The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, with support from the local police, has stepped up efforts to protect international tourists from unscrupulous tour operators.

This comes after five tourists from France and The Netherlands, who had been booked to tour various parts of the country last week, ended up visiting only Zanzibar and Tarangire National Park.

According to the tour package, the holidaymakers were also supposed to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park for game viewing.

One of the tourists said: “We planned to visit five tourist attractions in Tanzania, but as a result of the con men, we ended up visiting only Zanzibar and Tarangire National Park.”

The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators CEO, Sirili Akko, said he was impressed by the police and Tanzania National Parks for coming to the rescue of the tourists and said the association would work hand in hand with the police to weed out unscrupulous tour operators.

Arusha Regional Police Commander, Charles Mkumbo, said police had so far arrested one suspect over the incident. Hesaid the suspect would soon appear in court to face charges of defrauding the tourists of $2 000.