Browsing: Zanzibar Tourism

To promote its blue economy, Zanzibar recently started leasing out small islets surrounding the main archipelago and has already pocketed US$15 million in advance leasing fees for some ten islets. Photo/andBeyond

Zanzibar economy: What diplomats can do to attract investment

Countries

While ties with Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania are growing with the recent signing of agreements to end double taxation, among other deals, authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently announced a Dubai visa ban on 20 African countries.

They include Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, Gambia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Comoros and the Dominican Republic.

“Any applications from the above-mentioned countries will be sent back or cancelled,” the UAE authorities warned trade partner authorities along with travel agents, urging them to reject all related applications.

The reason given for the ban is increased visa term violations by persons from the said countries. The UAE authorities explained that persons from these countries are using 30-day visas to Dubai to stay and work in the country illegally.

Central Bank depicts Zanzibar’s economic slowdown

Industry and Trade

The Tanzanian central bank (Bank of Tanzania – BoT) published a detailed economic bulletin for the quarter ending September 2020, which showed Zanzibar’s economy taking a nosedive contracting by 2 per cent compared to a growth rate of 5.2 per cent in the corresponding quarter in 2019.

Zanzibar—the semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, is taking various measures to enhance economic and trade liberalization that can pave a smooth way for the private sector to get engaged in the local, regional and international arena.