Tourist Camp Blocks Wildebeest from Crossing Mara River.

The wildebeest migration is one of the greatest tourism spectacles that the Serengeti and Maasai Mara parks enjoy between July and October with thousands of tourists making the journey from across the world.

IN SUMMARY

This year despite the outbreak of the Covid-19, this has not stopped the animal's migration as they search for new pastures. The wildebeest migration is one of the greatest tourism spectacles that the Serengeti and Maasai Mara parks enjoy between July and October with thousands of tourists making the journey from across the world.

This year despite the outbreak of the Covid-19, this has not stopped the animal's migration as they search for new pastures. But this freedom is being threatened after a video emerged of a group people believed to be workers of tourist camp in the Maasai Mara forcing a herd of the wildebeests to change their route after crossing the river

The water pressure apparently caused a stampede and an unknown number of animals are said to have died as a result. Kenya’s Tourism Minister Najib Balala has demanded the removal of a tourist camp built next to the Mara River which is blocking the famous wildebeest crossing. 

The video elicited reactions online prompted the minister to issue a statement. “I have discussed with Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, about the camp built beside the Mara River, blocking the Wildebeest crossing. It’s very disturbing and we expect the Governor to take action and have the camp removed,” Balala said.

“I have also insisted that we need a Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan, that will not only enhance biodiversity but also protect our wildlife migratory corridors, from greed!" The wildebeest migration which is one of the wonders of the world is an annual event that sees over two million animals migrate from the Maasai Mara to Serengeti. Nature lovers have called it the greatest show on earth.

The wildebeest after entering the Mara, head northwards towards River Talek, where they graze and mate every year on their journey of chasing greener pastures. From July to October, the wildebeests move between the western and eastern sides of the river, crossing it at different points, almost daily, to the Mara triangle side of the reserve, and back to the greater Mara.

There have been concerns over illegal tourist resorts in the reserve with animal lovers calling for their removal.

The Maasai Mara Management Plan which was supposed to be ready by August 31 is aimed at controlling the flow of tourists and investments into the world-famous reserve in a bid to protect its ecosystem, is yet to be gazetted.

The plan will see the government shut down some tourist facilities and issue permits to lodge developers in a more controlled manner. Balala had visited the Mara last month and said the plan is expected to preserve the Mara and reverse the damage caused by high human traffic and commercial interests in the reserve.

Digital Registration of Hotel Visitors in Tanzania Draw mixed Reactions

Visitors who spend time in public accommodation facilities such as hotels and guest houses in Tanzania are now required to register digitally on the MNRT portal according to a new directive by the ministry of natural resources and tourism.

IN SUMMARY

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) conducted a monthly survey of hotel statistics to determine hotel bed occupancy rate in December last year, which showed that the occupancy rate was 53.8 percent.

Dar es Salaam. Visitors who spend time in public accommodation facilities such as hotels and guest houses in Tanzania are now required to register digitally on the MNRT portal according to a new directive by the ministry of natural resources and tourism. This, the ministry says is a move to get a clear picture of both domestic and international travelers.

However, hotel operators are worried that the system may have some privacy drawbacks on the part of some visitors.

“We have also read the advertisement, and we are only waiting for the right time when we can be better informed on what the system entails before we voice our reservations to the government regarding the system,” said the Hotels Association of Tanzania (HAT) chief executive officer Nura-Lisa Karamagi.

But, according to the acting director of Tourism, Mr. Philip Chitaunga, the system will treat privacy information as confidential, and that the government was only seeking to get accurate information regarding the number of domestic and international tourists in the country.

“Hotels that would be involved are the ones that receive tourists, and not guest houses. The Tourism Act directs this to be conducted for registered tourist facilities,” Mr. Chitaunga said.

He told the NCA yesterday when the paper sought clarifications on the public notice which states that the Tourism Act (No 29 of 2008) and The Tourism Accommodation Facilities Regulations (Amendment) 2019, directed owners of accommodation facilities to register foreign and domestic visitors through the ministry’s portal by October 1 this year.

Last year’s statistics released by the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) show that the number of tourist arrivals increased to 1.5 million in 2018, up from 1.3 million in 2017. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) conducted a monthly survey of hotel statistics to determine hotel bed occupancy rate in December last year, which showed that the occupancy rate was 53.8 percent.

He said that, for many years, NBS has not had official statistics of local tourists, while the ministry has been relying on the information on park gates to various tourist attractions. There indeed are large numbers of people traveling to other parts for leisure.

“This new system will integrate all the systems of tourism institutions that fall under the ministry, he said - adding that “the aim is to improve our statistics so that we can determine the impact of tourism on the economy.”

According to him, the system will start in Arusha, Coast, Dar es Salaam, Manyara, and Kilimanjaro regions, which are the leading tourist destinations. The system will finally be countrywide. He told Tanzanians not to fear the system, saying that Tanzania was late in adopting the system, which has been operating in many other countries, across the world.

For her part, the HAT chief executive, Nura-Lisa Karamagi said: “We will know the good and bad aspects of the system after training for it. We work with assorted agencies, and they want their clients’ information to be kept confidential - and when they leave the country, it is deleted permanently. We don’t know how the system will work out as yet.”