti International Airport

Serengeti International Airport (SIA) (Swahili: Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Serengeti) is a proposed international airport project in northern Tanzania intended to serve the Serengeti National Park.[1]

Serengeti International Airport
– Proposed airport –
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesSerengeti National Park
LocationMugumu, Mara, Tanzania
Coordinates1°51′49″S 34°39′13″E
Map
SIA
Proposed location of Serengeti airport.
SIA
SIA (Africa)
SIA
SIA (Earth)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
TBD 3,800 12,467 Asphalt

Background

At present the national park is served by a number of airstrips; Seronera being the busiest. Major airports near the park's proximity are Mwanza Airport (166 km to Ndabaka Gate), Arusha Airport (226 km) and Kilimanjaro International Airport (284 km). Therefore, in order to minimize the travel time and distance, the government has decided to construct an international airport 40 km outside the park's north-western precincts.

American investor Paul Tudor Jones has agreed to finance the project.[2]

Project

The airport will be located in the Uwanja wa Ndege ward of Mugumu town in Serengeti District, Mara Region in northern Tanzania. It will cost about US$350 million and is expected to boost the number of visitors from the present 0.8 to 1.6 million whilst also doubling the revenue to US$2.8 billion.[3]

The length of the single runway is expected to be between 3,800 and 4,200 metres.[4][5]

Proponents

Opponents

Serengeti Watch, a nonprofit organization insists that its construction would negatively impact the future of the park.[10]

References

  1. Jacob, Mugini (5 October 2012). "Serengeti Airport works to start soon". Daily News (Tanzania). Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  2. Mugini, Jacob (13 August 2012). "US tycoon to finance construction of Serengeti airport". Daily News (Tanzania). Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  3. Ihucha, Adam (17 November 2012). "Serengeti airport: Tanzanian govt wins the day". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  4. "Protests over US firm's plan for Serengeti". The EastAfrican. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  5. Thome, Wolfgang H. (14 September 2009). "Controversy brewing over airport plans in Greater Serengeti". eturbonews.com. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  6. Bloomfield, Steve (27 August 2007). "Wildebeest migration at risk from Serengeti airport plan". The Independent. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  7. Mugini, Jacob (23 October 2012). "Tanapa backs construction of Mugumu airport". Daily News (Tanzania). Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  8. Mugini, Jacob (4 November 2012). "Serengeti airport gets green light". Daily News (Tanzania). Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  9. Mugini, Jacob (16 September 2012). "Government to look into Mugumu airport construction delays - Pinda". Daily News (Tanzania). Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  10. "Stop the Serengeti International Airport". savetheserengeti.org. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2013.


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