Serengeti Mugumu International Airport

Serengeti Mugumu International Airport will serve the town of Mugumu, Tanzania and the nearby Serengeti National Park. The project was approved by the country's Civil Aviation Authority in Nov-2012, though has encountered several delays due to an outstanding environmental impact assessment. American investor Paul Tudor Jones, the founder of Tudor Investment Corporation, has agreed to finance the project, which will cost in the region of USD350 million. The airport is expected to boost the number of visitors from approximately 800,000 currently to over 1.6 million per annum, once construction is complete.

Feb-2015. Serengeti District Council chairman John Ng'oina announced a tender for the construction of Serengeti Mugumu International Airport, designed to improve tourism in the Serengeti region. An Environmental Impact Assessment on the development has already been conducted.

Dec-2014. Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) and the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) granted approval for the USD350 million Serengeti International Airport project. The Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism reportedly withdrew its objections to the development following consultations. Local community groups have continued to oppose the development on environmental grounds. 

Tanzania’s Minister for Livestock Development and Fisheries Dr Titus Kamani expressed support for the proposed Serengeti International Airport. The airport, planned for construction at Mugumu in the Serengeti District, has been opposed by local residents, nearby airports and the Ministry for Tourism and Natural Resources, which has ordered a halt to the project on environmental grounds.

Oct-2014. Mugumu District executive director Goody Pamba said construction work on the expansion of Mugumu airstrip would begin within a month. The length of the single runway is expected to be between 3800 and 4200 metres.

The National Environmental Management Council granted environmental approvals for the expansion of the airstrip near Mugumu town, to allow the airport to handle larger aircraft and higher volumes of aircraft movements. The Mugumu Township Council is seeking to upgrade the airport to facilitate tourist access to the nearby Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti national park, for both charters and scheduled services. Serengeti District acting Commissioner Joh Henjewele said the airport would handle up to 35 aircraft per day.

Feb-2014. Tanzania's Member for Serengeti, Dr Stephen Kebwe said construction of Serengeti International Airport is expected to commence in 2014 The airport will be able to handle aircraft with capacity of up to 60 passengers.