Julia Bishop, Makamu mwenyekiti, Chama cha Wawekezaji wa Utalii (ZATI)
“Wengi wanakubali kuwa Zanzibar ilikuwa na miezi mitano tu ya kuokoa uchumi. Tanzania iliacha wazi anga lake kwa ndege kutoka Urusi na Ulaya Mashariki. Tulikuwa kituo pekee cha utalii wakati wa majira ya baridi ambako watalii walikwenda. Tulimkaribisha yeyote kutoka mahali popote, hakuna maswali yaliyoulizwa. Mbali ya uamuzi huu kuonekana kuwa na utata lakini ulikuwa wa manufaa. Takwimu zetu za wageni wanaowasili zilikuwa nzuri kama ilivyokuwa kabla ya nyakati za janga la corona– Utalii ulishuka kwa asilimia saba wakati maeneo mengine ya utalii yalipoteza watalii kufikia asilimia 90!
Tanzania bara pia ilinufaika kiasi na wimbi la watalii kutoka Zanzibar. Kama ilivyotarajiwa, Ulaya Mashariki walituhama na kurejea kwenye maeneo yao ya zamani ya safari fupi huko Afrika Kaskazini na Mashariki. Nini kinafuata?
With new leadership came a shift of policy. What we see happening now is definitely heartening: A short-term pain – Covid tests required to enter – is a long-term gain. Tanzania is no longer the un-compliant country. That may eventually even take us off the global travel ‘red lists’.
Caught up in their various domestic pandemic dramas, many countries are not yet ready to let their citizens travel widely. The normal charters from Italy, Belgium and Germany are not yet ready. As vaccine rollout progresses we could expect to be optimistic. But is that optimism reflected in our hotel bookings? Are we on the brink of a tsunami of travel-starved last-minute tourists? I have the feeling that if there is to be a tourism summer 2021 here, it may be later than usual – beginning in July/August, building in September, culminating in a triumphant Christmas and New Year 2022.”
Andrea Knorova, Hoteli ya kifahari ya Zuri, Nungwi: "Nusu ya uwezo wetu inauzwa, uhifadhi mwingi wa mwaka uliopita. Inaonekana Warusi wa hali ya juu wamehamia Ushelisheli. Mahitaji makubwa kutoka Emirates/ Dubai. Ulaya inaamka polepole. - Anwar Beiser, hoteli ya daraja la kati Blue Oyster, Jambiani:” Kufikia sasa uhifadhi wa 10% pekee wa Julai na Agosti, lakini tuna subira na tunasubiri "Dakika za Mwisho". Tunaunga mkono kwa dhati sheria mpya za Covid-19 Zanzibar. Leonie Kaack, anaweka bajeti ya New Teddy's kwenye Pwani, Jambiani: “Nina uhakika tutakuwa tumeshiba kuanzia Julai. Kughairi kutoka mwaka jana wanataka kuja sasa. Hata Mei ilikuwa nzuri.
Andrea Tapper, mhariri wa THE FUMBA TIMES: “Ndege mpya kama Eurowings Discover, ya shirika la ndege la Lufthansa, inaingia Afrika Mashariki, safari ya kwanza ya ndege zake ilipangwa tarehe 24 Julai 2021, ikifanya safari mara mbili kwa wiki. Ndege za mashirika yanayoaminika na makongwe ni Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian, Qatar na KLM zikiruka kuja na kutoka Zanzibar. Wakati kila ndege ikipata wateja wake, janga la corona kilikuwa kipimo: usalama, kuaminika, urejeshaji haraka fedha, uunganishaji haraka wa safari, ukaaji wa starehe katika ndege. KLM bado imebakia katika mpangilio mzuri wa ukaaji. Emirates imekatishwa tamaa kwa wateja wake kuelekea katika ndege za nauli nafuu za Fly Dubai. Oman Air inawafanya watu wahangaike kwa miezi wakiomba kurejeshewa fedha. Nashawishika na Turkish Airlines: ambayo inaruhusu uingie na mzigo wa kilo 40, urejeshaji rahisi wa fedha, haki ya kubadilisha isiyo na kikomo, uunganishaji mzuri wa safari mjini Istanbul kuelekea miji 11 ya Ujerumani, maduka ya uwanja wa ndege yamefunguliwa, na ina wafanyakazi makini wa ndani ya ndege. Marejesho ya nauli yanaanzia €519 kwa daraja la tatu, €2125 kwa daraja la pili yaani “business class”. Niliona ni bora kwangu kukata tiketi ya daraja la pili kukiwa na nafasi ya mita 1,50 kati ya safu na safu na kukufanya ujisikie salama na mwenye hadhi. Ndege nzima ni nusu tu yake ndiyo iliyopata wasafiri, ni habari nzuri kwa wasafiri, changamoto kwa shirika. Msemaji Tarik Neu anathibitisha: “Ratiba yetu ya Zanzibar ni thabiti”. www.turkishairlines.com
Pooja Lalji, Rickshaw travel, Dar es Salaam: “Choose Dubai as a reasonable get-away from Zanzibar. 5 nights B&B, visit to Bhurj Khalifa, desert safari $410; 7 nights B&B $595 including a dhow cruise – explore the difference between Zanzibar and bling-bling Dubai! Return flights starting at $410 from Dar. Closer to Home find quirky escape packages in Tanzania: Rejuvenation with Ayurveda including treatments at a beautiful nature retreat near Arusha, 2 nights/3 days, $450. Birdwatching & horseriding at gorgeous Wag Hill Lodge overlooking Lake Victoria near Mwanza, 2 nights ¢185. Rickshawtravels.com
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Watalii Zanzibar, Januari-Machi '21
