Zanzibar wants to lessen its dependence on connecting flights for visitors who want to reach the tourist hotspot, and is in talks with an investor that is interested in helping launch a new airline, the labour and investment minister in the government of the Tanzanian archipelago, Shariff Ali Shariff, stated.

As quoted by the newspaper The Citizen Tanzania, Shariff said that “tourists travelling to Zanzibar are often required to connect flights, which is inconvenient”, and this limits the island’s potential.

“For a long time, Zanzibar has needed its own airline to provide direct services. We are now engaging an investor who has shown interest in the project,” he said. The official did not say if the investor was already involved in aviation.

ch-aviation capacities data shows that Zanzibar is currently served by 23 operators, the biggest market shares being taken by Air Tanzania, Ethiopian Airlines, St. Barth Commuter, Auric Air, and Kenya Airways.