The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife has today closed a number of tourism operators for failing to pay annual licence fees.

Some of the operators that have been closed in Blantyre this afternoon include Dream Tours Travel Agency, Lloyd’s Travel Centre and Travel Connections.

Tourism officer for the Southern Region Kennedy Jana said the ministry wants to ensure operators comply with the law and that clients are transacting with legitimate agents.

“It cannot be a free for all affair. This exercise is meant to remind all of their responsibilities as enshrined in the country’s laws,” he said.

The annual fee for travel agents is K140 000 and K300 000 for tour operators. Failure to pay the fees attracts a penalty of K50 000 according to the Tourism and Hotels Act.

Some of the operators that we interviewed blamed procedures used by the ministry in enforcing payment of the annual licence fees for their failure to pay on time.

Mphatso Chiwambo of Lloyd’s Travel Centre said: “We have been operating this business for nine years and we have never been served with an invoice. The act of rushing to close the businesses before proper engagement is unfair.”

Source:NPL