Zanzibar activates tourism channels
Having opened its first overseas office in Mumbai recently, Zanzibar Tourism has planned an intensive outreach program for the travel trade in India. Encouraging Bollywood shoots in the archipelago is also high on priority.
The five-member delegation led by Said Ali Mbarouk, Minister of Information, Culture, Tourism & Sports, visited Mumbai recently to open its first international office reflects the seriousness with which Zanzibar is approaching this new market. “While this is a historic moment for us as we open our first overseas office in Mumbai, this market is not new to us. Zanzibar and India hubs to Zanzibar with a minimum flying time of around 10 hours. But we are in dialogues with the IMC and at the government level to have a direct connectivity from India and have seen a very positive response.”
He added that the ZTPC is thankful to all the international airlines – Ethiopian, Oman Air, Air Seychelles, Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways – that were ready to work with the Centre to promote Zanzibar in India. “I invite them to Zanzibar to discuss the details with the government,” Babla said. It is also in talks with two Indian carriers – with Air India to restart its flights and with Jet Airways to start charter flights to Zanzibar.
While the US, Europe and Russia have traditionally been Zanzibar’s mainstay, it is opening up to newer and emerging markets like India due to their stable economy.
Outlining its upcoming trade activities, Babla said, “There is a lack of information and awareness about Zanzibar among the travel trade and we plan to resolve this quickly. While we have been doing a few activities here through the last decade, we haven’t done much and we plan to step on the accelerator starting this moment.”
On the cards are training workshops for agents and roadshows as well as participation in key trade fairs. ZTPC will also do a familiarisation trips for 12 of its key trade partners. Visas for Indians (individuals and groups) are available on arrival at all international airports in Tanzania and Zanzibar. With regards to safety, which is always a worry nowadays, the trade can rest assured that Zanzibar is one of the safest destinations. Addressing another concern, Babla added that Indian dishes are available very easily all across Zanzibar due to the huge Indian community living there.