A terrorist warning issued by the United States, British and Australian governments has hampered the tourism trade in the popular beach resort of Zanzibar, comprising Unguja (Zanzibar Island) and Pemba Island.
Zanzibar’s economy, which once relied heavily on clove exports, is now bolstered by a foreign tourism trade that brings in thousands of travellers every year.
On January 11 the US State Department cautioned visitors about an attack on an unspecified location frequented by tourists in Zanzibar, citing markets, bars and nightclubs as areas to avoid. The message followed a general warning for travellers in East Africa about “continuing potential for terrorist actions, including kidnapping”, issued more than one month after a car bomb killed 14 in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya.
The British government followed the US by cautioning tourists that an “international terrorist group” might be planning an attack on Zanzibar. The Australian government likewise recommended “extreme caution” to travellers just months after the Bali blasts took numerous Australian lives.
No country has directly ordered tourists or foreign nationals to evacuate the islands.
The warnings have left many restaurant tables, tour bus seats and hotel rooms empty on the islands during a peak tourist season that runs from November through February, said Issa Mlingoti, director for tourism, planning and development at Zanzibar’s Commission for Tourism.
“There have been numerous cancellations in all sectors of the tourism industry,” Mlingoti said. “It’s a big challenge for us. For the time being we can only increase security and wait it out.”
The commission sent a letter to tour operators in the area giving details of how to increase security and make patrons feel secure, said Mlingoti. It includes putting guards at entrances to check bags, making sure all guests sign in with appropriate documentation and preventing cars from parking near public places.
“We do not have the power to tell tourists ‘Stay, do not go back home’,” he said. “We cannot override the decision of their governments, though we feel Zanzibar is as safe as ever.”
Khamis Ayub, of Links Tours & Travel in Zanzibar Town, said the warning had hit particularly hard because of its timing.
“It came during the first [month] of the year, right when we have a number of expenses to be met,” Ayub said. “We need to pay insurance, taxes and our tour guide operators at this time, and now there is very little money coming in.”
Ayub said his company would usually be catering for between 20 and 25 tourists a day. Two days after the warnings those numbers had dropped from about six to zero. “At this rate we might have to close up the office early in the season,” Ayub said.
The fear of terrorist attacks has also hit the hotel industry. Some are resorting to bringing prices down to low-season rates, though that is doing little to bring in new customers.
Hotel Marine Zanzibar manager HR Kijiba sifted through a stack of printed e-mails from travel agents cancelling tour groups from Britain and Australia.
“We should have a hotel with 20 full rooms,” Kijiba said. “Instead, right now, we only have two. What can we do? No amount of advertising will take away people’s fear.”
Some well-tanned backpackers could still be seen wandering about Stone Town’s winding streets and colourful shops.
British traveller Emma Richardson did not let the warnings spoil her overland trip through Africa. She said her tour group was told about the warnings a few days before reaching Dar es Salaam.
“They gave us the choice to stay on in Dar if we did not want to risk going to Zanzibar,” Richardson said. “I did not even think of not coming. In fact, it made me more adamant to come and enjoy the island.”
Abraham Mussa, a taxi driver on the island, spoke from the hood of his vehicle while eyeing the pristine blue of the ocean. “Where is Osama [bin Laden]?” Mussa asked. “I don’t know. You don’t. No one does. I wish he were in Zanzibar. Then I would find him, hand him over to [US President George W] Bush and get back to driving my taxi.”