World Tourism Day (Sept. 27): Maasai in Northern Tanzania Call for Fundamental Change in the Tourism Industry

On the occasion of World Tourism Day on September 27, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), together with the Maasai International Solidarity Alliance (MISA), is drawing attention to the human rights consequences of tourism in northern Tanzania.

Due to growing tourism, the Maasai are being pushed further and further away from their land: Grazing lands are shrinking, and access to vital resources is being restricted. According to MISA, trophy hunting in particular represents a form of tourism that contributes to land grabbing and violates human rights.

“The hunting of wild animals is considered the biggest driver of land grabbing and raises serious ethical and ecological questions. But safari tourism must also not result in the Maasai losing their land and, with it, their livelihoods. Anyone wishing to operate tourism on the land of indigenous peoples must respect their rights and involve them in decision-making,” says Laura Mahler, STP’s Advisor for Sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2026, MISA, with support from STP, documented the impact of tourism on the Maasai and explored alternative models. As part of this effort, more than 500 people in four Maasai districts were interviewed, including traditional leaders, women, and young people. The local population described their experiences with tourism on their land and shared their hopes for the future. The discussions revealed that tourism is placing increasing pressure on Maasai lands.

“Communities should be able to decide for themselves whether, where, and under what conditions tourism takes place on their lands,” explains MISA.

Based on these discussions, MISA is developing a Maasai vision for sustainable tourism in their region with the following key demands:

1. No land grabbing: Tourism must respect and protect the pastoral way of life.
2. A complete ban on trophy hunting, as well as national and international import bans.
3. No tourism projects without free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC): Full community control over land and tourism is key.
4. A new tourism model: community-led, community-owned, and with fair sharing of revenues.

The STP supports these demands. The Maasai Tourism Vision will be published in the coming months and builds on the previously published Conservation Vision.

The Maasai International Solidarity Alliance (MISA) is an international network of Maasai representatives, church organizations, human rights groups, and civil society organizations. MISA advocates for the land rights, self-determination, and livelihoods of the Maasai in northern Tanzania. The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) is a member of the MISA network and, together with the other member organizations, supports the Maasai’s causes at the national and international levels.