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Mandatory Tourist Insurance Not Affected Zanzibar’s Tourist Flow

January 20, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

In August last year, Zanzibar introduced a mandatory insurance policy, requiring all visitors to pay a fee of USD 44 (Sh111,210). The policy has been in effect since 1st October 2024. The policy, however, did not go down well with some tourism stakeholders who expressed frustration over the lack of prior consultation and information regarding the new policy.

The introduction of mandatory tourist insurance has not deterred an influx of visitors to the Spice Islands, the Minister for Tourism and Heritage of Zanzibar, Mudrik Ramadhani Soraga, has said. In August last year, Zanzibar introduced a mandatory insurance policy, requiring all visitors to pay a fee of USD 44 (Sh111,210). The policy has been in effect since 1st October 2024. The policy, however, did not go down well with some tourism stakeholders who expressed frustration over the lack of prior consultation and information regarding the new policy.

During a meeting that was convened in August 2024 by the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (Zati), participants said the fee added an extra charge, potentially making Zanzibar less competitive compared to other destinations, which could deter visitors. But in an interesting turn, Soraga said on January 16, said that since the implementation of the insurance scheme in October 2024, tourist arrivals have risen by an average of 17% per month.

In previous months, Zanzibar saw 60,731 arrivals in September, 69,860 in October and 67,449 in November. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Zanzibar Tour Operators Association (Zato), Khalifa Mohamed Makame, affirmed that their members had not experienced a decline in bookings, indicating that the insurance policy had not negatively affected business.

He further explained that an average visitor to Zanzibar, including those from neighbouring Kenya, spends at least USD 1,500 (Sh3.79 million) per week. Most hotels on the island charge a minimum of USD 100 (Sh252,750) per night.

The USD 44 insurance fee is unlikely to deter tourists, especially considering that a taxi ride from Stone Town to Nungwi, a 51-kilometre journey taking approximately one hour and 35 minutes, costs around USD 50 (Sh126,375), Makame said.