MOSHI, The government has warned a private trekking organisation against presenting itself as the authority responsible for determining which companies are legally entitled to operate mountain tourism on Mount Kilimanjaro.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism said the Kilimanjaro Responsible Trekking Organisation (KRTO), which also runs the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), must operate within the limits of its legal mandate and cannot assume regulatory powers reserved for the state.
The intervention comes amid a dispute over the role of KPAP, a private programme that promotes standards for the treatment of porters working on Kilimanjaro.
The ministry said all tourism companies and organisations must comply with Tanzania’s Tourism Act, Cap. 65, including requirements governing registration, licensing, service standards and the operation of tourism businesses.
It said organisations without statutory authority could not lawfully take over functions assigned to the government or other legally mandated bodies.
The government also stressed that no private organisation, association or other non-statutory body could declare a tourism company or agent legally authorised or unauthorised to operate on behalf of the state.
The ministry directed KRTO to stop presenting itself as having the authority to certify, approve or declare companies legally entitled to conduct mountain tourism in Tanzania.
It also warned against presenting KRTO’s own “responsible tour operator” criteria in a way that could be interpreted as a legal requirement or official government certification.
According to the ministry, information published by KRTO on its website and through international networks could create the impression that the organisation is the final authority on the legality of companies operating mountain tourism.
The government said such representations could affect other tourism businesses that hold licences issued by the relevant authorities.
KRTO was also warned against interfering with licensed operators, threatening or warning tourism companies using powers not granted to it by law, or assuming statutory responsibility for representing the interests of mountain porters beyond its mandate.
The ministry said continued activities outside KRTO’s legal authority, including statements that could mislead the public about the legality of tourism companies, could result in action being taken without further notice.
The warning follows complaints from some Tanzanian operators about the influence of KPAP’s certification programme.
KPAP promotes standards covering porter welfare, including pay, equipment, food, accommodation and working conditions.
Critics say the programme’s influence has extended beyond worker welfare, with some international travel companies and customers allegedly preferring operators associated with KPAP.
They argue that this can make a voluntary private certification effectively important for accessing the international market, even though it is not a government licence.
KRTO has rejected claims that KPAP discriminates against Tanzanian-owned operators or restricts access to the market. It maintains that participation is voluntary and that its purpose is to promote responsible tourism and improve conditions for porters.
The government’s warning comes as some local operators are also calling for greater scrutiny of the ownership and control of companies conducting trekking operations on Kilimanjaro.
Tanzania’s Tourism Act restricts non-citizens from engaging in the business of mountain climbing or trekking.
Some operators have alleged that foreign interests may nevertheless be benefiting from the industry through Tanzanian nominees or other ownership arrangements. Those allegations have not been independently established.
The issue is economically significant because Kilimanjaro trekking supports porters, guides, hotels, transport providers and other businesses in northern Tanzania.
The Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), through Kilimanjaro National Park, will continue to ensure that companies operating inside the park comply with applicable laws, licence conditions, conservation requirements and operational procedures, the ministry said.
The government said the management and enforcement of tourism activities within protected areas remained the responsibility of institutions empowered by law.
It also reaffirmed its recognition of the contribution made by non-governmental organisations, tourism associations and private-sector organisations to Tanzania’s tourism industry.
But it said such organisations must operate within the legal framework governing the sector.
The dispute over KRTO and KPAP highlights a broader question for Tanzania’s tourism industry: how private organisations can promote responsible tourism and protect workers while ensuring that voluntary standards do not become a parallel system of statutory regulation.
For the government, the distinction is clear: private organisations can promote responsible tourism and establish voluntary standards, but the authority to register businesses, issue licences, determine legal operating status and enforce tourism laws rests with institutions empowered to do so under Tanzanian law.
