TZ frustrating joint tourism plan

Mpogoro

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Dec 7, 2008
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TZ frustrating joint tourism plan

BY EVELYN NJOROGE
Updated 1days 20 hours 17 minutes ago

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 - Plans for the East African Community (EAC) to promote the region as a single tourism destination are being hampered by Tanzanian’s reluctance to discuss how the partner states can go about it.

Tourism Minister Najib Balala on Monday accused his Tanzanian counterparts of refusing to cooperate with the other members to work out how they can address the various issues in the tourism sector.

“I have been trying to bring the East African Council of Ministers together but it is not very easy. Tanzania is not cooperating. We have been having challenges with Tanzania not only on opening up the Serengeti-Maasai Mara border but also on just setting up meetings,” he complained.

Correspondence to Tanzania’s Tourism Ministry has gone largely unanswered the minister who was addressing private sector players and ministers during the Prime Minister Round Table forum added.

The continued closure of the border, despite the fact that the region is trying to implement the Common Market Protocol which envisages open borders not only affects the performance of the sector but the integration process, he went on.

There are many issues that still remain unresolved chief among them the issuance of a single entry visa to their national parks, a situation which the minister said was frustrating him as it was working against Kenya’s interest.

“When our drivers reach Tanzania, they get arrested yet when their drivers and tour buses come to Kenya, we treat them as if they are local drivers. I’m getting frustration particularly from (Kenya’s) Trade ministry that is accusing me of not taking action against this imbalance,” he said.

The construction of a proposed highway through the Serengeti National Park, which conservationists have warned would have detrimental consequences on the two countries wildlife and tourism sectors, is another issue which is further expected to strain the relations between two countries.

This is particularly so as President Jakaya Kikwete recently maintained that the construction of the road would go on arguing that it would not have any negative impact on the larger Serengeti ecosystem and the Maasai Mara National Reserve as it has been claimed.

But while negotiations are still going on, Mr Balala was of the view that the East African Community Secretariat should intervene to ensure a level playing field for all.

At the same time the minister called on the regional governments to first adopt online payment systems which would boost tourist numbers in the region.

Like the rest of Africa, East Africa hardly markets its tourism products over the Internet which presents a challenge when it comes to finding and booking tourism destinations on the web.

“There are too many queues at the airport particularly when passengers are arriving; we don’t have a credit card system where people can pay and this is frustrating tourism. We need more counters, this is not rocket science, it can be done in one week,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that together with the Transport Ministry, they were developing a national strategy of increasing tourists and scheduled airlines into the country. Doing so would make a case for the upgrading of the country’s airports which have been done to ensure that they can handle more passengers.



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1287418115.jpg

TZ frustrating joint tourism plan

BY EVELYN NJOROGE
Updated 1days 20 hours 17 minutes ago

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 - Plans for the East African Community (EAC) to promote the region as a single tourism destination are being hampered by Tanzanian's reluctance to discuss how the partner states can go about it.

Tourism Minister Najib Balala on Monday accused his Tanzanian counterparts of refusing to cooperate with the other members to work out how they can address the various issues in the tourism sector.

"I have been trying to bring the East African Council of Ministers together but it is not very easy. Tanzania is not cooperating. We have been having challenges with Tanzania not only on opening up the Serengeti-Maasai Mara border but also on just setting up meetings," he complained.

Correspondence to Tanzania's Tourism Ministry has gone largely unanswered the minister who was addressing private sector players and ministers during the Prime Minister Round Table forum added.

The continued closure of the border, despite the fact that the region is trying to implement the Common Market Protocol which envisages open borders not only affects the performance of the sector but the integration process, he went on.

There are many issues that still remain unresolved chief among them the issuance of a single entry visa to their national parks, a situation which the minister said was frustrating him as it was working against Kenya's interest.

"When our drivers reach Tanzania, they get arrested yet when their drivers and tour buses come to Kenya, we treat them as if they are local drivers. I'm getting frustration particularly from (Kenya's) Trade ministry that is accusing me of not taking action against this imbalance," he said.

The construction of a proposed highway through the Serengeti National Park, which conservationists have warned would have detrimental consequences on the two countries wildlife and tourism sectors, is another issue which is further expected to strain the relations between two countries.

This is particularly so as President Jakaya Kikwete recently maintained that the construction of the road would go on arguing that it would not have any negative impact on the larger Serengeti ecosystem and the Maasai Mara National Reserve as it has been claimed.

But while negotiations are still going on, Mr Balala was of the view that the East African Community Secretariat should intervene to ensure a level playing field for all.

At the same time the minister called on the regional governments to first adopt online payment systems which would boost tourist numbers in the region.

Like the rest of Africa, East Africa hardly markets its tourism products over the Internet which presents a challenge when it comes to finding and booking tourism destinations on the web.

"There are too many queues at the airport particularly when passengers are arriving; we don't have a credit card system where people can pay and this is frustrating tourism. We need more counters, this is not rocket science, it can be done in one week," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that together with the Transport Ministry, they were developing a national strategy of increasing tourists and scheduled airlines into the country. Doing so would make a case for the upgrading of the country's airports which have been done to ensure that they can handle more passengers.



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I think you are bullying others. why frustrating my friend. Why do the tanzanian and other members trust you to lead this ventures. and you have a track record of defrauding customers. you forgot that you made millions by claming that kilimanjaros national parks, was part of kenya. how about your not so great free market. you have impelemented capitalism without democracy for over a half a century, and you knew it wont help a common man that way. We want responsible free market bros. Second, do not be hasty. why are you hasty is there a back room deal. besides your buddies are in elections runs, have a little heart will ya? in addition, well let see some feedback. by the way Wazalendo no hardfeeling. we are all on this together. the dosier has already been done, what's the harry.
 
This is just what I was thinking about the other day, this is great news. If we combine our tourism industry together we will benefit greatly. I hope our tanzanian leaders cooperate, this is good for us Tanzanians.I mean it. outside nobody knows about Tanzania, when I talk to my frends about safari, they all jump to Kenya and say wow it's a beatiful country, they don't know that TZ is 10 times beatiful than KE.
I think if we could market these 3 countries together it very good.
 
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