SPEAKER of Zanzibar House of Representatives Zubeir Ali Maulid has expressed pride in the continued achievement of isles’ tourism sector which has seen surge in tourist arrivals for various attractions.

The speaker made the remarks yesterday during the launch of a new hotel project at Fukuchani, North Unguja Region, as part of the 61st anniversary celebrations of the Zanzibar Revolution.

He affirmed that the government is committed to ensuring that tourists visiting Zanzibar find excellent accommodation options in beautiful surroundings for relaxation.

He noted that the government has created a conducive environment for major investors in the hospitality subsector in line with the government’s strategy to boost the industry.

“Indeed, Zanzibar government is doing everything possible to provide a favourable environment for investors,” he said.

He also mentioned that reports show a steady increase in the number of tourists visiting Zanzibar. In 2023, the island received 640,000 tourists and aims to reach one million by 2030.

The speaker further highlighted that the government has continued to create a favourable policy and legal framework, enabling expansion of accommodation through numerous construction projects for tourists.

"The rise of such projects has been greatly driven by the growing demand from tourists who prefer to stay longer in the beautiful surroundings of our islands," he said 

He explained that investment in the construction of accommodation for tourists is now the second-largest subsector attracting substantial capital after investment in hotels.

Statistics show that 37 percent of all registered investment projects with the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) during the four years are hotel projects, followed by 22 percent in commercial housing projects.

“The statistics confirm that the image of our tourism sector is changing rapidly,” he r said.

ZIPA Chief Executive Officer Salehe Saad Muhamed reported that over the past four years, the authority has signed 424 projects across Zanzibar worth a total of $ 5.9 billion.

He noted that in North Unguja alone, there are 99 projects worth $ 2 billion which have created 22,000 jobs.