Reasons aplenty for repeat visits
WHILE a Stone Town
stroll and a week
of sand between
the toes may satisfy some
travellers, most agents
argue that rugged Zanzibar
can be repeated by South
African travellers.
Variety and value
John Ridler, pr and media
manager of Thompsons
Holidays, says: “Zanzibar’s
affordability and value for
money will ensure return
visitors. In addition, this
destination cannot be
explored in just a week.
There are many parts
of the island that can
be enjoyed in style and
comfort. From Stone Town
on the east coast and
Nungwi in the north, there
are numerous reasons
why travellers would return
to this destination over
and over again.”
When SA travellers
do book their tickets to
Zanzibar a second or
third time, it is mostly to
explore different areas,
do more tours, or tick
off some activities they
perhaps didn’t have
sufficient time for the first
time around. John says
some repeat travellers
also opt for eco-travel
experiences. “Turtle
breeding is a highlight in
Zanzibar,” he says.
Giles Clinton, director
of Checkout Tours, agrees
that the island has all
the right ingredients to
be a repeat destination.
“There’s so much to offer,
with a host of different
properties and parts of
the island to explore.
It’s also only three hours
away, making it easy to
travel to with families, and
it’s affordable.
“I think Zanzibar is
a great alternative for
people who’ve already
visited Mauritius, the
Seychelles or the
Maldives. It offers a
less commercialised and
more authentic African
experience. There are also
a number of properties to
choose from, suiting all
budgets, so it’s certainly a
destination for everyone.”
These sentiments were
echoed by Liane Venter,
sales and marketing
manager of AfricaStay.
“Zanzibar is a beautifully
diverse destination where
visitors can experience
the perfect blend of
history with a splash of
African charm together
with wonderful and exotic
beaches.” She says it
is nearly impossible to
experience all Zanzibar
has to offer in just one
visit. “Some of our clients
prefer returning to their
favourite resort time after
time, while others return
to explore more of the
culture, history and oceanbased
activities.”
According to Trish
Lombard, gm of Sure
Giltedge Travel, Zanzibar
undoubtedly inspires
repeat travel from SA,
especially as it features
great resorts and its
opposite coasts offer
different attractions. An
added bonus, which also
stimulates repeat travel, is
that SA passport holders
don’t require visas.
Professional service
Agents agree that the
people, service and
ground operators are
real selling points for the
island, while John adds:
“Zanzibar caters for all
types of holidaymakers,
ranging from young
partygoers going for fullmoon
parties, to couples
or honeymooners or
groups of friends and
families.”
Culture is also a huge
drawcard, says Carlos
Luis, business leader:
Contracting Division of
Flight Centre Travel Group.
He says the island’s
cultural experience, food,
diving and snorkelling and
outstanding hospitality
at resorts helps draw
travellers back time and
time again.
Karen Donkin, marketing
and brand manager of
iGO Travel, says: “Once
South African travellers
experience Stone Town
and the beach, there
really isn’t much more to
attract the repeat visitor.
However, having said that,
perhaps clients would
like to return to stay on
different parts of the
island.
Popular itineraries
Zanzibar’s beaches, Stone
Town and spice tours stand
out as the three most
popular holiday activities
for South Africans. “They
like to include a night or
two in Stone Town and
then add a further six
nights or more at a beach
resort of their choice,”
says Trish.
Karin Sieberhagen, sales
and marketing manager
– South Africa of Serena
Hotels, says Serena
Hotels’ experience differs
slightly. “South Africans
prefer to go straight to
their beach hotel and might
do a day trip to Stone Town
or the spice tour. Stone
Town is such a magical
experience, but I don’t
think the tour operators
give any thought to offering
it as an option for the first
or last night of the holiday.
For short holidays of three
days, Stone Town is the
perfect option.”
According to most agents,
South Africans who return
to Zanzibar rarely combine
the island experience
with a visit to other
destinations in Tanzania,
Kenya or a safari package,
a trend that is more
popular and affordable
for overseas travellers.
John adds, however, that
Thompsons Holidays has
noted that safari-combo
holidays are slowly gaining
in popularity with South
Africans – generally
combining Zanzibar with
the Serengeti.
More flights please!
ADDITIONAL direct flights
from South Africa, more allinclusive
holiday options,
extra kids’ clubs and
perhaps even a facelift for
Zanzibar airport are some of
the ways travel agents think
the island could boost travel
from SA to the increasingly
popular destination.
Most agents TNW spoke
to say they have seen
significant growth in SA
travel to Zanzibar over
the past five years. Karen
Donkin of iGO Travel says
she has seen an increase
of approximately 30% in
Zanzibar bookings over the
last year. Giles Clinton of
Checkout Tours ascribes the
“phenomenal growth” it has
experienced to Zanzibar’s
affordability, especially when
compared with other Indian
Ocean destinations like
Mauritius.
Carlos Luis of Flight
Centre Travel Group, adds:
“Flight Centre’s Zanzibar
sales have grown tenfold
over the last four years.
In 2017 alone, we’ve see
a 37% increase in our
overall sales. Zanzibar is an
affordable destination, with
no visas required and it’s
easily accessible”
In fact, the destination’s
appeal to SA travellers has
grown so much since 2013
when Mango introduced a
single weekly direct flight
between Johannesburg and
Zanzibar, that the airline
decided to double its weekly
capacity, with peak holiday
periods seeing traveller and
flight volumes quadruple at
times. “In 2015, the airline
carried well over
26 000 guests to and
from the island,” said a
statement by the airline.
Agents confirm that the
island continues to make
considerable inroads into
the SA market. “We’re in
desperate need of more
seats to Zanzibar. Mango
needs to increase its flights.
The demand is definitely
there with our clientele,”
said John Ridler of
Thompsons Holidays. Giles
adds: “The airlines could
look at putting on more
flights to the destination,
especially over peak
periods.”
Carlos says: “Two weekly
direct flights out of Cape
Town and an additional flight
out of Johannesburg would
do amazing things to
promote accessibility.”
One downside of
Mango’s flights to
Zanzibar is that they
depart early in the
morning (07h00) forcing
travellers from other SA
cities to overnight in
Johannesburg, which cuts
down on holiday time and
budget.
“We need better
connections from other
domestic cities,” says
Trish Lombard of Sure
Giltedge Travel. “This is
our single biggest struggle
to push the destination
to our regular leisure
travellers.
The sleepover in
Johannesburg is a
massive negative due
to the time wasted and
additional cost,” she says.
Karen adds that
Zanzibar’s airport is in
need of an upgrade. “It
doesn’t create a great
first impression for
arriving passengers.”
Liane Venter of Africa
Stay reiterates that there
has been impressive
growth over the last five
years, but agrees that
an airport improvement
would be a big advantage.
“There are currently major
developments under way
and we believe that this
is already attracting very
steady growth.
More family-friendly
Another way Zanzibar
could grow business
from SA is by gearing
its offering more toward
families by featuring more
kids’ and babies’ clubs
and in-resort children’s
activities. “That’s a big
attraction for families,
where moms need time
out and the kids’ clubs
really offer amazing
activities, keeping kids
busy all day. Marketing to
families would be a big
benefit and attraction for
good resorts in Zanzibar,”
says Trish.
John says: “At the
moment, Zanzibar
offers a good mix of
accommodation, ranging
from good three-star
value for money, to topof-the-range
five-star
resorts. Hotels also offer
the all-inclusive meal
basis, popular among SA
travellers.”
Giving the island’s
five-star establishments
a thumbs-up, Karen,
however, says the threestar
properties leave a
lot to be desired. She
recommends that Zanzibar
should increase its range
between three- and fivestar
accommodation.
Giles adds: “I’d like to
see the level of service
overall in Zanzibar rated,
as that’s an area they do
fall short on sometimes,
compared with the likes of
Mauritius.”
As a spa indulgence
often tops the list for SA
honeymooners or couples,
Trish proposes that the
island should consider
offering spa breaks and
for resorts to include
spa experiences. Karen
suggests adding diving
packages, free Stone
Town tours and combo
hotel options (combining
a hotel stay in the north
with one in the east).
Agents say educational
or familiarisation trips
and more training will
definitely assist them
in selling Zanzibar with
confidence.
John concludes: “At
the moment, Zanzibar
sells itself extremely
well without the help
of any tourism board,
for example, as is the
case with other island
destinations.
The product is extremely
competitive and a majority
of tour operators are
constantly advertising ‘hot
deals’ which create the
awareness and demand
for passengers to travel
to this exotic spice
island.
Book it!
AfricaStay is offering several Zanzibar specials, ranging from R8 075pps for a four-night all-inclusive
package at the three-star Reef and Beach Resort, to R21 295pps for a seven-night all-inclusive package
at the five-star Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est.
