If you drew a line from Tanzania’s bustling Indian Ocean ports to the fishing harbours of Lake Victoria, and another from the fertile Southern Highlands to the Northern Circuit safari parks, their intersection would land you in Tabora. This is Tanzania’s geographic centre, a meeting point of cultures, trade routes, and economic flows.
For decades, Tabora’s role as a transport hub was defined by rail. The Central Line brought goods and passengers between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma, making the town a critical supply stop. Today, that same centrality offers an opportunity in the air. Tabora Airport, modest in scale but strategically located, could become the mid-country connector that links Tanzania’s coastal, lake, and highland economies while opening direct access to regional markets.
The Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) has already flagged Tabora as a strategic node in its regional aviation development plan. With targeted investments in cargo handling, passenger amenities, and route development, the airport could evolve from a domestic stopover into the heartbeat of the nation’s air map.
From Railway Town to Runway Town
Located about 8 kilometres from Tabora town centre, the airport is within easy reach of both the Central Line railway station and the main arterial roads. Its 2,600-metre asphalt runway is capable of handling ATR 72s, Dash 8 Q400s, and small regional jets, making it well-suited to most domestic and short regional flights.
The terminal is compact but serviceable, with basic facilities for check-in, security, and passenger waiting areas. Apron space is limited to a handful of parking positions, which can be a constraint during peak travel periods or when a mix of passenger and government flights is in operation.
Today, Tabora is served by Air Tanzania and Precision Air, operating routes like Dar es Salaam–Tabora–Kigoma and Mwanza–Tabora. Cargo is almost entirely bellyhold freight on these passenger services, typically agricultural produce, honey, or small parcels for local businesses. Without a dedicated freight terminal or cold storage, the airport cannot yet tap into the full export potential of the region’s agricultural economy.
Fields, Forests, and Trade Flows
The Central Zone’s economy is rooted in agriculture and forestry. Maize and sunflower are the staple crops, with sunflower oil processing emerging as a growing industry. Tobacco remains an important cash crop, while Tabora is widely recognised as Tanzania’s beekeeping capital, producing more than 15,000 tonnes of honey annually, about half the national total, and increasingly finding markets in the Gulf, EU, and Asia.
Forestry products from the surrounding miombo woodlands, including timber, charcoal, and non-timber forest goods like wild mushrooms, add another dimension to trade. Tabora’s central location also gives it a logistical advantage for overland cargo headed to Kigoma’s lake port, Mwanza’s fishing and mining hubs, or Southern Highlands produce markets.
This convergence of agricultural output and transport positioning creates a natural role for Tabora Airport as a collection and distribution point. With the right facilities, it could shorten supply chains, reduce spoilage for perishable goods, and give local producers faster access to high-value markets.
Infrastructure That Can Unlock Growth
Tabora Airport already has the fundamentals for a strong regional role, a long, well-paved runway and proximity to major overland routes, but its supporting infrastructure remains basic. The apron can only accommodate a limited number of aircraft at one time, which means simultaneous handling of multiple ATRs or a mix of turboprops and small jets is difficult. Expanding apron space would make the airport more flexible and attractive to carriers considering new routes.
Cargo handling is another priority. Currently, there is no dedicated freight terminal, cold storage, or bonded warehouse. A modest cold-chain facility could significantly enhance the airport’s export profile, enabling the aggregation, processing, and shipping of perishables such as honey and horticultural produce without compromising freshness or value.
On the passenger side, the terminal would benefit from more check-in counters, improved baggage handling systems, and expanded waiting lounges to support tourism and business travel. Upgraded navigation aids and runway lighting would enhance safety and allow more consistent operations during poor weather or night flights.
By aligning these upgrades with the TAA’s regional air services development plan, Tabora could transition from a simple domestic stop to a fully functional central hub serving both passengers and cargo.
A Runway for Farmers
Agriculture is the beating heart of Tabora’s economy, and the airport has the potential to become a powerful export channel for the region’s farmers. Honey is the flagship product; Tabora produces over 15,000 tonnes annually, much of it organic, which could command premium prices in Middle Eastern and European markets if shipped quickly and reliably by air.
Beyond honey, sunflower oil, processed foods, and niche horticultural products such as fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits could be consolidated in Tabora for export. The airport’s central location makes it an ideal aggregation point for produce from neighbouring regions, enabling coordinated air freight shipments to Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, or even Lusaka for onward international export.
By integrating with beekeeping cooperatives and farmer unions, Tabora could operate as a seasonal export hub, scheduling peak freight capacity during harvests. Coupled with cold storage, this would help local producers maintain quality and open new market opportunities, reducing dependence on slow, often costly overland routes.
The Mid-Country Connector
For passengers, Tabora’s location offers a unique advantage: it sits almost exactly halfway along several key domestic and regional flight paths. As a midway stop for flights between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma, or Mwanza and Mbeya, it can serve as both a transfer point and a destination in its own right.
There is untapped potential for direct regional connections to Rwanda, Burundi, and Zambia, using small regional jets or turboprops. These routes would link central Tanzania directly into the regional tourism and trade network, bypassing the need to route through Dar es Salaam or Nairobi.
Tourism could also benefit. Tabora is the gateway to the Ugalla Game Reserve, renowned for its elephants, lions, and pristine miombo woodland, as well as its cultural attractions tied to the Arab-Swahili caravan trade. Developing Tabora as a tourism stopover, with better airport facilities and coordinated marketing, could diversify the visitor base and increase passenger volumes year-round.
By positioning itself as the “mid-country connector”, Tabora can link east to west, north to south, and rural producers to urban and international markets, fulfilling its role as the country’s central aviation hub.
Bringing in the Partners
For Tabora Airport to achieve its full potential, development must be collaborative. The Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) is central to upgrading infrastructure, but sector-specific partners will make or break the project’s impact. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development can help align airport cargo investments with the needs of sunflower growers, beekeepers, and horticulture producers.
Beekeeping cooperatives and farmer unions are natural allies for ensuring steady export volumes. Working with them could enable aggregation hubs and coordinated freight schedules tied to harvest cycles. On the private sector side, logistics companies could manage cold-chain facilities under Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs), bringing both capital and operational expertise.
Tourism operators also play a role, packaging Tabora as part of multi-destination itineraries that link central Tanzania with lake and highland circuits. This blend of agricultural and tourism partnerships would make the airport a multi-sector growth engine rather than a single-industry facility.
Headwinds in the Heartland
The path forward isn’t without challenges. Agricultural exports, particularly honey, are seasonal, which could make it hard to sustain year-round freight volumes. Airlines may be reluctant to commit to new routes without minimum load guarantees or marketing support.
Infrastructure maintenance is another concern. High usage and seasonal rains can quickly deteriorate runway shoulders and aprons, requiring consistent upkeep to prevent operational disruptions. On the cargo side, road and rail competition will remain strong for bulk goods, meaning air freight must focus on high-value or time-sensitive cargo to justify its cost.
Finally, Tabora’s passenger growth will depend on effective route marketing. Without strong promotion and partnerships, potential tourism and regional business links may remain untapped.
By the Numbers
By 2030, realistic success metrics for Tabora Airport could include:
- Passenger growth: from an estimated 50,000 annual passengers today to 75,000+, a 50% increase.
- Cargo tonnage: reaching 1,500 tonnes per year, with at least 40% coming from agricultural exports like honey, horticulture, and processed foods.
- New routes: establishment of at least two direct regional connections (e.g., Kigali, Lusaka, Bujumbura) alongside expanded domestic frequencies.
- Infrastructure upgrades: apron expansion completed, cold-chain facility operational, and upgraded navigation aids in place.
Tracking these numbers publicly would help maintain momentum and attract both investors and airline partners.
Central Stage
Tabora Airport occupies a unique position, few other Tanzanian airports can match, at the intersection of geography, agriculture, and transport heritage. With targeted investment, strategic partnerships, and a clear focus on cargo and passenger growth, it can become more than a domestic stopover.
The vision is a central hub that connects Tanzania’s regions and neighbors, providing farmers with faster routes to markets, travelers with easier access to central Tanzania’s wild and cultural attractions, and businesses with a more efficient transport link across the country. If realised, Tabora could once again live up to its historic role as a meeting point of routes, only this time, its future will be charted on a runway rather than a rail line.
