Kenya locks out Tanzania tour operators, cars...

[Baba Tunde]

Dar es Salaam. Kenya’s Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) has banned Tanzania’s tour operators and vehicles from taking visitors to Kenya’s game reserves and parks.

According to the Kenya News agency, the move by TRA is in response to a similar action by Tanzanian tourism authorities, whom it accused of deliberately locking out Kenyan tour operators from key reserves and parks.

However, Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa) told The Citizen on Saturday, that the move was in compliance with Tanzania’s regulations providing that such services be conducted within each country’s boundaries.

Speaking at a recent tourism stakeholders meeting in Kisumu, TRA acting director-general Korir Lagat said, such cases have now become common-place and Kenya is not going to take it lying down. “Through a letter to Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), all vehicles bearing Tanzanian number plates will be denied entry into our parks,” said Lagat. He said, TRA has also informed by letter all county governments that have tourist attractions of major significance not to allow Tanzanian registered vehicles into their parks.

Tanapa’s Public Relations manager Paschal Shelutete said, it is not true that all vehicles bearing Kenyan numbers were being troubled or denied access to national parks.

“Kenyan families in their private cars are welcomed at any moment they wish to tour our parks.”

He said, the ban “is on tour operators and tour operations registered vehicles,” and that was agreed by the two countries way back in 1985.

He said, according to the agreement, tour operators from the two countries were allowed to swap tourists along border towns, and not to enter with them in the parks since they didn’t have the respective countries’ operating licences.

“That is the agreement that we follow and Kenyan authorities too are supposed to respect it, if they are not adhering to it, it’s not upon us to comment,” said the Tanapa PR manager.

He explained that the agreement was set to ensure there’s sanity in the industry and each country gains from the same market.

“Remember, this is one market that we are all competing for, there should be a level-playing field. There are major Kenyan companies that have opened sister companies here, they pay required taxes and are allowed to operate in our parks since they are licensed to do so,” he said.

According to Shelutete, other claims and demands against the spirit of the agreement between Kenya an Tanzania “are politically motivated and are of no value to Tanzania.” He stressed that the 1985 agreement did set up the required operating standards between the two countries.

Kenya locks out TZ tour operators, cars - National - thecitizen.co.tz

Huko nje mara nyingi Kenya imekuwa ikitumia vivutio vya Tanzania kutangaza utalii wao. Makubaliano ya mpakani ni sawa kabisa ili mgeni akija ajue wazi kuwa kivutio Fulani kiko TZ na si Kenya. Enzi za ujanja ujanja kwa wenzetu unawagarimu kwa sasa. Wao watapoteza zaidi kuliko sisi.

 

[Bishop Hiluka]

Acha kujadili mtu usiyemfahamu , wewe jadili hoja mengine yatakuwa magumu kwako.

Hapo kuna habari gani sasa wakati makubaliano ya kisheria ya hili jambo yapo toka 1985?

Usishangae mkuu, mwandishi ndo kaliona majuzi...

 

[Swat]

Wasameheni bure hao wakenya. Wamechanganyikiwa na kukimbiwa na watalii. Agreement ipo toka 1985 wao walikuwa hawasimamii,leo ndio wanaamka!

 

[Getstart]

Action and publicity by Kenyans is more of a public relations than the actual situation on ground. Can they confirm since when Tanzanian tour operators with Tanzanian registered vehicle operated into Kenyan national parks? As stated by TANAPA official after the former EAC demise, the operating rules or guide is based on the 1985 agreement.

However, after passing the common market protocol in the current EAC, shouldn't we now being considering going beyond this 1985 agreement?

 

[Nicholas]

Acha kujadili mtu usiyemfahamu , wewe jadili hoja mengine yatakuwa magumu kwako. Hapo kuna habari gani sasa wakati makubaliano ya kisheria ya hili jambo lipo toka 1985?

ndio umesemaje na unaongelea nini?

 

[Nicholas]

This is old news

Hakuna old news....ikishakuwa old and known story sio news tena...ina kuwa history.

 

[Nicholas]

Mkuu hapo kichwa kimegusa mfupa! Karibu operators wote wazalendo ni wadogo sana ingawa kuna room kubwa ya kukua! Udhaifu wa sera na uongozi ktk serikali umesababisha KIA ibakie kama pambo tu! Kunahitajika mabadiliko makubwa sana ya kifikra na kimkati kwa serikali na wawekezaji wazalendo ili tuweze kufaidi matunda ya Utalii.

Sasa tuiacha siasa na kuweka waziri wa utalii mtu anayejua Utalii na ubunifu wa mambo...waziri akiweza unganisha agents wa TZ ...wakapiga marketing kwa pamoja na kuongea na mashirika ya ndege kwa data wanatua KIA...wasipotua KIA basi wanaweza cheza na mahesabu ndege km precionair au fast jet wakafaulisha....Hizi issue ndio nilikwa nawaambia wapuuzi waliokuwa wakishangiliwa Precinair kukata route ya MBeya kuwa ni hasara sana kwa mbeya...kwa vile wanachukia wachag wakaanza kuwa jamaa wanafulia ..sijui wafe kabisa..huku wengine wakiwa na shares ktk soko la hisa.Hizi tabia za ukabila na ukanda ndizo zimefanya TANAPA ina watu wasio na ubunifu kabisa..ila kwa vile mbuga zinaingia watu na misaada basi hela wanaziona zinakuja tuu.

 

[asakuta same]

ndio umesemaje na unaongelea nini?

Hovyo kabisa.

 

[Nicholas]

Hovyo kabisa.

oh yes...una kingine ?chapa lapa basi.Ndio aga yenu nyie matakataka ya CCM..sijui kwanini hujaona wapi watu wanaweza waamsha wehu nyie hamuujui utalii mnakomaa na kila mamlaka nchi muichukue kikabila.sasa jsho linawatoka.

 

[Abunuas]

well said. ni kweli kabisa huu mfumo unatulostisha sana. watu wako kwa ajili ya matumbo yao tu, hatuna ma-innovators kabisa, na hata kama wapo basi wamekuwa attenuated. we need to overhaul the system kwa kweli. so sad.

Mkuu hapo kichwa kimegusa mfupa! Karibu operators wote wazalendo ni wadogo sana ingawa kuna room kubwa ya kukua! Udhaifu wa sera na uongozi ktk serikali umesababisha KIA ibakie kama pambo tu! Kunahitajika mabadiliko makubwa sana ya kifikra na kimkati kwa serikali na wawekezaji wazalendo ili tuweze kufaidi matunda ya Utalii.

 

[Makaura]

haya sasa Rwanda wamefunga mpaka, Kenya wamefuata, nchi hii bana

 

[anderson mtae]

Ni kweli

 

[lomayani]

Wa-Afrika tukumbuke kwamba mipaka hii iliwekwa na wakoloni ili kututenga na kututawala kirahisi,tubaguane kwa majina wanayotaka wao (Mkenya,Mtanzania,Mrwanda,Mganda nk)Lini tutaamka kwenye usingizi wetu?Tuna viongozi kweli au tunao vibaraka wa wakoloni??Africa haikuwa na mpaka,sote tulijitambulisha kwa uafrika wetu,leo hii?Tunakwenda wapi?
Ebu hawa viongozi wetu waache kututafutia vita na ndugu zetu,Waafrika wenzetu.

Dar es Salaam. Kenya’s Tourism Regulatory Authority
(TRA) has banned Tanzania’s tour operators and vehicles from taking visitors to Kenya’s game reserves and parks.

According to the Kenya News agency, the move by TRA is in response to a similar action by Tanzanian tourism authorities, whom it accused of deliberately locking out Kenyan tour operators from key reserves and parks.

However, Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa) told The Citizen on Saturday, that the move was in compliance with Tanzania’s regulations providing that such services be conducted within each country’s boundaries.

Speaking at a recent tourism stakeholders meeting in Kisumu, TRA acting director-general Korir Lagat said, such cases have now become common-place and Kenya is not going to take it lying down. “Through a letter to Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), all vehicles bearing Tanzanian number plates will be denied entry into our parks,” said Lagat. He said, TRA has also informed by letter all county governments that have tourist attractions of major significance not to allow Tanzanian registered vehicles into their parks.

Tanapa’s Public Relations manager Paschal Shelutete said, it is not true that all vehicles bearing Kenyan numbers were being troubled or denied access to national parks.

“Kenyan families in their private cars are welcomed at any moment they wish to tour our parks.”

He said, the ban “is on tour operators and tour operations registered vehicles,” and that was agreed by the two countries way back in 1985.

He said, according to the agreement, tour operators from the two countries were allowed to swap tourists along border towns, and not to enter with them in the parks since they didn’t have the respective countries’ operating licences.

“That is the agreement that we follow and Kenyan authorities too are supposed to respect it, if they are not adhering to it, it’s not upon us to comment,” said the Tanapa PR manager.

He explained that the agreement was set to ensure there’s sanity in the industry and each country gains from the same market.

“Remember, this is one market that we are all competing for, there should be a level-playing field. There are major Kenyan companies that have opened sister companies here, they pay required taxes and are allowed to operate in our parks since they are licensed to do so,” he said.

According to Shelutete, other claims and demands against the spirit of the agreement between Kenya an Tanzania “are politically motivated and are of no value to Tanzania.” He stressed that the 1985 agreement did set up the required operating standards between the two countries.

Kenya locks out TZ tour operators, cars - National - thecitizen.co.tz

 

[Mwathirika]

Magazeti yanaweka habari zilizokaa fyongo kuuza.
Utadhani ni kitu kipya kumbe old News.

Regulation c mpya lkn utekelezaji ndo news!

 

[Mike 1234]

Kweli mkuu! Kama regulation ni ya toka 1985 kwa nini hii habari imezuka ghafla?!

ukiona hivyo kuna mahali imebana

 

[yutong]

Kwa hili mi naiunga mkono serikali. Wakenya wabinafsi sana miaka yote wamekuwa wakitumia vivutio vyetu kwa utalii wao. Tena sasa mtalii anayetaka kuja tanzania ashukie kwenye viwanja vyetu vya ndege. Ningekuwa mi waziri hakuna kuruhusu kabisa watalii wanaokuja kwa mgongo wa kenya. Wanafanya ujanja ujanja kisha wanajisifu uchumi wao uko juu kumbe ni ujambazi tu.

 

[asakuta same]

oh yes...una kingine ?chapa lapa basi.Ndio aga yenu nyie matakataka ya CCM..sijui kwanini hujaona wapi watu wanaweza waamsha wehu nyie hamuujui utalii mnakomaa na kila mamlaka nchi muichukue kikabila.sasa jsho linawatoka.

Bado ni hovyo tu!

Hii ni akili ya hovyo hovyo tu!

 

[Nicholas]

Bado ni hovyo tu! Hii ni akili ya hovyo hovyo tu!

Kwa bahati mbaya ujinga umekuponza.....kwa akili yako wengine tupo jf kupata approve za kenge .tunapost tunachopenda na kutaka regardless km wasio na akili km wewe wote wakikomaa ku descredit.km huna cha kuandika hembu kamalizie business ya kuchamba huko.

 

[asakuta same]

Kwa bahati mbaya ujinga umekuponza.....kwa akili yako wengine tupo jf kupata approve za kenge .tunapost tunachopenda na kutaka regardless km wasio na akili km wewe wote wakikomaa ku descredit.km huna cha kuandika hembu kamalizie business ya kuchamba huko.

Bado unazidi kudhihirisha akili za hovyo hovyo tu. Kwakuwa haupo tayari kujifunza na ni mtu wa kukurupuka utazidi kubakia kuwa mtu wa hovyo hovyo tu.

 

[Nicholas]

Bado unazidi kudhihirisha akili za hovyo hovyo tu. Kwakuwa haupo tayari kujifunza na ni mtu wa kukurupuka utazidi kubakia kuwa mtu wa hovyo hovyo tu.

Kweli unauweka utu wako ktk vitu kiasi kibaya...weli Mimi wa hovyo..inatosha sasa uanze ongelea issue iliyopo mezani?KUANZIA LEO NIITE MIMI WA HOVYO AU MATUSI YOYOTE UNAYOWEZA,NITAMWOMBA MOD ASIKUPE BAN...THE CHANGIA ISSUE ILIYOPO MEZANI.