Tanzania tour operators are urging the government to utilise diplomatic channels to regularise airline bans in the European Union, saying the suspension will hurt earnings.Lobby group, Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato), says the European airspace ban on Tanzania-registered aircraft could raise safety concerns for tourists coming in, hurting the business.Chairperson Willy Chambulo argued that the ban is essentially a form of economic warfare and has nothing to do with the safety concerns as claimed by European Union authorities. The EU banned Tanzania-registered aircraft from its airspace in July, citing safety issues. And while the national carrier, Air Tanzania, doesn’t normally fly to the EU, such bans may often be considered when tourists are choosing holiday or business sites, as some of the trips may be completed by local airlines. Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Pindi Chana says Tanzania currently receives more than 5.36 million visitors annually, generating more than $4 billion in revenue. Of this total, countries from the European Union account for an estimated 35 per cent of all arrivals.TATO warns that the ongoing standoff with the EU could jeopardise Tanzania’s long-term goal of attracting eight million tourists by the year 2030.Mr Chambulo argues that Air Tanzania should already be in a safe league, especially since it runs on some of the newest aircraft, including the Airbus A220, three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, and two Boeing 737 Max 9s. The association, which has a nationwide membership of nearly 500 tour operators, believes the Tanzanian government should lobby against the airline ban through diplomatic means— engaging the African Union, the East African Community, and relevant bilateral agreements. “Tanzania should also demand complete transparency from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regarding the technical reasons,” Chambulo said in Arusha on Wednesday.Tato argues that commercial motives, rather than safety reasons, are behind the ban and that Tanzania should petition international platforms such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation for a remedy.Tanzanian Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa acknowledged that efforts are underway to resolve the situation. However, he declined to provide further details to The EastAfrican. The ban came at a tricky time as Tanzania heads into elections in October with President Samia Suluhu Hassan in the presidential race. She took over power after President John Pombe Magufuli died in 2021. Stakeholders in tourism, however, warn that a political distraction could see Tanzania lose more, as visitors may avoid the country due to aviation safety concerns. Tato urged the government to invest in strengthening the capacity of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority to address all cited concerns.African routes have been a major source of profit for European carriers, and Tanzania serves as an example.The Paris-Kilimanjaro route, for instance, yields €1,100 ($1,289) for a oneway economy-class fare, with flights fully booked year-round. Similarly, Paris-Nairobi fares average €850 ($996), and Paris-Cape Town fares go for €750 ($879). (ICE NAIROBI)

Fonte notizia: The EastAfrican