Tourists view a rare sighting of lions at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Arusha. Photo | File
Summary
Karatu. The Ngorongoro local authority and Tour Operators have amicably resolved to suspend enforcement of the new controversial fee indefinitely, breathing a measure of relief to the ailing multi-billion-dollar tourism industry.
Recently, the Ngorongoro District Council in Arusha Region imposed a $15 charge per tourist entering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area from October 1, 2021, on top of several other fees to widen its tax revenues base - and prompted an outcry from tour operators.
Howver, the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) delegation, led by the association’s CEO Sirili Akko, managed to negotiate with the Ngorongoro District Council team under the command of executive director (DED), Dr Jumaa Mhina, to shelve collection of the new fee and allow the tourism industry to recover, while protecting jobs and businesses, in the face of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m very grateful that we have had a cordial discussion with the Ngorongoro District Council team led by the executive director, Dr Jumaa Mhina and we harmoniously agreed to stop the enforcement of the proposed fee,” said TATO CEO, Mr Sirili Akko who led the tour operator’s delegation to the negotiation table.
In his package of arguments, Mr Akko said the fee would be rubbing salt into a fresh wound as it would make Tanzania an expensive destination in the aftermath of the Covid crisis, while other destinations are cutting costs as a measures to woo tourists in the post-Covid-19 crisis.
“I really appreciate Dr Mhina for understanding and agreeing to put in shelf the new fee proposal to support the recovery of the already ailing tourism industry amid increasingly cutthroat competition from other destinations in the region and elsewhere,” Mr Akko stressed.
For his part, the newly appointed Ngorongoro DED, Dr Mhina argued that his district, which is a natural resource-rich council, is starving for lack of revenue sources, making it extremely difficult to save the population under his jurisdiction.
“We are forced to come up with the new fee as part of the urgent measures to expand our revenue base to boost the coffers and be able to render services to the population, which in reality are the host of all the natural attractions through which tour operators are making fortunes,” he noted.
Dr Mhina said that the remote district is entirely under conservation area where human economic activities are not allowed, making it difficult not only for the local government to collect sufficient revenue to support health, education, water among others, but also for the population to have a reliable income to sustain their families.
“For me, this is a symptom of the resource curse.
“The area is full of natural resources, but its people are starving. This is an elephant in the living room no one wants to talk about. It’s sad, it’s painful and we must address this historical injustice to this community,” he stressed.
Dr Mhina was of the view that it was high time to debate about the welfare of the Ngorongoro people and find a lasting solution in terms of their rights and obligations.
Wildlife tourism in Tanzania continues to grow, with nearly 1.5 million tourists visiting the country annually, earning the country $2.5 billion, equivalent to nearly 17.6 percent of GDP, cementing its position as the country’s leading foreign currency earner.
Additionally, tourism provides 600,000 direct jobs to Tanzanians and over one million others earn an income from the industry.
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