Unguja. Zanzibar experienced a slight decline in international tourism in November 2024, with a 4 percent drop in the number of visitors compared to October 2024 as the Island continues to target 800,000 arrivals this year.
According to the latest tourism statistics released on December 17, 2024, by the Office of the Chief Government Statistician in collaboration with the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, the island recorded 67,049 international visitors in November, down from 69,860 in the previous month.
The report, however, does not give the possible reason for the slight slowdown in the number of arrivals in November.
Despite the drop from October, November’s visitor numbers showed a significant increase of 17 percent compared to the same period in 2023, when only 57,296 tourists visited Zanzibar.
European tourists continued to dominate Zanzibar’s tourism market, accounting for 73 percent of the total arrivals in November 2024.
Italy maintained its position as the top source country, contributing 11.2 percent of all visitors, followed by France at 9.4 percent.
The number of tourists from some European countries, such as the United Kingdom and Germany, saw notable declines of 25 percent and 35.6 percent, respectively, compared to the previous month.
South Africa leads in the number of tourists from Africa with 3,059 visitors followed by Kenya and Egypt in that descending order.
Most visitors (88.4 percent) entered Zanzibar via the airport, with the majority arriving on international flights.
Only 7,756 tourists used the seaport to enter, predominantly by ferry from the mainland. The data also showed that 99.3 percent of visitors came for leisure purposes, reflecting the island’s appeal as a top holiday destination.
The gender distribution of visitors was almost evenly split, with 49.5 percent male and 50.5 percent female. However, the data highlighted a decline in both male and female visitor numbers from October, with female arrivals seeing a larger drop of 6.3 percent.
In terms of age, the vast majority of visitors were within the working-age group of 15 to 64 years, comprising 88.3 percent of arrivals. Children (under 15 years) represented 3.7 percent of the total, and retirees (65 years and older) accounted for 8 percent of visitors.
The statistics also highlighted a strong performance from emerging markets such as Poland, India, and Russia, with visitor numbers from these regions increasing by 5.2 percent compared to November 2023.
Meanwhile, the number of American visitors dropped by 27.4 percent, and Oceania’s contribution also saw a decline, particularly from Australia and New Zealand.
Despite the slight dip in November 2024 compared to October, Zanzibar’s tourism sector remains strong overall, with a notable increase in international visitors compared to the same period last year.
The data suggests that the island continues to attract a diverse range of visitors, with European markets leading the way while emerging markets show promising growth. However, the slight monthly decrease could reflect seasonal fluctuations or external factors affecting travel.
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Africa: Rwanda Gets a Grip Of Marburg, But Mpox ‘Not Yet Under Control’
Monrovia — The Rwanda Minister of State responsible for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, cautioned that while the country is beginning to see positive signals in its fight against the Marburg virus, the outbreak is “not yet over”. He, however, expressed hope that “we are headed in that direction”. The minister said the epidemiology trend, since the disease was first discovered in the country more than a month ago, is moving towards fewer cases.
Dr. Butera, who was giving updates during an online briefing yesterday, said in the past two weeks, only two deaths were recorded while 14 people recovered from the disease. He said Rwanda was expanding its testing capacity with 16,000 people already inoculated against the disease.
The priority right now, Butera said, is “rapid testing and detection”.
Marburg is a highly virulent disease transmitted through human-to-human contact or contact with an infected animal. The fatality rate of cases, which has varied over the period, is more than 50%, according to the World Health Organization. WHO said the highest number of new confirmed cases in Rwanda were reported in the first two weeks of the outbreak. There’s been a “sharp decline” in the last few weeks, with the country now tackling over 60 cases.
At Thursday’s briefing, a senior official of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, said mpox – the other infectious disease outbreak that countries in the region are fighting – was been reported in 19 countries, with Mauritius being the latest country to confirm a case. He said although no new cases have been recorded in recent weeks in several countries where outbreaks occurred previously – including Cameroon, South Africa, Guinea, and Gabon – Uganda confirmed its first Mpox death. This, he said, is one of two fatalities reported outside Central Africa.
Dr. Ngashi revealed that there was an increase in cases in Liberia and Uganda. He said mpox cases were still on an upward trend.
“The situation is not yet under control.”
Source: allafrica.com
Tanzania: Exim to Raise Fund for Mental Health Facilities Upgrades
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The bank’s Head of Marketing and Communications Stanley Kafu unveiled this when introducing Exim Bima Festival 2024 as a platform for bringing together individuals, organisations and various sectors for raising the funds.
“Exim’s initiative aligns with the government’s broader goals to ensure that every citizen has access to quality healthcare, including mental health services,” he said.
The initiative, which is one of the events for celebrating the bank’s 27th anniversary is scheduled for Wednesday this week in Dar es Salaam.
Mr Kafu highlights that this year’s festival is not only about raising awareness of the importance of insurance in the society but also focuses on enhancing access to mental health services and improving the overall well-being of the nation.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health shows a staggering 82 per cent increase in mental health cases over the past decade.
Mental cases have risen from 386,358 in 2012 to 2,102,726 in 2021, making the need for mental health services more urgent than ever.
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Unfortunately, the country’s ability to address this growing challenge is hindered by a shortage of mental health professionals, infrastructure, medical equipment and essential medication.
For example, out of the 28 regions in the country, only five have facilities that provide adequate mental health services.
The most affected group is the youth aged 15 to 39, who represent the nation’s workforce, underscoring the need for intensified efforts to safeguard this generation for Tanzania’s future well-being and development.
Mr Kafu said by improving mental health services, Exim aims to contribute to the creation of a network of communities that can access care quickly and affordably.
Exim Insurance Department Manager Tike Mwakyoma said they are appreciating the support from partners in the insurance industry, who have stood by them since the last festival.
“Let’s continue this unity for the development of all Tanzanians and our nation as a whole,” the manager said.
Source: allafrica.com
