Emrecan Ergin, Plaza Premium Group’s Vice-President for the Middle East and Africa./HANDOUT
Tanzania is moving to improve the experience of international visitors with the opening of a Plaza Premium lounge at Julius Nyerere International Airport in September.
The planned 86-seat facility will give departing and connecting travellers access to dining, showers, charging stations and comfortable seating close to the airport’s gates. It will also provide Tanzania with another channel for presenting its food, culture and hospitality to visitors.
The regional expansion is being overseen by Emrecan Ergin, Plaza Premium Group’s Vice-President for the Middle East and Africa. Ergin was promoted in October 2025 after leading operations in Türkiye and Hungary. He joined the group in 2020 and is based at its regional headquarters in Riyadh.
Ergin said Tanzania’s growing air connections and importance as a tourism destination made it a compelling market.
“Tanzania represents much more than a new location on our global footprint,” he said. “We see a country with strong potential, growing international connectivity and an increasingly important role as a tourism destination in Africa.”
Tanzania attracts travellers to the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar, but competition among destinations increasingly extends beyond attractions. Visitors also assess airport efficiency, accommodation, transport and the quality of service experienced throughout a journey.
Ergin said Plaza Premium wants to contribute to the country’s tourism ecosystem rather than simply operate a waiting area.
“Our ambition is to bring our global hospitality expertise to Tanzania, be part of the country’s growing tourism ecosystem and contribute to its growing success,” he said.
The group operates in about 600 airports across more than 150 countries. It says approximately 30 million travellers use its lounges, airport hotels, restaurants and passenger services annually.
Its African network includes Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Cairo, while its wider footprint includes Istanbul, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. These are important origin or connecting markets for travellers entering East Africa.
Ergin said Plaza Premium intends to use that network to improve awareness of Tanzania.
“Millions of travellers are using our lounges in countries directly connected to Tanzania,” he said. “We look forward to supporting Tanzania’s growing tourism ecosystem and introducing what travellers can enjoy and experience in the country.”
The lounge will be situated about two to three minutes from the gates and will accommodate 86 guests. Its design will draw inspiration from African culture while retaining the group’s international standards.
Ergin described the design philosophy as “proudly local”.
“If you go to London, you will get the sense of the Plaza Premium lounge experience, but in Nairobi and Tanzania you will also see local touches and local elements,” he said.
Those influences are expected in the food and beverage offering, artwork, greetings and hospitality style. The menu will include freshly prepared dishes, premium coffees, juices and other beverages for a diverse international passenger base.
The lounge may also create commercial opportunities for airlines, financial institutions and travel companies. Plaza Premium operates facilities on behalf of airlines and banks in several markets, while some passengers gain entry through memberships, eligible payment cards or direct purchase.
Its wider portfolio includes transit hotels, airport restaurants, meet-and-greet services, fast-track assistance, baggage handling, airport transfers, porter services and support for travellers with reduced mobility.
Ergin said the precise range introduced in Tanzania would be guided by local demand.
“Each airport has different needs and different passenger profiles,” he said. “We study in detail what is necessary here to enhance the overall airport experience.”
For Kenya, the Dar es Salaam opening expands a hospitality network already present at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This may benefit travellers combining Kenya and Tanzania in a single safari or business itinerary and create greater consistency between the two gateways.
Plaza Premium Group Africa board member Julius Kilonzo said premium services were becoming increasingly important as Tanzania attracts more high-spending travellers.
“High-end tourists also expect high-end standards,” Kilonzo said, adding that the brand’s international presence could help market Tanzania beyond the airport.
The investment shows how airport facilities are becoming part of tourism strategy. When the lounge opens, Tanzania will gain a passenger facility and a platform for presenting local hospitality to a global travelling audience.
The writer is the Plaza Premium Group’s Vice-President for the Middle East and Africa
