DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania has allocated 90.6 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 39.2 million U.S. dollars) for implementation of 23 projects aimed at revamping the tourism sector affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, a cabinet minister said on Sunday.

Damas Ndumbaro, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, told a press conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam that the funds were part of the 567.25 million U.S. dollars approved in September by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The IMF approved the funds in emergency financial assistance to Tanzania under the Rapid Credit Facility and Rapid Financing Instrument to support the authorities' efforts in responding to the pandemic by addressing the urgent health, humanitarian, and economic costs.

Ndumbaro said projects to be implemented include renovation of infrastructure, installation of security systems, purchase of mobile test kits for testing COVID-19 infections among tourists and acquisition of transportation facilities.

"These projects will simplify access to different tourist attractions and subsequently reviving the tourism sector," said the official.

He said part of the funds will be used to renovate roads leading to Serengeti, Mkomazi, Tarangire, Nyerere, Kilimanjaro, Saadani and Gombe national parks.

Ndumbaro added that the funds will also be used to conserve forests managed by state-run Tanzania Forests Services Agency. - Xinhua