Latest information from Dar es Salaam reveals that the idea of the Tanzania National Parks increasing on the amount of money paid as park entry fees may greatly affect domestic tourism as the amount given is just to huge for the low income earners. An increase in the tariff structures will see local tourists pay more as most of the reviewed tariffs range from Tsh5,000 which is about $3.14 plus for adults and this is more than twice as much the amount that they have been paying of Tsh2,000 therefore $ 1.258 they have been paying to visit parks.
Conservation fees for parks like Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tarangire, Gombe, Mahale, and Manyara will now be Tsh10, 000 which is about $ 6.2 from the current Tsh1, 500 that is $0.943 for adults while children will pay Tsh2, 000 and that is $ 1.258. Timothy Vincent a local tourist said while giving his view about the new rates that have been put up by the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) in Dar es Salaam that the new charges are too high for an ordinary Tanzania tourist to afford therefore they should reconsider this especially since the standard of living is too low yet the cost of living is very high, he explained.
Meanwhile, there is some other local tourist, Ms Zena Mkali who supported TANAPA increment but still argued that it is not fair that they increased by more than twice as much the more than.
TANAPA officials say that this was because of the increasing conservation cost which is a result of the general increase in price levels of most commodities and services. TANAPA is responsible for all the country’s wildlife and has had to revise park entry fees for tourists visiting its parks in efforts to cover for the new tourism products and operational costs.
The new Tanaznia park entry fee will be effective from July 1, this year and is expected to expire in June 30, 2015 and TANAPA increased the fess so that they can improve tourism facilities and infrastructure like the roads and bridges and airstrips as these will attract more visitors and diversify tourism activities in order to provide exceptional experiences to all visitors in Tanzania.
