Mwinyi to launch luxury hotel in Zanzibar

From ISSA YUSSUF in Zanzibar

ZANZIBAR: IT is another month of excitement for tourism industry players as President Hussein Mwinyi is expected to grace the opening of the state-of the

-art luxury hotel built on Bawe Island – one of the 17 uninhabited Islets leased for investments in 2021/2022.The good news was released to journalists here yesterday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Economy and Investments Mr Khamis Suleiman Mwalim, while briefing on the preparations for the grand opening of the hotel scheduled for June 15, this year.

“This is a milestone in developing the small Islands which were idle before the eighth phase government under President Mwinyi took over the office. We welcome all to celebrate in the upcoming event to be held on the small Island,”the PS said.

He explained that the new luxury hotel project dubbed ‘BAWE ISLAND – THE COCOON COLLECTION’ is worth more than 37 million US dollars by investors from Italy and Luxembourg, and expected to create 400 direct jobs.

Twenty out of 50 small uninhabited Islands marketed for lease; already 17 have been leased to investors who paid a total of 20.5 million US dollars as land acquisitions’ cost valued capital of more than 384 million US dollars.

He said that the investments on the small islands are among programmes of the implementation of Blue Economy (BE) policy, adding that the planned investment on small Islet will create at least 7,000 direct jobs and boost the economic growth of Zanzibar.

Equally, he confided to the reporters here that as emphasis on environment and marine conservation to all investor goes on, particularly on the small Islands, the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) in collaboration with ‘USAIDHESHIMU BAHARI’ are organising a forum ‘Investment on small Island and protection of the sea.

READ: Mwinyi woos France investors to Zanzibar

He said the forum to be graced by Dr Mwinyi, is scheduled for next month (11th July) at the Golden Tulip Hotel- Airport and aims to emphasise to investors to protect the environment.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwalim mentioned names of the new members of the ZIPA board of directors’ appointment by the Minister of State- President’s Office (Labour, Economy, and Investments) Mr Sharif Ali Sharif, urging them to work hard in helping the authority win more investors for economic growth as directed by Dr Mwinyi.

The Members include Ms Zena Hassan Mahmoud from the State MinistryOffice of the President (Finance and Planning); and Dr Abdalla Rashid Abdalla from the Ministry of Trade and Industries Development.

Others are Mr Muchi Juma Ameir from Land Commission; Ms Victoria Kamazima from Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce; and Mr Ibni Ahmad Haji from Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) who will be working under the Board Chairperson, Ambassador Omar Yussuf Mzee, appointed recently by President Mwinyi.