Tourism blow as top Tanzania hotel 'becomes student hostel'

A five-star tourist hotel in Tanzania has been turned into a student hostel, local media report.

This is a sign of dwindling fortunes for the tourism sector in the country.

The Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, located inside a national park in the northern province of Arusha, used to draw many international visitors.

But it has been forced to close recently for lack of visitors, triggered by restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The hotel has now been taken over by the Arusha Institute of Accountancy on a lease basis, with some of the rooms being refitted to accommodate double beds for students.

The transformation of the hotel has been described as a "low blow" for the industry.

This article was originally published by BBC News. [Photo: Twitter]