Zanzibar Eyes East Africa's Astro-Tourism and Space Research Hub Status
Zanzibar is positioning itself as East Africa's premier astro-tourism and space science hub ahead of the official inauguration of the Tunguu Space Research Centre and Planetarium on 14 November 2026. Developed under the Zanzibar Observatory and Planetarium Project at a site that previously hosted a NASA satellite-tracking station in the 1960s, the facility is already equipped with a high-powered 14-inch telescope.
Project leaders are calling on tourism stakeholders, researchers, and residents to engage with the initiative as Zanzibar seeks to diversify its economy beyond traditional beach tourism. Capitalizing on Unguja's clear post-rainfall night skies, the centre aims to draw international stargazers, educational groups, and science travellers to the archipelago.
Source: The Citizen Tanzania