Conferencing and hotel industry players in Tanzania are raising concerns over loss of business due to a recent decision by the government to revise the cost of a business visa upwards.

In new rules introduced in January, foreigners from countries without a visa arrangement with Tanzania are now required to pay $200 while American passport holders pay $250, up from $50 and $100 respectively.

The new fees came into effect after the government abolished the Carrying on Temporary Assignment Pass (CTA), saying that it had been abused and that it lacked a proper implementation plan.

Stakeholders say as a result of the new levies, conference tourism is suffering, with some organisers cancelling scheduled events or opting for facilities in neighbouring countries where the visa fees are lower. Rwanda charges $30, Kenya charges $67 while Uganda and Burundi charge $87 for delegates attending conferences.

Hotel Association of Tanzania chief executive officer, Ms Lathifa Sykes, said organisers are now diverting conferences that had earlier been confirmed to take place in Tanzania.

“There has already been a cancellation of a June meeting scheduled for Tanzania, and which would have drawn 200-250 delegates. The meeting has been shifted to Uganda.”

On Wednesday however, Mr Irovya said that the new fees applies only to business meetings and that the old fees still stood for other visits.

“Many countries around the world charge such fees and we have done it under the law,” said Mr Irovya

The conferences and marketing director at the Arusha International Conference Centre, Mkunde Senyagwa, said that she was worried that they could fail to meet their target of co-hosting 90 meetings by December, together with the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam.
By April, the two facilities had hosted 14 conferences.