Zanzibar eyes more tourists as visitor numbers rise

Unguja. Zanzibar recorded a 73.9 percent rise in visitors from Europe, with 62,125 European tourists arriving in January 2025, according to statistics released by the government.

The African continent came second with 12.4 percent of the total visitors, contributing 10,390 visitors during the same period.

The increase in tourists has prompted calls from economists and statisticians to improve Zanzibar’s tourist attractions and ensure that visitors spend their money within the local economy, rather than just in hotels.

An economist and statistician at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), Zanzibar Branch, Shamy Chamicha said that the growth in the number of visitors must be matched by increased investment in tourist attractions to ensure that tourists contribute to the local economy.

“When visitors come to the country, there must be many attractions to ensure they leave money after exploring, which increases economic circulation. If they just stay in hotels, the money they bring will go back to their countries,” Mr Chamicha explained.

This sentiment echoes comments from the minister for Tourism and Antiquities, Mr Mudrick Ramadhan Soraga, who previously noted that many visitors do not return to Zanzibar due to the lack of diverse attractions. 

As a result, the government is working to develop new tourism products, including sports tourism, conferences, and Halal tourism, to make Zanzibar a more appealing destination. 

A senior economist at the Zanzibar University (SUZA), Estela Ngoma Hassan, urged stakeholders in the tourism sector to focus on promoting Zanzibar in other regions such as China and Africa to attract more visitors. 

Similarly, Hassan Amer Vuai, an officer from the Zanzibar Tourism Commission, said the commission is working to promote Zanzibar’s tourism in regions like Africa, China, and India, while also planning various events to attract tourists.

According to the Zanzibar’s chief statistician’s office, the number of visitors in January 2025 decreased by 8.2 percent compared to the 91,611 visitors in December 2024.

Among the visitors to Zanzibar in January, 62,125 (73.9 percent) were from Europe, 10,390 (12.4 percent) were from Africa, 5,546 (6.6 percent) were from the Americas, and 840 (1.0 percent) were from Oceania.

Italy led with 11,725 visitors (13.9 percent of all visitors), followed by Poland with 8,150 visitors (9.7 percent) and France with 7,983 visitors (9.5 percent). Germany followed with 5,401 visitors (6.4 percent).

Of the total visitors, 75,767 (90.1 percent) arrived by air, while 8,302 (9.9 percent) arrived by sea.

The majority of visitors, 40,229 (47.9 percent), were male, and 43,840 (52.1 percent) were female. The majority of visitors, 99.5 percent, came for leisure, 0.4 percent came to visit friends and family, and 0.1 percent visited for business or conferences.

Zanzibar has also introduced travel insurance for tourists, which covers medical expenses for travellers. Since October 1, 2024, all tourists are required to pay 44 US dollars for the insurance, which has been beneficial to many tourists who encounter health issues while in the country.