Surviving Amidst COVID-19 Economic Impacts in Tanzania: Learning from Porters and Guides at Kilimanjaro National Park

Abstract

In Tanzania, tourism industry employed about one million people which is 11.2 percent of total work force in Tanzania. This is due to the fact that Tanzanian is having many distinct natural features that attract tourists such as Kilimanjaro Mountain which is the roof of Africa. Among those one million jobs in tourism industry, porters and guides of Mount Kilimanjaro are included. COVID-19 has impacted tourism industry negatively to the point that the industry was shut down in 2020 and all jobs and employment were cut off. Among the most affected groups are porters and guides in Mount Kilimanjaro their jobs are temporary and depend on seasons. This study sought to explore the economic impact caused by COVID-19 pandemic to porters and guides and the strategies that they used to survive amidst the difficult period of COVID-19 to make a living and fulfill their family’s basic needs. Learning from these porters and guides the study revealed the major negative economic impact they faced was reduction in the individual and family income caused by decrease in the number of visitors due to COVID-19 pandemic. The study further revealed that, there are number of aspects that made them survive amidst COVID-19 pandemic such personal saving, gifts and grants from once served tourists, subsistence allowances from their employers and engaging in other income generating activities such as subsistence small scale farming, sedentary livestock keeping, seeking for alternative employment and engaging in small business and entrepreneurship. The study recommends that porters and guides have to develop some plans that can make them well prepared to cope up with the negative economic impacts that will be caused by any other disasters to the industry in future time. Keywords: COVID-19, Economic Impacts, Porters, Guides