ARUSHA, June 11 -- AS East Africa prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in history, Tanzania is pursuing a strategy that extends well beyond football.

Officials believe the month-long tournament could become one of the biggest tourism marketing opportunities the country has ever received, creating a pipeline of new visitors, investment and business opportunities that could outlast the final whistle by years.

At the centre of that plan is the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), which is redesigning visitor experiences across parks near tournament host cities in an effort to convert football supporters into safari tourists.

The 2027 AFCON tournament, scheduled between 19 June and 17 July and jointly hosted b...