Kenya now bans Tanzanian tour firms in tourism feud

After months of haggling over cross-border tourism operations, the Government has, with immediate effect, barred Tanzanian registered tour vans from operating in the country altogether.

“This means that from today, February 6, 2015, Tanzanian registered tour vans will not be allowed to pick, drop or exchange passengers at all tourism sites, airstrips and airports including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,” said East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Phyllis Kandie, in a terse statement to newsrooms yesterday.

The action by Kandie follows the expiry of a three-week window for talks, initially requested by Tanzania’s Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Lazaro Nyalandu. Even after the Ministry of Tourism agreed to the short-lived ceasefire over the cross-border tourism dispute, the Tanzanian official has reportedly not come through.

“Those three weeks have now expired without our Tanzanian counterparts convening the meeting for the negotiations. We have therefore resolved to move forward with the full implementation of the bilateral agreement,” said Kandie with reference to the Fifth East African Community Sectoral Council Meeting for Tourism and Wildlife resolution.

During the meeting held in Bujumbura, Burundi, in July 2013, members directed the EAC Secretariat to organise a meeting between the Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to find a solution to the long standing issues relating to cross-border tourism operations.

Following this directive, the EAC Secretariat convened the meeting in Arusha from February 17 to 20, 2014 where Tourism ministers as and representatives of Tour Operators’ Associations from the three partner states attended.

The CS explains that it was resolved during the meeting that the partner states handle matters of tourism operations on the basis of Bilateral Agreements: “Kenya and Tanzania agreed to immediately implement the Bilateral Agreement that was signed in 1985 which stipulates how tourism operations between the two countries should be conducted.”

Key highlights of the Agreement, which Kenyan officials now confess was to a great disadvantage to Kenyan operators, stipulated that tourist vehicles registered in Kenya will be allowed entry Tanzania only through Holoholo, Himo, Namanga and Sirare border points to drop, pick or exchange tourists with their counterparts in the regional towns of Tanga, Moshi, Arusha and Musoma.

On the other hand, tourist vehicles registered in Tanzania would be allowed entry into the Kenya through Lunga Lunga, Taita Taveta, Namanga and Isebania to drop, pick or exchange tourists with their counterparts in all towns in Kenya.

Further, tourist vehicles registered in either of the countries would not access each other’s tourist attraction sites including national parks and reserves.

Tourist vehicles registered in either Kenya or Tanzania would also be subjected to road transport regulations in force in the two countries. This includes the need to obtain local licences from relevant authorities in case they are to undertake internal tour operations such as transfers to and from airports and airstrips.

“Pursuant to the implementation of the agreement, Kenyan registered tourist vehicles are not allowed to take tourists to Tanzania attraction sites or access airports and airstrips and vice versa,” says Kandie.

The CS said full implementation of the agreement is meant to ensure fair play between the two parties, especially in relation to the business community as agreed upon during the Arusha meeting.