Tanzania Becoming Even More Risky for LGBTQ+ Travelers
Travel to the East African nation of Tanzania is becoming increasingly dangerous amid a renewed effort by the government to crack down on LGBTQ+ individuals and activity. New reports of a widespread crackdown come weeks after a statement made by the governor of the most populated region of the country, pledging to track down and arrest those in the LGBTQ+ community. Now, people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer living in Tanzania are reportedly fleeing the country or going into hiding.
Same-sex activity is illegal in Tanzania. Additionally, homosexuality is, by de facto, also illegal. Male same-sex activity and homosexuality carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years while female same-sex activity and homosexuality carry a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.
While the ramifications for Tanzanians are clear, they are less so for travelers. The governor of the region of Dar Es Salaam, Paul Makonda, made a proclamation in late October, "I am announcing to every citizen of Dar Es Salaam: If you know any gays, report them to me."
While Tanzania is not alone in having laws punishing LGBTQ+ individuals and activity, it is one of the few countries that is stepping up enforcement of these laws. According to Rainbow Railroad, a Canadian organization that assists those in the LGBTQ+ community in escaping violence, the situation in Tanzania is growing increasingly dangerous.
LGBTQ+ travelers should take extreme caution should it be essential to travel to Tanzania. In addition to always registering with the STEP program via the US Department of State before traveling abroad, the department has issued a Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" advisory when traveling to Tanzania and notes that LGBTQ+ travelers have faced legal issues and even harassment while visiting Tanzania. For more information on LGBTQ+ travel, see The Points Guy's post on LGBTQ+ travel.
Tanzania sees nearly 1.3 million tourists annually. Tourism is on the rise for the nation, which is home to Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti. Dar Es Salaam (DAR) is the main port of entry and currently has flights serving cities such as Amsterdam, Istanbul and Zurich. The East African nation has invested a great deal in tourism as the economy of Tanzania grows. While the country is home to some of the most remarkable safaris on the globe, LGBTQ+ travelers should look elsewhere given the recent rounds of violence against LGBTQ+ individuals and couples.
H/T: Rainbow Railroad
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
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Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
- Top rated mobile app