Zanzibar Launches ‘JamboGo Africa’ to Connect Tourists with Hotels, Rides, and Artisans

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A Zanzibar tourism platform now poses the question most African destinations avoid: who keeps the money visitors spend? Zanzibar launched JamboGo.Africa to put local hotels, guides, artists and entrepreneurs in front of arriving travellers, and to show the government where that spending goes. 

Tourism and Heritage Minister Dr Nasra Nassor Omar launched the platform, calling it a tool for creating jobs, lifting local enterprise, and raising government revenue. Managing Director Mohamed Hassan Mitawi said his team built it to solve a marketing problem. Many Zanzibari operators sell strong products but cannot reach buyers beyond their own neighbourhoods.

The platform gathers hotels, tour operators, event organisers, artists and designers in one place. A visitor can find accommodation, tickets, restaurants, transport and entertainment without stitching plans together on arrival. Mitawi said the system follows travellers from trip planning through to activities on the islands.

Dr Omar urged small businesses, young people, artists and designers to list their services. Her message reaches well beyond Zanzibar. Communities must share in tourism growth, she said, instead of watching it pass them by. Few African destinations have solved that problem.

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Why Zanzibar’s tourism platform matters beyond the islands

The timing is deliberate. Zanzibar recorded 917,167 international arrivals in 2025, up from 736,755 in 2024, a nearly 25% rise. Tourism also supports more than 30% of Zanzibar’s GDP, so any leak in the revenue chain costs the islands dearly.

Revenue transparency is the platform’s second pillar. Dr Omar said digital records of arrivals and services will give authorities a sharper picture of activity on the ground. In her view, better data cuts revenue leakage and boosts collections that fund schools and clinics. She also set conditions: listings must be accurate, service standards must be upheld, and user data must remain protected.

Industry has backed the launch. Suleiman Ali Mohammed, chairman of the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (ZATI), welcomed it and asked the government to support it so every stakeholder joins the promotion. ZATI has more than 700 members.

Biubwa Omar Khamis of the Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce called the platform a step forward for African-owned businesses. The government promises a policy, legal and institutional framework that protects quality and reliability.

What the Zanzibar tourism platform means for the trade

Travel agencies face a trade-off. A destination platform makes verified local suppliers easy to find. It also hands clients the tools to book without an agent. Agencies that survive will sell curation, problem-solving and real destination knowledge, not booking access.

Travellers gain one place to compare local options, but they should check each operator’s credentials until the platform proves its vetting. Rival destinations should watch closely. If Zanzibar shows that a locally built platform can keep commission income at home, coastal and safari destinations will copy it.

What to watch next: whether Zanzibar publishes listing numbers, booking volumes and operator-quality standards over the coming months. Those figures will show whether the platform delivers, or only launches well, and more on how African destinations are taking control of their own tourism value. 

How this could affect Africa’s tourism sector

Commission retention. Global booking platforms take a cut of each reservation. A locally owned platform can keep part of that cut inside the destination. Other African markets will test the model if Zanzibar’s results hold.

Formalising small operators. Guides, drivers, artists and craft sellers often work outside formal booking channels. Digital listings give them visibility, a payment trail, and a route to tax registration, strengthening both their incomes and public revenue.

Data for policy. Accurate arrival and service records let tourism ministries plan capacity, pricing, and marketing based on evidence. Many African tourism authorities still work from estimates.

A new job for agents. Tour operators and agencies must move from order-taking to curation, safety guidance and itinerary design. Those who do will remain valuable.

Risks. Adoption is the first test, because a platform with few listings attracts few buyers. Payment security, data protection and vetting standards come next. Zanzibar will also compete for traveller attention against global platforms with far larger marketing budgets. We believe governments must fund promotion and enforce quality, or local platforms will remain a good idea with no audience.

Follow where Africa’s travel money moves next. Read more RCA Intelligence Briefs and features on Rex Clarke Adventures today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) And Answers 

What is JamboGo.Africa?

It is a Zanzibar tourism platform that connects visitors with hotels, tours, restaurants, transport, events and local creatives, from trip planning through to on-island activities.

Who can list on the platform?

Hotels, tour operators, event organisers, artists, designers and entrepreneurs. The minister specifically invited small businesses, young people, artists and designers.

How does it help the government?

Digital records of arrivals and services should show authorities where visitors spend money. Officials expect that to reduce revenue leakage and raise collections.

Will it replace travel agents?

Unlikely. Travellers can book directly, so agents must offer curation, troubleshooting and destination expertise to stay relevant.

Could other African destinations copy it?

Yes. If Zanzibar shows that a locally built platform keeps commissions at home, other coastal and safari destinations have a clear reason to follow.