FWIW, Tanzania radio has just broadcast the news that the TZ Government has announced that the new price increases have been reduced by approximately 45% (I assume) across the board. Hopefully they'll put it in writing with exact revised prices in the next few days........

They verbally accepted the last TAHOA proposal submitted on 17th Oct. Now we are waiting to recieve written notification of the same. I pity those that paid the new fees upfront in the hope of receiving some "abandoned" grade A block for themselves....good luck in getting their money back!

Revised block fees and trophy fees are acceptable although higher than what we started the season with. it will take several months to process the backlog of payments and get the trophies out to clients.

This does not mean 2008 is sorted. Negotiations for that is just about to start....

So all this is only for 2007 and retroactive!

So much for due process!

Karibu Africa......

My guess is the 2008 prices will be very similar or identical to those they announced in July 2007...... but of course, time will tell.

I just got off the phone with the executive representative of TAHOA. Here is the situation:

They have resolved the game and block fees for 2007. The block fees increased by 50%, a very reasonable amount. The trophy fees for 2007 are going to be very close to the following, I say very close because there is some fine tuning that may be done, but it shouldn't be anything that would be significant:

(keep in mind these are the base government fees and most operators add some to this. You need to get the official prices from your operators.)

Baboon $125.00
1st Buffalo $870.00
2nd Buffalo $900.00
3rd Buffalo $1,000.00
Bushbuck $500.00
Bushpig $320.00
Crocodile $1,200.00
Civit Cat $200.00
Dik-dik $250.00
Duiker $280.00
Eland $1,300.00
Elephant $6,000.00
Gazelle Grants $320.00
Gazelle Thompsons $500.00
Gerenuk $1,850.00
Hartebeest, Lichtensteins $500.00
Hyena $250.00
Hippo $1,200.00
Impala $350.00
Jackal $150.00
Klipspringer $950.00
Kudu - Greater $1,700.00
Kudu - Lesser $1,780.00
Leopard $3,200.00
Lion $3,800.00
Oryx $1,300.00
Ostrich $1,050.00
Reedbuck, Common $430.00
Reedbuck, Bohor $430.00
Roan $1,750.00
Sable $1,750.00
Sitatunga $1,750.00
Steenbuck $240.00
Topi $500.00
Waterbuck, Defassa $630.00
Warthog $450.00
Wildebeest $480.00
Zebra $860.00

The trophy fees for 2008 are going to differ a bit, most notably the Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Gerenuk, Lesser Kudu, Roan, Sable, Sitatunga. The increases that are being discussed are not huge, and would not likely cause mass cancellations. They would be more in line with Zambia prices. Royal Antelope (Roan, Sable, Sitatunga, Lesser Kudu, Gerenuk) would likely go from $1750 to $2500.

They are considering a sliding scale on Elephant trophy fees to increase from $6000 (2007 rates) to $7500 and then a slide to $10,000 on Bulls over 60 lbs/side. (This does not apply to 2007 trophies)

Lion will likely go to $4500-$5000, Leopard would likely not top $4000, probably around $3500. Buffalo are going to be around $1500.

The block fees for 2008 are going to increase to $25,000. I am sure this will cause an increase in day rates by a bit. How much would depend on the number of hunting days the operator sells and how it can be spred across the average number of days. I would guess $100- $200/day maybe??? Just a guess.

The end result of this agreement is a positive one. The Minister has recognized the need to resolve the situation and has made, what I consider, a reasonable alternative to the proposed fee increase.

Yes, it is going to cost more to hunt in Tanzania in the future, but it may still be within the reach of the common hunter looking for a 7-day Buffalo hunt.

Good news Wendell, thanks for the update. Tanz is back on my list. And hopefully other countries will have taken notes, and not get any bright ideas.

Does anyone know if this is now final and formally announced? Or when it might be? I have a bunch of trophies over there

Thanks

I believe the 2007 are final now. Blacktailer listed a final invoice for his trophies.

You will need to get with your operator as these are the actual government fees and very few operators charge fees at the government rate.

Ummmm, well they probably are, but I believe the GD have yet to issue the formal written notification, so it's not yet been put in writing as far as I know...... Also the Minister who caused all the hassle has now been sacked and a replacement installed....... whether that will make any difference, I don't know.

Perhaps BwanaMich might care to comment as he'll have the most up to date info.

quote:

Also the Minister who caused all the hassle has now been sacked and a replacement installed

Interesting!

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Also the Minister who caused all the hassle has now been sacked and a replacement installed.

That is incorrect. The Minister of Tourism and Natural Resources, Jumanne Maghembe, still holds his job.

The fellow who was reassigned, Emmanuel Severe, was Director of Wildlife in the Ministry.

Do not necessarily count him out though - he has been around a long time and has had his ups and downs before.

You're quite right, he's actually the man who advises the Minister and tells him what to say and as you say is the director of wildlife within the ministry..... I apologise for my slip of the keyboard. He's actually the power behind throne.

Don't know if you guys ever got that old Brit TV comedy series called 'Yes Minister' - but I imaging it's much like that.

I am afraid that you have it completely backwards in this case, shakari.

Why?

I can't get to my other PC st the moment because it's buggered but working from memory, I seem to remember that my who does what chart tells me I have the pecking order about right.

Do you mean the Director of Wildlife is above the Minister in the pecking order?

My question is will the outfitters going to the Dallas Safari Club know what their prices will be? Looks like they will be able to come pretty close to figuring out their expenses now that most of the trophy fees have been decided.

As long as they finalize the 2008 fees before the show, the operators will know exactly what to charge.

I thought that was to be settled on the 12th, but that meeting was canceled, so, hopefully on Monday, they can come to a firm decision on 2008 fees.

quote:

My question is will the outfitters going to the Dallas Safari Club know what their prices will be? Looks like they will be able to come pretty close to figuring out their expenses now that most of the trophy fees have been decided.

Keep in mind that any hunts you are booking at DSC may be for 2009 or beyond and as we have just seen, nobody knows what will happen by then. This is Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Why?

I meant that the Minister is the one calling the shots these days.