Macon Dunnagan, and two others are appointed by Tanzania as the U.S. "Goodwill Ambassadors of Tourism."

Thank you Hon.Amb. Kagasheki for your appointment of the three Goodwill Ambassadors to promote tourism to Tanzania in the United States. Am impressed with your decision in regard of Macon Dunnagan.  Macon Dunnagan is truly an ambassador at heart, I came to know about him on twitter. He is my follower and am following him back, ever since we got connected have learnt some things that he is doing for Tanzania. Very devoted and enthusiastic on what he loves most, hiking Mount Kilimanjaro. That is why he hold the records. Congratulations to you Macon Dunnagan and the other two, now that you are official I believe the best is yet to come.

Macon Dunnagan on the left doing what he love (Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro).

Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Honorable Ambassador Khamis S.Kagasheki, MP, announced the appointment of three Goodwill Ambassadors to promote tourism to Tanzania in the United States, Patrick Steenberge, President, Global Football; Macon Dunnagan, Kilimanjaro Expedition Director; and  Dr. Philip Imler, Founder and President, Seven Natural Wonders.

Hon.Amb. Kagasheki, in making the announcement, said that “Tourism is the leading earner of Foreign Exchange in Tanzania, and the United States is Tanzania’s most significant tourist generating market. For this reason, we recognize the pivotal role that Goodwill Ambassadors can have on impacting key agenda items of the country through marketing, promotion and facilitation of strategic partnerships in their special areas of influence.”

Each of the three Goodwill Ambassadors has already made a huge impact on Tanzania Tourism. Patrick Steenberge, President of Texas-based Global Football, was the visionary who brought the first ever college American football game played on African soil to Tanzania in May of 2011. The game itself, played between Drake University from Iowa and an all-star team from the CONADEIP conference of schools in Mexico, generated enormous press coverage including ITV Tanzania, ESPN Magazine and a 45-minute documentary broadcast on CBS Sports Network. But the true highlight was the goodwill and friendships that were created when the players and their families and friends who joined them in Tanzania, completed a charity climb of Kilimanjaro and participated in volunteer projects to benefit the local communities. The visiting players and coaches also held American football clinics to introduce more than 500 local youngsters to the sport.  The impact in the sports world and in the communities is on-going for Tanzania and Global Football is planning a second game and philanthropic visit to Tanzania in the near future.

Macon Dunnagan, based in Charlotte, North Carolina is the Kilimanjaro Expedition Director for Zara Tours and has led many charity climbs up Kilimanjaro. He has climbed “the Roof of Africa” 26 times, and by September 2013 will have completed his 30^th summit. He is also the current record holder for climbing Kilimanjaro four times in 28 days and has used his position to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer Canada’s "Expedition of Hope" and the Rotary District 7680’s "End Polio Now". In 2001, Dunnagan published his first book Sons of Kilimanjaro and has been a frequent speaker behalf of Tanzania at trade shows throughout the  US.

Dr. Philip Imler, Founder and President, Seven Natural Wonders, was in Tanzania in February to announce Serengeti National Parkas the number one winner for Africa in a worldwide voting campaign for the “Seven Natural Wonders of Africa”. Tanzania’s world famous Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest free standing mountain in Africa and the Ngorongoro Crater were also among the top winners for Africa. The contest, and Tanzania being the only country with the most winning nominations, generated enormous prestige and publicity for Tanzania Tourism.