Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR will soon establish an auxiliary tourism police in efforts to intensify security for visitors in the country.
Tourism and Heritage Minister Lela Muhamed Mussa told the House of Representatives that the government is determined to create a conducive and friendly environment for tourists in the Spice Islands.
Debating the ministry’s 2021/2022 budget estimates, which Minister Lela unveiled in the house on Thursday evening, members decried rising crime rate and insecurity to tourists.
Legislators Issa Haji Ussi (Chwaka—CCM) and Nadir Abdul-Latif (Chaani—CCM) had threatened to block the budget in the absence of thorough explanations on the government’s strategies to improve security to tourists, among other issues.
With over 27 per cent contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), tourism remains Zanzibar’s economic backbone, providing the islanders with 33,000 and 72,000 direct and indirect jobs, respectively.
Minister Lela said the new focus is on the blue economy, thanks to the huge marine resources, which the country has been endowed with.
“Zanzibar is endowed with the ocean and beautiful beaches, which attract tourists…the ministry is determined to exhaustively use the available resources for the benefits of all Zanzibaris,” the minister said in her 65-page speech booklet.
She reaffirmed the government’s keenness to work closely with the private sector in utilisation of marine resources like corals, fishes, small islands and beaches by promoting them internationally.
Meanwhile, Minister Lela told the house that the government has reviewed all contracts for repair works on historical sites in the country, saving over 500m/- that could have been improperly spent.
She said the government had planned to renovate the Peace Memorial Museum—Beit el Amani—in Unguja; Watoro Cave in Makangale, Pemba; as well as historical mosques and graves in Chwaka Tumbe.
“The reason behind the contract review was to get the value for money in the project execution,” the minister told the house.
She said the inquiry report has shown that the government could have suffered half a billion loss under the contracts. The ministry, according to the minister, has repeated the tendering process, which is scheduled for completion by the end of this month.
Minister Lela asked the house to approve the 12.9bn/- budget for the ministry, pledging massive national and international promotional campaigns to attract more investors.
Through the Zanzibar Tourism Commission (ZTC), the country will participate in national and international tourism exhibitions and conferences to advertise the country’s tourism attractions.
