Dispute threatens lucrative Mount Kilimanjaro trekking industry

Moshi. Local tour operators and a foreign-affiliated organisation are on the brink of a dispute that threatens to put the Mount Kilimanjaro multi-million-dollar trekking industry in the crossfire.

Tanzanian tour operators are up in arms over what they allege to be unfair trade practices by the Kilimanjaro Responsible Trekking Organisation (KRTO) aimed at locking them out of the $50 million annual Mount Kilimanjaro hiking business, an allegation which KRTO strongly denied.

They accuse KRTO, through its Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), of conducting a covert and malicious campaign overseas and on its website under the “responsible tourism” tag that has made it increasingly difficult for local tour outfits to compete, resulting in significant business losses.

But KRTO chief executive Kevin Salla defended the organisation’s record and actions.

“We only support tour companies that wish to be certified as responsible,” he said, adding that the certification process is voluntary.

Mr Yona Samwel of Almighty Kilimanjaro Limited said KPAP was established about two decades ago as a defender of porters’ rights, but has since evolved into a powerful force that is squeezing local tour firms out of the market.

“Local tour companies are currently compelled to either be KPAP’s slave in the name of partners or risk losing business,” he added.

KPAP is now allegedly compelling companies to adhere to its responsible travel guidelines, which include providing appropriate climbing gear, fair wages and reasonable working conditions.

“KPAP’s campaign implies that many of its non-partner local companies are irresponsible, causing a drop in business from foreign travel agents,” Mr Samwel said.

“Most travel agents now work with KPAP-partner companies, most of which are foreign, robbing us of our livelihoods,” he added.

But Mr Salla denied that local firms were being subjected to unfair trade practices and coercion.

KRTO says on its website that partnering with KPAP offers significant marketing advantages.

“It will also provide your business with greater market exposure as many clients specifically seek ethical and responsible travel companies,” it says.

“Once your company meets the 85 percent performance level, your company’s name will appear on the Partner for Responsible Travel Programme list on the IMEC and KRTO websites.”

The crux of the dispute lies in KPAP’s listing of “responsible” tour operators, a label that has become crucial in the competitive world of Mount Kilimanjaro trekking.

Currently, KPAP lists 150 companies, of which 105 are foreign and only 45 are local.

This implies that 105 foreign outfits are engaging in trekking business on Mount Kilimanjaro, contrary to Tanzania’s Tourism Act of 2008, which reserves mountain trekking businesses for local operators.

Section 58(1) of the Tourism Act No. 29 of 2008 states that no non-Tanzanian citizen shall engage in a business of mountain trekking, tour guiding, car rental, or any other activities specified by the Ministry, except for foreign airlines and travel agents.

“However, KPAP has endorsed 105 foreign-affiliated tour corporations on its website and recommended tourists choose their listed responsible tour companies for Mount Kilimanjaro treks,” Mr Samwel noted.

“This means the organisation is promoting foreign companies, pushing us out of our own business.”

He argued that it is no wonder tourists have been flocking to Tanzania after the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s role in the Tanzania Royal Tour documentary.

However, the country still faces a shortage of foreign currency.

The controversy has sparked fears that local companies may, in the long term, lose their grip on the multi-million-dollar industry, leading to severe economic doldrums for local communities in the Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tanga and Manyara regions.

The impact of this dispute extends beyond the tour operators themselves. Porters and guides—many of whom rely on local companies for employment—are also feeling the pinch.

Mr Edson Mpemba, a prominent leader among Kilimanjaro porters, expressed concern over the growing unemployment rate among his 16,000 porters as local companies struggle to survive.

“Our porters are losing jobs at an alarming rate,” said Mr Mpemba.

“If local companies go out of business, thousands of porters will be left jobless. This isn’t just about business—it’s about the livelihoods of the people who depend on this mountain.”
Porters, often the unsung heroes and heroines of Kilimanjaro expeditions, play a crucial role in ensuring climbers reach the summit. They carry loads, set up camps and assist climbers throughout their journeys.
The daily wages of porters in Tanzania are fixed at $10 a day, owing to the physical demand of the job and they can carry only 20 kilograms of weight on the head.
The Tanzania Porters Organisation (TPO), which represents the interests of porters, has also voiced concerns over KPAP’s growing influence.

Mr Loshiye Mollel, TPO’s Executive Secretary, warned that KPAP’s actions could have long-term negative effects on the Mount Kilimanjaro hiking industry.

“KPAP’s attempt to control the tourism business is a mockery of our capabilities,” Mr Mollel said.

“If this continues, the entire industry could end up being controlled by a single entity and that’s dangerous for everyone.”
Many local operators feel that KPAP’s influence amounts to coercion rather than support. As the conflict continues, it is the porters who bear the greatest burden.
Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain at 5,895 metres above sea level, is a major tourist attraction.

To ensure that the money spent by international tourists benefits poor communities near tourist destinations, Tanzania enacted the Tourism Act in 2008, reserving the Mount Kilimanjaro trekking business for local tour operators.

A study by SNV titled “Tracing the Tourist Dollar in Northern Tanzania” reveals that climbing Mount Kilimanjaro benefits the poor more than other tourist activities in the region.

The study shows that 28 percent of the revenue generated from climbing Africa’s highest peak trickles down to poor communities, compared to just 19 percent from other attractions in the northern tourist circuit.

With 56,000 tourists climbing Kilimanjaro each year, generating over $50 million in revenue, approximately $14 million goes directly to locals who rely on trekking for their livelihoods.

Wages and tips earned by climbing staff, many of whom come from poor backgrounds, are considered 100 percent pro-poor.

This model of transferring resources from international tourists to local communities is regarded as one of the most effective in Africa and Asia.