Foreign tourists to pay more in new fees plan

Dar es Salaam. Foreign visitors will pay more during game drives in Serengeti and Nyerere national parks from July next year.
The new fee structure announced by the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism will combine park entry fee and concession fees.
The substantial increase in the fees will become effective on July 1, next year, the ministry said in a statement seen by The Citizen.
The news fees have been released even with Tanzania yet to fully recover from a sharp fall in the number of visitors after the outbreak of Covid-19.
Early this year, the ministry estimated that foreign tourists will drop to between 900,000 to one million this year from two million earlier projected.
According to the statement, there will be a four fold increase in the fees at the Nyerere National Park for the East Africans.  Residents of Tanzania will face an increase of nearly 26 per cent during their visit to the park, formerly Selous Game Reserve.  
Non-resident visitors to the 54,600-square kilometre Selous will face the highest increase of nearly 72 per cent.
The park, characterised by vast wilderness was created last year in a bit to tap the tourism potential of the southern circuit. The ministry, however, argues  travellers and tour agencies have to consult with their hotel groups and tour agencies.
“They should consult on what impact this will have on already quoted prices for safaris,” the statement added.
The new fee structure for Nyerere National Park indicated the conservation fees (entry fees) for non-residents has been hiked to $70 (Sh162,239.42) from $50 (Sh115,885.30).
For the locals, entry fees have been reduced from $50 (Sh115,885.30) to $35 (Sh 81,119.7) while concession fees for non-residents will more than double to $60 (Sh139,062.4) from $25 (Sh57,942.7).
On the other hands, concession fees for the resident visitors will remain $ 60, the ministry said.  Both concession and conservation fees for the East Africans will be doubled to Sh 10,000 from Sh 5,000.
For the Serengeti NP, considered the jewel of Tanzania’s wildlife-based tourism, there will only be a slight increase of the fees.
Conservation (entry) fees per visitor will be hiked to $70 from $60 for non-residents and $35 from $30 for the residents.
For the East Africans visiting the Serengeti,the entry fees will remain Sh 10,000 per each visitor.  The concession fees for the residents will also rise by the same margin; $50 to $60 but will remain Sh40,000 for the East Africans.
In all,foreign residents in Tanzania entering the Serengeti will have to pay some 19 per cent more to enter the park.
Foreign non-resident visitors face an increase of 17.6 per cent.
A combination of raised park entrance and concession fees the hotels and lodges have to pay are inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT).
No fees change has been announced for 22 other national parks managed by Tanapa. Some adjustments were made in August this year.

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By Zephania Ubwani@TheCitizenTz [email protected]