Tanzania tourists to get hit with new fee

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

Incredible news is coming in from Tanzania that the government there, cash strapped ahead of the upcoming general elections, is seeking to fill its coffers from the pockets of tourists who have bought

Incredible news is coming in from Tanzania that the government there, cash strapped ahead of the upcoming general elections, is seeking to fill its coffers from the pockets of tourists who have bought wood carvings while on safari or a beach vacation in the country.

The range of comments received are frankly unprintable, which speaks for the vehemence of the sentiments of the tourism industry, again feeling unfairly targeted by the new charges, which, although applying only to tourists who bought carvings, will nevertheless reverberate across the sector.

โ€œI am speechless. First they mess us up when they failed to show for talks with Kenya, and as a result we cannot access JKIA [Jomo Kenyatta International Airport] in Nairobi. Then they mess us up more by leaving Tanzania out in the cold over the common tourist visa and visa-free travel by expatriates which is now reality between Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. What next, I am now wondering,โ€ quipped a regular contributor from Arusha when discussing the latest own goal Tanzaniaโ€™s government has scored.

The following details were provided yesterday:

Start quote:

The Tanzanian Government has introduced inspection fees and certificates for all wood carvings bought by tourists during their stay here. This will be implemented on departure from the country.

INSPECTION CERTIFICATE ITEMS VALUE UNDER
VALUE: $300.00
RATE: $16.00

INSPECTION CERTIFICATE ITEMS VALUE OVER
VALUE: $300.00
RATE: $70.00

ROYALTY PER 1 KG. – $ 2.50

EXPORT PERMIT CERTIFICATE VALUE UNDER
VALUE: $300.00
RATE: $21.00

EXPORT PERMIT CERTIFICATE VALUE OVER
VALUE: $300.00
RATE: $70.00

End quote

As usual, no official comments were available over the reasons of the new levies and taxes aimed entirely at tourists who had spent hard earned money to support local carving cooperatives or small-scale business owners dealing in curios, souvenirs, and carvings.

Some tour and safari operators are already preparing to include the โ€œDO NOT BUY ANY WOOD CARVINGSโ€ warnings in their briefing documents, so that their clients are not harassed, inconvenienced, and by and large fleeced when exiting the country.

The hardest hit though will be traders, carvers, and business owners whom this latest folly could easily put out of business for good, a scorching own goal considering that elections are looming and that very likely the votes of those affected will go to the opposition.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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