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'Flycatchers' banned from streets of Arusha

Posted by Henry at 11:48 am, March 26th 2008.

 

It's the news that many, many tourists - and many of those working in the tourist industry too - have wanted to hear, but nevertheless it's caused a great deal of unrest in Arusha. 'Flycatchers' - the touts who hang around street corners in the centre of Arusha, pestering tourists to visit a travel agency and book a trek or safari - have been banned from the streets of the city.

 

Many felt that something had to be done about them; I myself regularly receive emails from disgruntled tourists who have had their time in Arusha ruined by the constant pestering of these flycatchers, who can be both persistent and, often, slightly menacing too.

 

But the flycatchers themselves - who are said to number around 60 - have protested against the ban, claiming that what they do is a perfectly legitimate way to earn a living. Indeed, they even claim it's a public service, enabling tourists who have yet to book a trek or safari to discover cheap and reliable agencies that they would otherwise overlook.

 

Instead, the flycatchers blame the curio and batik peddlers who also harrass tourists around the centre of Arusha. Furthermore, the money they earn (from commission paid by the tour companies) enables them to feed their children and put them through school. Take away their right to earn a living, they say, and they will have to find another - and possibly illegal - way to raise money.

 

Whilst one can see the flycatchers point of view, there is no doubt that many people's experiences of Arusha hae been tainted by the relentless hassle of the flycatchers, and something did need to be done. It is hoped, however, that some sort of compromise can be reached that avoids taking away the only way many of these touts have of making a living.