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| The Spice Island of Zanzibar |
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.
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.
SOURCE;
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