How to run a successful Airbnb

In Fumba Town and elsewhere in Zanzibar

In 2012, Airbnb listed three apartments in Zanzibar. Today, more than 1,000 holiday apartments and villas are found on the isles: from a shipping container in Paje to a tree house in Bwejuu. Two popular Airbnb hosts in Fumba explain what works best – for them and their guests.

Everything is neat in the one-bedroom garden view apartment. Light furniture, some of it from Ikea, a smart TV. But when host Sheban Kipeta opens the fridge, containing six bottles of drinking water and exactly four fresh apples, he demonstrates he is indeed a master of the trade. “Little things count”, the tall man says with a big smile. “Imagine, you just arrive in your new holiday home in a completely alien environment, you might be happy to have a cold apple to bite into.” Going the extra mile counts in a business, which since its inception in 2008 has transformed the travel and hospitality industry worldwide, offering travelers homely accommodation while providing homeowners with an opportunity to monetise their spaces.

Airbnb was founded in San Francisco initially with air mattresses in an apartment during a design conference – hence the name Airbnb was born. The platform’s growth has been meteoric. In 2024, the number of listings surpassed eight million.

But the journey has been a rollercoaster. Regulatory hurdles, resistance from hoteliers and “normal” tenants concerned about rental prices often interfered with the success story.

In Zanzibar, the growth of Airbnb has been somewhat an underground phenomenon, advancing in a legal grey zone. This is about to change as the government, under the Ministry of Tourism, is developing a new legal framework to operate Airbnbs.

Two Fumba hosts, Raquel Peso Pavon, an entrepreneur and engineer originally from Spain, and Sheban Kipeta have some valuable tips for homeowners on how to run an Airbnb here. Together they manage more than 40 rentals.

Small is best! Most visitors come to Fumba for special events, to visit other residents, family or friends and are perfectly fine with a studio or one-bedroom, Pavon knows. The same goes for global nomads. Rates starting from $45 per night are appealing, says Kipeta.

No extra charge, please. “People don’t like add-on payments when checking in or out”, says Raquel Pavon. Water, cleaning, electricity, and especially the internet should be included.

Bigger houses, longer stays. Families on the move, either on holiday or considering relocating themselves, look for larger, family-friendly houses for stays of about four to six weeks. “Weekly and monthly discounts of up to 35% are attractive”, the hosts advise.

Abundance & style. Pretty interiors and a full kitchen equipment are a must. Don’t try to save at the wrong end. Even a studio for one to two people needs more than two plates and two glasses. “Have a minimum of three sets of towels and bedsheets in one colour for easier washing”, is Pavon’s practical advice.

What are the no-go’s? “Unready furniture, no AC, damaged walls, lousy curtains”, the Spanish host residing in Zanzibar says. “There is one easy rule”, she has learnt over the years, “furnish and service your apartment as you would like it for yourself.”

“You are unlikely to have a high season all around”, says Pavon, experiencing occupancy rates of 40-70% in properties under her wing. Sheban Kipeta adds:, “It’s important to show flexibility. We provide taxis and drivers, daily cleaning and even a babysitter, if needed.”

Running an Airbnb”, both say, is “certainly a 24/7 service job.”

Apart from Airbnbs, developer CPS in Fumba also offers long term rental service all under one roof. “We include everything from finding a tenant to servicing”, says Deon Swanepoel, new head of property management in Fuzmba Town.. Minimum rental time is three months, fees for homeowners are modest. In the portfolio are studios, 1-3 bedroom apartments, townhouses and luxury seafront properties between $350 and $2500 per month.

Rentals in Fumba Town
Airbnb, short and long term:
Shaban Kipeta, Ph +255 755 058058
Raquel Peso Pavon, website: book.aura-space.com
Ph. +255 654 828 976

Long-term 3 months+:
CPS Property Management
fumba.town/residential-rentals
propertymanagement@cps.africa
Ph +255 67 711 6800