ARUSHA: TANZANIA is considering establishing a special one-stop centre bringing together a dedicated police unit and the Immigration Department to handle all matters related to tourists and other foreigners entering, visiting or working in the country.
The move follows the success of the Tourism and Diplomatic Police Department in the Northern Zone, which has helped resolve numerous challenges facing the tourism sector.
Speaking in Arusha, Superintendent of Police (SP) Waziri Ibrahim Tenga, head of the Tourism and Diplomatic Police Unit, said the department is the first and so far, the only one of its kind in East Africa, and is internationally recognised for the services it provides to foreigners and the travel industry.
“We have established a strong network linking the police, embassies, foreign travel agents and the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO),” SP Tenga said.
He noted that Tanzania is among the few African countries where tourists are assured of comprehensive protection and safety.
“We provide special escorts from airports to hotels and lodges. Even as tourists travel within the country, there are specialised units along roads and highways to ensure they are well served and their safety is guaranteed,” he explained.
According to SP Tenga, the effectiveness of the unit has attracted interest from other countries, with representatives from Germany, Kenya, Uganda, the United Kingdom and the United States visiting the department to learn from its operations.
With Tanzania currently receiving more than five million tourists annually and targeting over eight million foreign visitors by 2030, the Ministry of Home Affairs has seen the need to further strengthen and expand the unit.
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SP Tenga said the department has also put in place special procedures to assist tourists who lose or misplace passports and other travel documents while on safari.
“Through our system, backup travel documents can be processed as visitors continue with their leisure or business activities. They do not have to panic or cut short their trips,” he said.
He added that by the time tourists complete their visits, replacement documents are usually ready to enable smooth return journeys.
To further streamline services, the government is now planning to establish a one-stop centre that will integrate the Tourism and Diplomatic Police Unit with immigration services, allowing all issues concerning tourists and other foreign visitors to be handled efficiently under one roof.