Hope for Tanzania tour operators in struggle in opposition to COVID-19
The recommendations of a coronavirus committee formed in April by Tanzania’s new president, Ms. Samia Suluhu Hassan, have captured the hearts and minds of tourism stakeholders, especially Tanzanian tour operators, who say consent to voluntary vaccination is fair and one fresh impetus for their careful efforts to revitalize the industry.
- The chairman of the Tanzania Tour Operators Association says people should be free to choose whether to be vaccinated.
- A green passport would be evidence that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result, or has recovered from the virus.
- TATO developed basic health infrastructure support in the major tourism industry, including ambulances and agreements with some hospitals to be used for tourism services.
The committee of experts, tasked with assessing the COVID-19 pandemic situation and recommending the best approach to deal with it, has advised the government to be flexible in introducing vaccines in the country, arguing that those approved worldwide Vaccines are safe and effective.
“It should give people the freedom to choose whether or not to be vaccinated,” said group chairman Prof. Said Aboud at a press conference at the State House in Dar es Salaam on Monday.
Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) chairman Willy Chambulo said the committee’s recommendations align very well with tour operators, arguing that if enforced, they will see not only a recovery in the tourism industry, but that too Investments will open land to massive foreign direct links.
“Tanzania does not lose anything, for example because it is transparent and complies with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) to recognize the vaccinated tourists who are popularly known as” green passport holders “,” noted the TATO boss.
