TANAPA

The Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) has revised tariffs across fifteen national parks and renamed the park entry fee to ‘conservation fee’. In a statement by the management, the new tariffs will be effective as of the 1st of July 2013.

The statement from the authority issued yesterday said the changes were done to cater for among other things, the general increase in price levels of most commodities and services that has continued to escalate causing the increasing operational costs operation.

The other reason was to improve tourism facilities and infrastructure such as roads, bridges and airstrips, to cater for the increased number of visitors and to also diversify tourism activities in order to provide what the statement referred to as, ‘outstanding visitor experience’.

The authority also aims at internal restructuring and to serve for motivation it will improve staff incentives and packages, a move well received given the increased cost of living.
The early notice is in accordance to codes and regulations which stipulate tour operators must have at least one year notice prior to enforcement. Current law has it that Tariffs may be revised every two years.

Prior to the current modification, Tanapa tariffs have been revised only three times, January 2000, July 2004 and July 2006. Some of the areas to be affected with the new fees include filming, which the authority described as ‘very low and out of date’.

Walking safaris’ fees have also been changed due to popularity of some of the parks, tour operator views and visitor willingness. The minimum age for a walking safari is 12 years of age.

The statement mentioned other fees affected as guiding, fly camping, sports fishing, boating, canoeing, night game drive, guiding, vehicle, air craft landing, public camping, special camping, bush lunch or dinner, student fees for organised trips from Local Institutions.