As your aircraft descends toward Songwe Airport, the view is a sweeping panorama of green, rolling tea plantations, coffee estates nestled in valleys, and the distant shimmer of Lake Nyasa. This is the Southern Highlands, one of Tanzania’s most fertile and scenic regions, where agriculture drives the economy and tourism potential remains largely untapped.
Songwe Airport, located just outside Mbeya, is the region’s aerial lifeline. Since opening in 2012, it has provided a reliable connection to Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, reducing travel times and improving market access for people and goods. However, despite its potential, the airport remains underutilized, particularly as a driver for high-value agricultural exports and as a gateway for ecotourism.
The question now is whether Songwe can evolve from a modest domestic facility into a multi-sector hub, one that moves Southern Highlands produce quickly to premium markets, attracts tourists to lesser-known parks and cultural sites, and connects regional trade flows across Tanzania’s borders.
Where Songwe Airport Stands Today
Songwe Airport is situated approximately 20 kilometres southwest of Mbeya city, strategically located near the Tanzania–Zambia highway and the TAZARA rail line. The airport boasts a 3,300-metre asphalt runway, long enough to handle Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft, as well as cargo planes for regional freight.
The terminal is small but functional, with basic passenger amenities and handling facilities. It currently supports scheduled domestic flights to Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, operated mainly by Air Tanzania and Precision Air. Charters occasionally supplement this schedule, especially during peak tourism or agricultural seasons.
Cargo operations remain limited and mostly seasonal. A small percentage of horticultural produce, such as avocados and French beans, is transported by air when urgent orders arise. However, the lack of modern cold-storage facilities means that most exports still travel overland to Dar es Salaam for sea freight. This adds days to delivery times, often reducing freshness and price competitiveness in overseas markets.
The Southern Highlands Economy
The Southern Highlands are a powerhouse of Tanzanian agriculture. The region produces tea, coffee, avocado, pyrethrum, Irish potatoes, and a variety of horticultural vegetables. In recent years, avocado exports from Mbeya and Njombe have increased significantly, with ready buyers in the Gulf and Europe. The cool, temperate climate allows year-round production, making the region a potential supply base for premium markets that demand consistent quality.
Mining also plays a significant role, with coal deposits in Mbeya and Njombe, as well as the extraction of industrial minerals such as limestone and marble. These resources primarily move by road and rail, but there is scope for air transport of higher-value processed goods and specialised equipment.
Tourism remains underdeveloped but promising. The Kitulo Plateau National Park, known as the “Serengeti of Flowers,” offers one of the world’s most spectacular alpine floral displays. Lake Nyasa’s Matema Beach provides a tranquil shoreline escape, while the Rungwe Mountains and cultural trails offer hiking and heritage experiences. If Songwe can position itself as the gateway to this “Southern Highlands Circuit,” it could diversify visitor flows away from the crowded northern parks.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Needs
While Songwe’s 3,300-metre runway gives it the physical capacity to handle medium-haul jets and cargo aircraft, its supporting infrastructure still limits its competitiveness. The apron can accommodate only a small number of aircraft simultaneously, meaning any future growth in passenger and cargo flights could quickly create congestion. Expanding apron space, with designated bays for cargo, would be a first step toward scaling operations.
The most pressing gap is the lack of modern cold-storage and handling facilities. Southern Highlands horticulture is well-positioned for premium export markets, but without on-site pre-cooling and refrigerated storage, produce must be trucked to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, resulting in both freshness and market value being lost. A dedicated perishables centre at Songwe could significantly reduce farm-to-plane time, making the airport a competitive gateway for high-value crops.
Passenger terminal facilities also require upgrading. Additional check-in counters, a more efficient baggage-handling system, and expanded waiting lounges would improve traveller experience, particularly for tourists arriving on group itineraries. Finally, improved navigation aids and lighting would ensure all-weather operations, critical for maintaining reliability during the region’s rainy seasons.
Agricultural Export Potential
The Southern Highlands’ agricultural diversity positions Songwe to become a central perishables export hub if the proper logistics are in place. Avocados, French beans, snow peas, and cut flowers are in growing demand in Middle Eastern and European markets, where freshness commands premium prices.
Currently, high-value shipments face a 24–36 hour lag when routed overland to Dar es Salaam for air or sea export. Direct uplift from Songwe could cut this to less than eight hours, giving Tanzanian exporters a time-to-market advantage over regional competitors. With the right cold-chain investment, Songwe could also accommodate mixed shipments, enabling smallholder farmers to aggregate their produce for export through cooperative arrangements.
There’s also potential for sea–air integration: bulk shipments could move by road or rail to Dar es Salaam for sea freight, while urgent or high-grade produce is flown directly from Songwe. This hybrid model could optimise costs while keeping Tanzania competitive in fast-moving produce markets.
Tourism Development Opportunities
Songwe is well-placed to anchor a Southern Highlands tourism circuit that offers experiences distinct from the northern safari routes. Within a day’s travel from the airport are several under-promoted gems:
- Kitulo Plateau National Park: Often called the “Serengeti of Flowers,” this alpine meadow bursts into bloom between November and April, drawing botanists, hikers, and photographers.
- Lake Nyasa (Matema Beach): A scenic lakeshore destination offering swimming, cultural tours, and access to fishing villages.
- Rungwe Mountains: Hiking trails and biodiversity hotspots for eco-tourists.
- Proximity to Ruaha National Park: Via road links through Iringa, enabling combo itineraries for travellers seeking both wildlife and highland landscapes.
Regional air connections, for example, linking Songwe to Lusaka, Lilongwe, or Harare, could open up multi-country eco-tourism packages, tapping into southern Africa’s self-drive and adventure travel markets. Paired with targeted marketing and partnerships with tour operators, Songwe could become the entry point for travellers looking for a quieter, more varied Tanzanian experience.
The Dar es Salaam–Mbeya–Lusaka road corridor is one of Tanzania’s key trade arteries into southern Africa. Its location also places it close to the TAZARA railway, which links Dar es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, passing through Mbeya.
This intermodal potential means Songwe could serve as a relief hub for cargo disruptions at Dar es Salaam or Julius Nyerere International Airport, offering an alternate routing for time-sensitive shipments into Zambia, Malawi, and eastern DRC. For exporters in landlocked neighbouring countries, Songwe could reduce transport time and cost compared to routing all goods through coastal gateways.
If bonded warehousing and streamlined customs procedures were developed on-site, the airport could attract cross-border shippers seeking quicker turnaround times and reduced congestion. Such integration would also strengthen the Southern Highlands’ role in Tanzania’s broader Southern Corridor logistics strategy.
Governance and Partnerships
Delivering Songwe’s trade and tourism potential will require joint action from multiple stakeholders. The Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) is responsible for infrastructure planning and operational readiness; however, sector-specific partnerships are also essential.
For agriculture, collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, horticulture cooperatives, and export councils could ensure cold-chain investments meet actual market needs. For tourism, partnerships with the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and private tour operators could help package and promote the Southern Highlands Circuit internationally.
Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) could also accelerate development of key facilities, including cold storage, a bonded cargo terminal, and a mid-range airport hotel to serve both traders and tourists. Successful PPPs would allow Songwe to leverage private-sector efficiency and capital while retaining strategic control.
Risks and Constraints
Several factors could slow Songwe’s growth:
- Seasonal Demand Volatility: The peaks of agriculture and tourism do not always align, making year-round load factors challenging for airlines.
- Limited Airline Interest: Without minimum revenue guarantees or targeted incentives, carriers may be reluctant to launch new routes.
- Infrastructure Maintenance: High rainfall and cooler temperatures in Mbeya require consistent maintenance of runway surfaces and navigation aids to ensure operational reliability.
- Market Awareness: The Southern Highlands Circuit remains underrecognized internationally, limiting its inbound tourism potential unless marketing efforts are intensified.
Addressing these constraints will require coordinated incentives, sustained route development campaigns, and consistent maintenance of facilities.
Conclusion: Building the Southern Highlands Gateway
Songwe Airport is situated at the intersection of Tanzania’s agricultural heartland, emerging tourism frontiers, and regional trade corridors. With the right investments in cold-chain logistics, passenger amenities, and route expansion, it can become far more than a domestic outpost; it can be the gateway to the Southern Highlands.
The opportunity is clear: deliver fresher produce to premium markets in hours, welcome eco-tourists to underexplored parks and cultural sites, and provide a reliable air link in the Southern Corridor’s trade network. If governance is aligned and partnerships are mobilised, Songwe could play a pivotal role in diversifying Tanzania’s aviation map and ensuring the Southern Highlands’ economic potential is fully realised.