Tanzania’s wildlife authority responds to concerns over new tourism fees
What you need to know:
- Tourism stakeholders, rejected the newly announced fees for Wildlife Management Areas, arguing that they are excessively high and beyond their financial capacity.
Dar es Salaam. The government, through the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), has acknowledged the concerns raised by tourism stakeholders regarding the new fees that came into effect on 17 January 2025.
Speaking to The Citizen sister paper Mwananchi, on Wednesday, 29 January 2025, TAWA Commissioner Mlage Kabange stated that they have taken note of the stakeholders' concerns and plan to meet with them again to discuss the matter further.
However, this statement from TAWA comes just two days after tourism stakeholders held a press conference in Arusha, where they strongly opposed the implementation of the new fees for tourist entry into game reserves and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).
"No regulations can be passed without consultation. Every decision was discussed, deliberated upon, and agreed before implementation. However, since concerns have been raised, we have been instructed by our ministry to return to the table with stakeholders to understand the issue, and you will receive feedback," said Kabange.
Earlier, tourism stakeholders, including the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), rejected the newly announced fees for Wildlife Management Areas, arguing that they are excessively high and beyond their financial capacity.
