Minister says hosting Africa’s International Buyer Forum supports Zanzibar’s ambitions to attract more conferences and business events
Hon. Shariff Ali Shariff, Minister of State in the President’s Office (Labour, Economy and Investment), officially opened Essence of Africa 2026 last night at Diamonds Bijoux, a Planhotel Hospitality Group hotel. Over three days, 178 pre-qualified international buyers from 40 countries are meeting 162 exhibiting companies, bringing an international travel trade audience to Zanzibar.
Speaking on behalf of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, the Minister said hosting Essence of Africa supports the islands’ plans to attract more international meetings and events. It also gives Zanzibar an opportunity to introduce its tourism products to buyers from established and emerging international markets.
“Zanzibar is no longer just a destination for holidays,” he said. “We are also a destination for international conferences, business meetings, entertainment, cultural celebrations and global networking.”
Opened in February 2026, Diamonds Bijoux is a five-star, all-inclusive beachfront resort on Zanzibar’s southeast coast, between Bwejuu and Dongwe. Its conference facilities add to the island’s capacity to host international business events, while Essence of Africa gives Zanzibar an opportunity to demonstrate its appeal as a meetings destination.
The government also wants visitors to explore Zanzibar beyond its beaches, with a focus on culture, food, wellness, sports, and halal and family travel.
“We want visitors to come for our beaches, but stay longer for everything else Zanzibar has to offer,” said the Minister.
The push to diversify comes as Zanzibar records its highest visitor numbers to date. According to the Minister, the islands welcomed 917,167 international visitors in 2025, up approximately 24.5% on 2024. More than 633,000 arrived between January and August 2026, including a monthly record of more than 124,000 in August.
“Our ambition is not simply to welcome more visitors. It is to ensure that every visitor contributes more to our economy and that the benefits of tourism reach more of our people,” said the Minister.
The Minister also encouraged buyers and investors to look beyond Unguja, Zanzibar’s main island, to Pemba. He said the government plans to improve infrastructure and connectivity to attract investment in ecotourism, boutique resorts, wellness retreats and marine tourism, while preserving Pemba’s distinct character.
“We do not want Pemba to become another Unguja. We want it to develop its own identity and offer visitors something different,” he said.
Zanzibar air capacity set to grow 33%
Virginia Messina, CEO of ATTA®, the African Travel and Tourism Association, said airline seat capacity into Zanzibar had grown by more than 11% over the past year and was projected to increase by 33% over the next six months.
The figures, produced by ATTA® in partnership with The Data Appeal Company, also show that seat capacity across East Africa grew by 3.6% this summer, with long-haul capacity increasing by 7%. Messina welcomed British Airways’ announcement of a new service to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar from May 2027.
“Growth alone cannot be our measure of success. We need the right policies and frameworks to turn growth into long-term value for destinations and communities, while protecting the very things that make Africa such a wonderful place,” she said.
Largest Essence of Africa to date
Essence of Africa is a private-sector-led initiative of On Show Solutions and ATTA®, bringing African tourism businesses together with the international buyers who sell the continent.
This third edition, following Nairobi in 2024 and Malindi, Kenya, in 2025, is the largest to date. It brings together 162 exhibiting companies, up 53% since the inaugural event, and 178 international buyers from 40 countries. Almost 75% of the buyers are attending for the first time. East African businesses account for 79% of exhibitors, while Europe is the largest buyer source region at 39%, followed by the Americas at 23% and Asia-Pacific at 19%.
Jacqui Reynolds, Co-Founder of Essence of Africa, said the forum was created to give African tourism businesses direct access to international buyers who could bring them new business.
Several buyers have already taken part in familiarisation trips around Zanzibar, giving them firsthand experience of the destination before meeting exhibitors. For local tourism businesses, the event offers an opportunity to build relationships with international buyers who could include Zanzibar in future travel programmes.
“Essence has never simply been about getting bigger,” said Reynolds. “It is about getting the right people into the room. It is about the quality of the conversations that happen over the next few days, the relationships that begin here, and ultimately the business that comes back to Africa as a result.”
Reynolds thanked the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism for helping bring the event to the island.
Essence of Africa 2026 runs at Diamonds Bijoux until 22 October.