Zanzibar eyes national airline to boost direct tourism access
Zanzibar is in preliminary talks with potential investors to establish its own national airline, with the government seeking to form a consortium to develop the proposed carrier. Minister for Labour and Investment Shariff Ali Shariff said the lack of direct routes is currently forcing visitors to rely on connecting flights and charter services, limiting the archipelago's tourism potential and constraining overall visitor numbers.
The airline proposal forms part of a broader economic diversification drive set to be showcased at the upcoming Zanzibar Investment Summit 2026, which will spotlight investment opportunities across infrastructure, ICT, real estate, the blue economy, and industrial development. Direct air access has long been identified as a critical gap for island destinations competing in an increasingly crowded tourism market, and a national carrier would give Zanzibar greater control over its own connectivity and the ability to open new source markets independently.
Source: The Citizen Tanzania