Vanilla Islands ready to cooperate with Zanzibar in tourism

The Indian Ocean tourist island of Seychelles together with the Vanilla Island Group is committed to work closely with the Spice island of Zanzibar in marketing and promoting the Indian Ocean tourism

The Indian Ocean tourist island of Seychelles together with the Vanilla Island Group is committed to work closely with the Spice island of Zanzibar in marketing and promoting the Indian Ocean tourism through Vanilla group of Islands.

Honorary Consul of the Republic of Seychelles and the Island’s Tourism
Ambassador to Tanzania Maryvonne Pool said the Indian Ocean spice
island of Zanzibar should take a chance to benefit from Vanilla group
of Islands in tourism promotions.

She said during a special talk to eTN in Tanzania that, Seychelles was
willing and ready to join hands with Zanzibar in tourism development
and sharing the Indian Ocean tourism resources.

“Seychelles is ready and we have had many discussions with the
Zanzibar authorities to have joint promotions. For example we have the
Vanilla group of islands of which our Minister for Tourism is the
current Chairperson”, she said.

“Zanzibar should definitely look into joining the groups to benefit
form its promotions. I welcome the Minister for Tourism to hold talks
with us as we are ready to assist”, Pool said.

Republic of Seychelles, an Island state in the Indian Ocean coast of
Eastern Africa, has been a modal of tourism success in Africa,
attracting high class tourists with excellent tourist service
provisions.

She said constant marketing and tourism promotions were vital in
marketing Zanzibar Island as a tourist destination, while looking at
development of new products.

“Zanzibar should promote sea activities, like fly fishing and game
fishing developments, sea safaris, small islands hotel lodges and
resorts”, she added.

Among the areas which Zanzibar could also cooperate with Seychelles is
the annual Victoria Carnival activity which takes place in Seychelles,
attracting thousands of tourists and other holiday makers to the
island.

Famous for water sports, scuba diving, dolphin watching and pristine
sand beaches, Zanzibar Island is lacking sound tourist investments to
compete with Indian Ocean Island of Seychelles which had invested
heavily on tourism marketing and investment.

Other than ocean resources, Zanzibar is rich with unique multi-racial
cultures and historical attractions made up of old Arab architecture,
early European explorers spots, slave trade sites, early Christian
church in East Africa and rich Arab and African cultures blended into
a “Swahili” cultural heritage.

Tourism is currently the leading source of revenue to Zanzibar’s
economy, injecting 27 percent to the isle’s gross domestic product
(GDP), while generating 72 percent of the isle’s foreign currency.

The island has seen a remarkable growth in tourism, with optimism to
attract more holidaymakers there. Its target is to attract high-class
tourists to compete with other Indian Ocean island destinations, such
as Mauritius, La Reunion and Maldives.

Zanzibar President Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein once said the island’s
economy depends on tourism as its key economic sector. He said new
plans to develop special tourist villages in the island were going on
as an option to attract more tourists to the archipelago.

The island Zanzibar receives about 153,747 tourists per year, mostly
from Italy and other European tourist market outlets.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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