Tourism Seen Booming in Zanzibar

Zanzibar has seen a boom in tourism with more visitors arriving in country, putting the archipelago in the Indian Ocean firmly on track to meet its Vision 2020 targets for growth. ZATI, the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors, an organisation acting as a representative to the government for its members, reports that the number of tourists arriving during the first half of 2016 is already greater than the total number recorded for all of 2015, and this puts the target of 500,000 visitors per year within attainable reach. However, Zanzibar must remain competitive in today’s demanding tourist market by addressing taxation problems within the industry and improving quality of provision, working in tandem with the country’s government. A new brochure promoting the country has now been published, and this has coincided with a new board being appointed and a conference being held to bring together representatives from tourism’s private sector to share information and discuss aspects of the industry with the Zanzibar government. 120 people attended the conference from the private sector, with representatives from hotels, airlines, local businesses and tour operators taking part. Participants included long term and new investors from at home and abroad. Zanzibar’s tourist industry is a key area in the drive towards eradicating poverty and Vision 2020, contributing over 80% of foreign exchange and providing the highest level of private sector employment in the country. It also enriches and contributes to several other sectors including trading, transport, farming and building.