2024-09-26 22:03:57
From October 1st, travelers who want to travel to the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, will have to pay in advance for travel insurance of $44. A measure that the tourism sector does not like very much.
Along the corridors of the Tourism Fair, in mid-September, in Paris, it is easy to spot the offers for Tanzania : white sand beaches, umbrellas and turquoise water decorate the stands of Zanzibar tour operators. “ Tanzania, with Zanzibar, is the most important destination in Africa, underlines René-Marc Chikli, president of the Union of Tour Operator Companies. We sell it like hot cakes “. But a shadow comes, according to him, to obscure the postcard. “ Our friends in Zanzibar have invented an additional tax that increases the price of the package and which we do not agree with. This is a so-called repatriation insurance that must be taken out. However, people going to Tanzania and traveling to Zanzibar are already insured with their own insurance, or through a contract. We are therefore fighting to eliminate this insurance which has no other purpose than to enrich an insurance company. ».
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Useful or useless insurance?
Owner of a hotel complex in Zanzibar and first-hand witness to his clients’ insurance problems, Bert Schoonvelde believes, on the contrary, that this new tax could fill a need. “ We know that 30 to 40% of tourists arrive without insurance. If they have an accident or a health problem, obviously it becomes problematic. Some people don’t understand that they need to travel with medical insurance. » This new measure doesn’t worry him too much. “ I don’t think this is really a problem. Airline tickets cost several hundred dollars. So $44 more… Some say it’s a way toState to ensure a new influx of money. Perhaps. But I don’t think $44 is a big deal, except perhaps for those traveling on a budget. But those on a limited budget don’t come to Zanzibar. »
Confusion
The vice-president of the tour operator Flash Tour, Gehane Salah, believes that this will create confusion among tourists. “ All customers know to have insurance before leaving, it is mandatory with tour operators. So for them I think it will be a question mark : because I pay for two insurance policies ? Especially since it has to be done via a customer request before arriving. So, it will affect the destination or not ? It’s not so much the amount, it’s the procedure and it’s a bit complicated. Especially for many customers who don’t know how to cope online. »
2023 was a record year for tourism in Zanzibar. Nearly 650,000 people came to enjoy the beauty of the island. A financial windfall for Tanzania. THE tourism sector the country employs 850,000 people and represents approximately 17% of its GDP.
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