Partner Editorial Guidelines

Travellers choose a business on Tanzania Tour Operators (TTO) from what is written and shown here, so what you publish must be true, clear and kind to read. These guidelines apply to everything you add to your listing: tours, prices, photos, profile, rooms, menus and replies. They are part of the Partner Terms.

1. The five rules

Be accurate. Say only what you can deliver. If something changes, change the listing.
Be complete. A traveller should know what they get, what it costs and what is not covered.
Be yours. Write your own text and show photos you have the right to use. Never copy another business.
Be fair. No false urgency, no hidden costs, no comparisons that put other businesses down, no fake reviews.
Be respectful. Of travellers, your staff, local communities and wildlife.

2. Writing style

Write in clear English with short sentences. Use the spelling of one variety of English (we use British spelling: “travellers”, “colour”).
Use normal sentence case. Do not write in ALL CAPITALS, use more than one exclamation mark, or use emoji, symbols or repeated punctuation to attract attention.
Write dates as “12 March 2027”, times in the 24-hour or am/pm form you use consistently, distances in kilometres, heights in metres, and always name the currency next to a price.
Use the place names travellers will recognise (for example “Ngorongoro Crater”, not only a local nickname).
Do not put phone numbers, email addresses, website links or social media handles in descriptions, titles or photo text. Your contact details belong in your profile fields, and travellers contact you through the request form.
Check spelling before you save. A listing with many errors may be sent back.

3. Names and titles

Use your real trading name. Do not add keywords, locations, “best”, “cheap” or promotions to a business name.
Tour titles describe the trip, for example “Serengeti and Ngorongoro Safari”. The number of days is added by the system as “7-Day …”, so do not type it again. Do not add prices, discounts, dates or claims such as “No 1” to a title.
Do not use one tour title for different trips, and do not publish the same tour several times.

4. Descriptions and itineraries

The tour description should be at least 300 characters and explain who the trip suits, what makes it different, and what a traveller will do and see. Write it yourself.
Each day of a multi-day tour or trek needs a title, a story of what happens (where, what, how long, how travelled) and at least one photo. Name the places, the lodge or camp where guests sleep, and the meals included.
Name the accommodation actually used. If you may substitute a similar place, say so. Do not list a lodge you do not book.
Drive times and walking times should be realistic. Do not make a day look easier than it is.
Do not guarantee wildlife sightings, weather, a summit, the Great Migration or any natural event. Say what is likely and when.
Treks and mountain climbs: give true altitudes, hiking times, distances, the route and the number of nights. State your success rate only if you have records to support it, and explain how you handle acclimatisation, medical checks, oxygen and rescue. Describe how your porters, guides and cooks are paid, equipped and looked after; say you follow the porter-welfare standards of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) only if you do.
Day trips: give the pickup time and place, the meeting point and how long the trip takes.
Add a “What to bring” list and the minimum age or health limits where they matter for safety.

5. Prices, inclusions and conditions

The “from” price must be a price a traveller can really book, for a stated number of travellers and year or season. Show the price per person for each group size you offer, and any single-room supplement or child discount.
List everything included and everything not included. Park and conservation fees, accommodation, meals, drinks, transfers, flights, visas, tips, equipment hire, travel insurance and optional extras are the usual causes of misunderstanding. A mandatory cost must never be hidden or added later.
If your prices change by season, set the seasons and dates. If you run fixed departures, list the dates, the seats and the status honestly.
Keep prices up to date. Update or take a tour offline when you can no longer offer it at the price shown.
State your payment terms, cancellation and refund policy, and insurance advice in your profile. They must be clear, fair and the same as you will give in a written quote.
Do not use countdown timers, “only 1 left” or “price rises tomorrow” unless it is true and can be shown.

6. Photos and video

Use photos you took, or have written permission or a licence to use. Do not use images taken from other websites, from other businesses or from search results. Credit the photographer where the licence requires it.
Show what the traveller will really get: your vehicles, guides, camps, rooms, dishes and trips. Do not use a photo of a different lodge, a different route or a stock image to suggest it is yours.
Choose sharp, well-lit, upright photos. We recommend at least 1,200 px wide (1,600 px for a cover photo). Do not add logos, phone numbers or watermarks across the picture, collages, heavy filters or text banners. We reduce the file size for you.
Show people with their permission. For photos of children or of local people close up, get consent from them or their guardians.
Show wildlife responsibly. Do not publish photos of animals being fed, baited, chased, touched, or approached too closely, or of vehicles off the track in a park.
No nudity, violence, distressing or offensive images, or images of people clearly in difficulty.
Each tour day, room, dish or other item should have a photo that is about that item. Put photos in a sensible order, with the best first.

7. Claims, licences and awards

Show a licence, membership, award or certification only if you hold it now, and be able to prove it. A claim such as “eco-friendly”, “carbon neutral”, “community owned” or “locally owned” must be supported by facts.
Keep your licence documents valid and upload the new ones before they expire.
Do not say or suggest that a government body, park authority or Tanzania Tour Operators (TTO) endorses you unless they have said so in writing.
Describe other businesses fairly or not at all. Do not name a competitor to run it down.

8. Places to stay and restaurants

Places to stay: list every room type with its real size, beds, number of guests and from-price. Amenities must exist and work (do not tick “air conditioning” or “Wi-Fi” if only some rooms have them: say which). State check-in and check-out times, children and extra-bed rules, cancellation and payment terms and house rules.
Restaurants: keep your menu, prices and opening hours current. Label dietary options (halal, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free) only if you can prepare them safely, and say if you cannot avoid cross-contact with allergens.
Give the true location. Put the map pin where guests will find you, and describe how to get there, including the condition of the last road.

9. Replying to travellers

Reply to every request, aim for 24 hours, and contact the traveller in the way they prefer (email, WhatsApp or phone).
Answer the questions asked. Give a written quote with the total price, inclusions, exclusions, payment and cancellation terms, and how long the quote is valid.
Do not pressure anyone to decide, to pay a deposit straight away, or to move the conversation away from the trip they asked about.
Say who the traveller should pay, in whose name, and by what method. Give a receipt.
Use the request status in your dashboard honestly: Pending reply, Awaiting confirmation, Confirmed or Cancelled.
Use travellers’ details only as set out in section 9 of the Partner Terms.

10. Replying to reviews

Thank the traveller, answer what they raised and say what you will do. Stay calm, even if the review feels unfair.
Do not blame, name or insult the reviewer, share their private details, argue about facts at length, or offer something in return for changing the review.
Do not ask guests for only positive reviews or give a reward that depends on the rating. You may invite all guests to share their honest experience.
If you think a review breaks the Review and Community Guidelines, report it to us and do not contact the traveller about it.

11. What our team checks

New businesses and tours are checked before they appear: documents, a complete profile, the points in this document, and whether the listing looks like a real, working business.
Changes to a live tour: changes to days, prices, price table, best months and the “featured” switch go live at once and may be checked afterwards. Other changes, such as the name, description, photos and inclusions, are held for the team to approve before they replace the live version. The tour list shows which tours have changes waiting.
Reviews are checked as described in the Review and Community Guidelines.
The team may send a tour back with notes pinned to the fields to fix, edit small errors, or take a tour offline. Please answer every note, either by changing the field or by writing why you have left it.

12. If something is wrong

If a listing is found to be inaccurate or to break these guidelines, we may ask you to correct it, correct it ourselves, take it offline, or, for serious or repeated problems, suspend the account (see the Partner Terms). If you disagree with a decision, write to [email protected] and tell us why.

13. A checklist before you publish

Is every fact true today: prices, dates, places to sleep, inclusions?
Does each day have a title, a story and a photo that is about it?
Are the exclusions, payment terms and cancellation terms clear?
Do you own or have permission for every photo?
Are there any phone numbers, links or capital-letter slogans to remove?
Do your licences and documents show the correct dates?
Have you read it as a traveller who has never heard of your business?