Latra begins countrywide verification of tour vehicles
Tourism was Tanzania’s biggest foreign exchange earner in the year ended February, 2025 followed by gold, according to latest Bank of Tanzania statistics. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The new initiative forms part of broader regulatory reforms that also require all tour vehicle drivers to undergo tailored examinations and re-registration, in line with revised transport laws.
Arusha. The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) has launched a nationwide verification exercise targeting all vehicles used in Tanzania’s tourism sector, in an effort to strengthen compliance and enhance safety standards.
The new initiative forms part of broader regulatory reforms that also require all tour vehicle drivers to undergo tailored examinations and re-registration, in line with revised transport laws.
On Monday, Latra convened a key consultative meeting with tour operators from across the country to review the recently amended regulations particularly those affecting the transport and tourism sectors.
Speaking during the meeting, Latra director general Mr Habibu Suluo said tour operators must ensure their drivers meet the new compliance requirements.
“We are introducing a special designation for tour drivers and proposing the establishment of a dedicated police unit under the tourism department to improve oversight,” said Mr Suluo. Under the amended regulations, all tour companies are required to register their drivers with Latra, with certification granted upon successful completion of newly introduced sector-specific examinations.
The regulations further mandate that all vans and trucks used to transport tourists must bear permanent side-panel inscriptions reading ‘Tour Services’. This requirement applies to vehicles operating in national parks, game reserves and other tourist destinations, including airport transfers.
Before the new measures are enforced, Latra will gather feedback from tourism stakeholders through the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato), the industry’s umbrella body. Tato executive director Mr Elirehema Maturo pledged to collect recommendations from members and submit them to Latra, to ensure the reforms are aligned with the practical realities of the sector.
He added that the stakeholder meeting in Arusha provided a crucial platform for tour companies to raise concerns—particularly over proposed licence fees and the potential disruption that may result from the mandatory driver examinations.
“Tato remains committed to promoting a balanced approach that maintains industry standards while supporting continued growth and sustainability,” said Mr Maturo.
Also speaking at the forum, Latra’s legal and regulatory officer Ms Mwadawa Sultan said the amendments are intended to clarify distinctions between various categories of transport services.
“Until recently, the sector operated under the outdated Transport Licensing Act of 1973, which did not cover modern innovations such as ride-hailing services, electric vehicles or cable transport,” she said.
Following the dissolution of the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) in 2017, Latra and the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (Tasac) have operated under separate legal mandates.
