Zanzibar Flights Set to Grow 33% as Hotel Rates Fall: New Tourism Data

Air capacity into Zanzibar is set to rise by about a third over the next six months, even as hotel room rates on the islands fall, according to new travel-intelligence data released at the Essence of Africa buyer forum, which ran on the island from 20 to 22 October. The figures, published by the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) with the Data Appeal-Mabrian Travel Intelligence platform, point to a destination that is getting easier and cheaper to reach, but one where officials and operators are now asking whether more seats will translate into better returns.

For travellers, the short version is more flights, more choice of routes and, for now, softer prices at hotels booked online. For the industry, it is a test of whether Zanzibar can grow without eroding the quality that built its reputation.

What the data shows

Total airline seat capacity into Zanzibar is forecast to grow 33% year on year over the next six months, ATTA said in a statement on 19 October. Domestic capacity is expected to rise 36% and international capacity 31%. Looking back, inbound capacity grew 11% between October 2025 and October 2026, with long-haul seats up 26%.

Forward flight bookings made through global distribution systems for travel up to March 2027 are 10% higher than a year earlier, the association said.

The Gulf is driving much of the new capacity. Seats from the United Arab Emirates, Zanzibar's fourth-largest international market by flight seats, are forecast to rise 57%. Capacity from Oman is projected to more than double, up 108%, and from Qatar by 17%.

In Europe, forward bookings from the United Kingdom are up 51%, from Germany 14% and from France 8%. Russia stands out: direct Moscow to Zanzibar services began in July 2026, and bookings from Russia for travel through March 2027 are up 98%, according to the ATTA data.

Other routes are adding to the mix. Airlink scheduled its first non-stop Cape Town to Zanzibar flight for 3 October 2026, a weekly Saturday service using Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, Travel And Tour World reported when the route was announced in May. British Airways has announced a new service to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar from May 2027, ATC News reported from the forum.

Room rates are falling

While seats are rising, prices on the ground are moving the other way. Weighted average room rates advertised through online travel agencies fell about 18% in the 12 months to October 2026, with declines across every hotel category, according to Data Appeal figures cited by ATTA.

The islands' online hotel supply is weighted towards the mid-market: three-star properties make up 57%, four-star 28% and five-star 15%. Couples are the largest traveller segment, at 46% of reviewers, and apartments, hostels and homestays are gaining share.

Visitor sentiment remains strong. Zanzibar scored 86 out of 100 on the Global Tourist Perception Index, with 95 for security and 90 for climate. Its Tourism Product Index score was lower at 65, and its Hospitality Satisfaction Index stood at 74. Five-star hotels and resorts scored 77 on satisfaction, against 69 for three-star properties.

ATTA chief executive Virginia Messina said the growth in seats and bookings "must also translate into sustainable commercial returns", adding that maintaining competitiveness while protecting the quality and value of the product would be essential. At the forum's opening she said: "Growth alone cannot be our measure of success."

Record arrivals

The capacity growth follows a run of record visitor numbers. Zanzibar received 917,167 international arrivals in 2025, according to the Office of the Chief Government Statistician and the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, as reported by The Citizen. That was about 24.5% more than in 2024, ATC News reported. Between January and August 2026, more than 633,000 international visitors arrived, and August set a monthly record of over 124,000.

Beyond the beach

Government officials used the forum to signal a shift in strategy. Shariff Ali Shariff, Minister of State in the President's Office responsible for Labour, Economy and Investment, opened the event and said: "Zanzibar is no longer just a destination for holidays." He added that the islands want visitors who come for the beaches to stay longer for everything else Zanzibar offers.

Social media data supports a broader appeal. Beaches account for 23% of tourism-related mentions, active lifestyle for 19% and arts and culture for 16%, with interest in family activities, wellness and food rising year on year.

The minister also addressed Pemba, the less developed of Zanzibar's two main islands, where the government is planning infrastructure and connectivity for ecotourism, boutique resorts and marine tourism. "We do not want Pemba to become another Unguja," he said, according to Tourism Update.

Not everyone in the trade is comfortable with the pace of building on Unguja. Arif Mazrui, general manager of Fisherman Tours and Travels, told Tourism Update that about 25 hotels and resorts had opened over the past six years and raised concerns about homes in Stone Town being converted into hotels. "They're turning every corner and every building into a hotel," he said, calling for tighter controls on new hotel licences.

Zanzibar is also pursuing the meetings market. A proposed convention centre in the Fumba area is being developed under an agreement with a South Korean company and bank, with construction expected to take about three years from 2027, Tourism Update reported. This year's Essence of Africa drew 178 pre-qualified international buyers from 40 countries and 162 exhibitors, according to ATC News, after earlier editions in Nairobi and Malindi.

What it means for travellers

More seats from the Gulf, Europe and southern Africa should mean more connection options and, on busy routes, more competitive fares, though the data covers capacity and bookings rather than ticket prices. Falling online room rates suggest the coming season could be good value, particularly in the crowded three- and four-star segment, but the gap between perception and hospitality scores is a reminder to check recent reviews before booking.

Visitors combining a Uganda gorilla trek or safari with time on the coast can connect through regional hubs such as Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. For an overview of the islands, from Stone Town to the northern beaches, see our Zanzibar destination page at zuritrips.com/destinations/zanzibar.

Photo: Matt Kieffer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).