Traveling Despite Serengeti Attack
A bandit attack that injured three people earlier this month in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park was an isolated incident, tour operators insist, and they are continuing to book tours to the African game park.
American Barbara Backey, Italian Anna Olvero and a Tanzanian van driver were injured Sept. 8, according to Tanzania National Parks officials, when bandits armed with guns, clubs and machetes attacked several tourist vans.
David Herbert, president of 20-year-old African Travel Inc. in Glendale, which arranges Tanzanian itineraries for about 800 people each year, said he learned of the incident through Tanzanian sources. He said he knows of no other such attack at Serengeti.
“People have a right to be concerned,” he said. “But we have no hesitation about going down there ourselves. We believe it is an isolated incident.”
Neighboring Kenya, in contrast, has had several violent incidents involving foreigners over the last few years. Among them: muggings and beatings of diplomats and other foreigners last year in Nairobi and attacks on tourists in 1992.
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