Zanzibar readies for 500,000 tourists target

The Minister of Information, Tourism and Heritage, Mr. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo

What you need to know:

  • With more initiatives designed to promote the tourism sector in Zanzibar such as the Zanzibar Tourism Show 2018(ZTS 2018), the region is expected to reach the target of 500,000 tourists before 2020.
  • Being one of the fast growing sectors of the economy Tourism contributes to 27 per cent of Zanzibar’s economy.

Dar es Salaam. The Minister of Information, Tourism and Heritage, Mr. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said that Zanzibar is on course to reach the target of 500,000 tourists coming end of 2018.

The minister said this yesterday during a media briefing on the Zanzibar Tourism Show 2018(ZTS 2018), scheduled to kick off on the October 17-20th this year for the purpose of promoting the sector.

According to the minister, the target set last year by the President of Revolution Government of Zanzibar Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, when the region tabled 433,474 tourists from a total of 1,326,000 nationwide.

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“Last year we were given a target of reaching half a million tourists by 2020, So far we have accomplished more than half of the targeted goal,” he said.

Minister Kombo said the increase in number of tourists creates more opportunities for people in Zanzibar to grow economically.

“Example through our certain survey it was discovered that 60 per cent of the fishes in the region are purchased in activities related to tourism sector,” he added.

On the matter of security concerns the minister said it has been improved with constant police patrols and installation of CCTV cameras in the streets.

Themed “Responsible Tourism for Better and Greener Tomorrow” the show is expected to be inaugurated by the president of Zanzibar Dr Ali Mohamed Shein.

Moreover the executive secretary of the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Dr Abdullah Mohammed said the sector’s development involve both public, private sectors and the people.

 “It’s important for both sections of the economy to cooperate and that’s why we say Tourism for all,” he said.

 

 

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