Do travel alerts reflect the full picture of safety in Tanzania?

On the homepage of the US Embassy website in Tanzania, a bold red-and-white warning greets visitors immediately upon logging in. It appears at the very top of the page in two horizontal bars.

A blue bar provides emergency information for US citizens, while directly beneath it, a red bar displays current alerts for US citizens, with a link leading to the Level 3 travel advisory.

The message is presented in large, striking fonts that convey a heightened sense of security concern.

Similarly, the United Kingdom’s official website carries foreign travel advice that cautions its citizens against travelling to certain parts of Tanzania, particularly areas in the south near the Mozambique border.

Canadian authorities have also advised their citizens to exercise a high degree of caution if travel to Tanzania is considered necessary. In their guidance, the region bordering Mozambique is marked as an area to be avoided altogether.

The Australian government, which at one point had Tanzania under its highest Level 4 advisory, urging nationals to avoid travel entirely, has since lowered the warning to Level 3. This level advises Australians to exercise a high degree of caution.

The unrest surrounding Tanzania’s 2025 General Election was cited as a contributing factor to the heightened travel warnings issued by several countries at the time.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan addressed these concerns during the annual Diplomatic Sherry Party she hosted for the members of the diplomatic corps at Chamwino State House in Dodoma on January 15, 2026.

During her remarks, the President spoke candidly about the unrest that followed the elections and outlined the government’s path forward.

Several months after the polls concluded, the authorities maintain that the country has returned to normalcy.

Despite this, the travel advisories issued by foreign governments continue to feature prominently on official websites, raising questions about their timeliness and broader impact.

Speaking to The Citizen, Gabriele Brown, an American investor in Tanzania’s tourism sector and founder of the travel agency Urth Expedition, said these advisories frequently arise during discussions with American clients interested in visiting the country. 

According to her, potential safari-goers often raise concerns after encountering the Level 3 warning online, which can create confusion and hesitation among travellers.

“The Level 3 advisory does affect tourism conversations, but the reality on the ground is more nuanced,” she said.

Ms Brown explained that such advisories are often linked to specific regions and identified risk factors, rather than the main safari circuits where most tourists spend their time.

She noted that the primary tourism zones, where national parks, lodges and established travel routes are concentrated, continue to operate normally.

These areas, she added, maintain strong safety records and well-established security protocols. However, for many travellers, insurance is a central part of trip planning. This is where the implications of travel advisories can become more complex.

Some travel insurance providers may limit or exclude coverage for destinations that are subject to certain government warnings. Others may still offer coverage, depending on the wording of the policy and the timing of the booking. “It really depends on the insurer and the specific plan,” Ms Brown said. “So travellers should always verify the details with their provider rather than assume a blanket exclusion.”

For seasoned or seasonal travellers, such advisories are often viewed as standard government statements.

These are based on periodic reviews that follow formal protocols and are not updated in real time.

As a result, any change in status can take time, moving through several bureaucratic stages and approval processes that may delay updates.

In practice, experienced travellers often supplement official guidance with local insights.

They may consult tour operators, residents or business partners in the destination country.

If reassured about safety conditions, many proceed with their travel plans regardless of the advisory language.

For first-time travellers, particularly those considering destinations on a different continent such as Africa, the impact can be more pronounced.

Official warnings may prompt them to pause, reconsider their options or choose destinations they perceive as safer, even if those perceptions are not fully grounded in current conditions.

“I have also seen inquiries fluctuate when advisories are issued,” Ms Brown said. “Some travellers pause, while others proceed after reviewing the specifics and understanding the actual locations involved.” When a country is under a travel advisory, the implications can extend beyond personal hesitation.

Some insurance providers may exclude claims related to incidents occurring in that destination. In certain cases, insurers may even decline to issue new policies for travel there altogether.

This does not directly influence the pricing set by tourism operators in Tanzania.

However, it can affect a traveller’s confidence in their insurance coverage should an incident occur.

For this reason, tour operators often urge clients to read policy documents carefully and opt for comprehensive coverage that aligns with their travel plans.

“That’s why we strongly encourage clients to review policy language carefully and choose comprehensive coverage,” Ms Brown said. Beyond tourism, travel advisories also have implications for foreign investors.

Those with existing or prospective business interests in Tanzania may question stability, operational continuity and traveller confidence.

However, embassy advisories are typically broad in nature and not tailored to specific sectors or business activities. As a result, investors often rely on a combination of sources.

These include embassy guidance, reports from local partners, assessments from operators on the ground and direct observation.

This blended approach allows them to form a more detailed picture of actual conditions.

For tour agencies, the most common question from potential clients remains simple: “Is it safe?” Follow-up questions often probe whether unrest is localised or widespread, whether safari destinations are affected or far removed from advisory zones, and whether airports and major transport routes are functioning normally.

In many cases, travellers place significant trust in their travel agents once these questions are addressed. Others still consult multiple sources.

These include government advisory websites, embassy notices, insurance providers, international news outlets, social media platforms and, increasingly, artificial intelligence tools.

In practice, most travellers cross-reference several sources before making a final decision.

Efforts to rebuild Tanzania’s international image are ongoing. Observers note that the country is not ignoring the reputational challenges it faces.

Instead, authorities appear to be confronting concerns directly, acknowledging past unrest while emphasising current stability. There is no single solution to restoring confidence.

However, transparency, consistent communication, visible security measures and credible reporting from the ground are widely seen as essential components of the process.

Ultimately, the decision to travel rests with individual travellers and their personal tolerance for risk.

“We are living in uncertain times globally, and travel, like many things, carries some level of risk,” Ms Brown said. “Some travellers will proceed, others will pause.”

The longer-term impact of travel advisories that continue to appear on official government websites will become clearer in the months and years ahead.

Ms Brown emphasised that her observations are drawn from personal experience and her professional work in the tourism sector.

“Others may see or interpret the situation differently, and that is valid,” she said. “Risk perception and decision-making in travel are highly individual.”

In an effort to gain further clarity, The Citizen contacted the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam to seek details on the criteria used to determine travel advisory levels.

The inquiry also asked whether consultations are held with Tanzanian authorities before advisories are issued or revised. By the time of publication, no response had been received.

What remains evident, however, is that the Tanzanian government has continued to assure the international community that the country is safe. Officials consistently state that Tanzania remains open and welcoming to visitors.

As part of its tourism promotion strategy, Tanzania recently hosted Braydon Bent, a British Manchester City supporter who has gained global recognition for creating football-related content, including in Kiswahili, and providing match commentary.

With a strong social media following across Europe, Mr Bent has been positioned as part of the country’s broader effort to counter fear and anxiety linked to travel advisories and online speculation about safety.

“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office,” reads part of a notice on the UK government’s website. Despite such warnings, Mr Bent travelled widely across Tanzania without incident and attended the Serengeti Tourism Awards.

Protests and periods of unrest are not unique to Tanzania. They are common features in many democratic societies. Recent events in the United States offer one example. In late 2025, large demonstrations also took place across cities in the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as in several other countries.

How nations assess and label the stability of other states remains their sovereign prerogative. For travellers, however, due diligence is essential.

Increasingly, those seeking a fuller picture of conditions in Tanzania turn to a mix of social media, local voices and emerging AI tools.

Together, these sources can sometimes offer a broader and more current perspective than any single official advisory.