ARUSHA: THE Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) has emphasised the crucial role of the tourism industry in conservation efforts.
Speaking at a recent gathering in Arusha to honour the legacy of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, TATO Chairman Wilbard Chambulo urged tourism stakeholders to contribute financially to conservation initiatives.
He proposed that operators donate just one dollar for each tourist visiting Serengeti National Park to support desnaring efforts against rising poaching threats.
Mr Chambulo expressed frustration over the lack of contributions from large investors benefitting from Tanzania’s natural resources.
He challenged them, saying, “What are we leaving behind for future generations?. Lets put money where our mouths eat”.
As subsistence poaching evolves into large-scale operations, the Serengeti faces renewed pressures.
In response to this, TATO and partners, including the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), established a de-snaring programme in April 2017.
This initiative, which employs reformed poachers to remove snares intended for species like wildebeests, has freed countless animals from traps.
However, its success relies on greater financial support from those who benefit directly from the park’s wildlife.
Mr Chambulo highlighted that tour operators, whose livelihoods depend on the Serengeti’s wildlife, play a vital role in this conservation effort.
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By contributing, they can help ensure the park remains a sanctuary for its iconic species and secure their own futures in sustainable tourism.
Through this appeal, TATO aims to foster a legacy of collaborative conservation, encouraging the tourism industry to become a proud steward of Tanzania’s natural heritage.
“In doing so, you will not only safeguard an irreplaceable ecosystem, but also secure their own future in a thriving, sustainable tourism industry” Mr Chambulo concluded.
TATO, is Tanzania’s leading members-only group advocating for over 300 private expert tour operators in Tanzania, the home of the number one safari destination in the world.
Tanzania houses four of the most coveted adventure destinations on earth; the Serengeti, Mt Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Ngorongoro Crater.
“TATO’s primary mission is to support the vast members of tour operators in Tanzania,” said the organisation’s Executive Director, Mr Elirehema Maturo.
Tour operators create and curate-challenging expeditions out to the vast savannas of the Serengeti or coordinate complicated climbs up Mt Kilimanjaro.
Travel agents depend on tour operators all around the globe to provide safe, wellorchestrated journeys.
“TATO also provides its members a platform to stay connected in a travel field that is also directly linked to the conservation of endangered wildlife, threatening climate change and cultural preservation” Mr Maturo explained.
