Zanzibar Declaration for Sustainable Tourism
Read the declaration, choose your commitments, and pledge your support for #GreenerZanzbar!
The Zanzibar Declaration on Sustainable Tourism is an informal statement of intent and a rallying cry for the Zanzibar tourism industry to take real strides towards sustainability, in support of people, planet and prosperity.
Follow the links below for our recommendations on how to meet your commitments!
“We are all responsible”
– Minister Mudrick Soragha
The Five Commitments
Signatories are invited to choose (at least) three of the following commitments. Here are our guides to help you set and meet targets to fulfil your commitments!
1. Sustainable food from sea and land
- Learn about and use the Zanzibar Sustainable Seafood Guide and prioritise serving fish and seafood classified ‘green’ or yellow’, avoiding those classified ‘red’.
- Prioritise purchasing produce in season from local farmers and producers, especially those using sustainable farming practices (e.g. organic or permaculture)
- Increase incorporation of indigenous vegetables, and traditional Zanzibari recipes and dishes.
- Actively communicate with our guests about our efforts and sensitize our suppliers.
Tangible Target: At least one local sustainable food option is available and communicated to guests with every meal.
2. Sustainable waste management
As tourism stakeholders we will:
- Coordinate efforts to increase action for more sustainable waste management in Zanzibar, including staff and supplier trainings, strengthening of reduce, reuse and recycling initiatives, decrease in waste of all kinds especially organic and plastic and actively share data and insights for building knowledge and action around this topic.
- Make efforts to separate our waste and compost our organic waste ensuring that it does not go to landfill, a source of methane emissions.
- Reduce our plastic waste and consider committing to becoming a signatory of the One Planet Network Global Tourism Plastics Initiative in 2023, involving among other, the elimination of all problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and items by 2025
Tangible Targets: Offer plastic-free options for water and other drinks (e.g. using refillable glass bottles), adopt a food waste reduction program and increase composting and recycling.
3. Space for nature and restoring ecosystems
As tourism stakeholders we will:
- Take steps to conserve and restore Zanzibar indigenous plants, animals and ecosystems on land under our stewardship, including the control and removal of invasive alien species.
- Actively work towards supporting and adopting the Best Practice Guidelines being developed for Tourism Operation in Zanzibar Ecosystems in our facility construction, property development and landscape management.
- Support local and regional initiatives to restore ecosystems and biodiversity directly and through promotion to our guests (e.g. the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, AFR100).
- Support the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism’s Space-for-Nature Campaign
Tangible Target: Train gardening teams to identify and increase indigenous plants and control invasive alien species in property grounds – aiming for an increase in wildlife, natural habitat and space for nature.
4. Support local Zanzibar culture, knowledge and expertise
As tourism stakeholders we:
- Actively work together with other tourism industry players, communities and the public sector to build awareness, strengthen traditional skills and craftsmanship and jointly find solutions for the protection and safeguard of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Zanzibar and its associated wisdom and traditional practices
- Actively learn about, incorporate and promote local Zanzibari culture as part of our operations(within architecture, decoration, art, local history, cuisine, music, dance, crafts, boutique/souvenir sales, authentic tours promoted etc.), and promoting local jobs.
Tangible Targets: Increase offers of Zanzibari cultural tours, increase local cultural elements on display in tourism operations and incorporate heritage sites into tourism value chains.
5. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our operations
As tourism stakeholders we will:
- Learn where our main greenhouse gas emissions arise and take steps to reduce them.
- Consider signing up to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism making use of the tools and resources
- Coordinate and collaborate with other stakeholders in the Zanzibar Tourism industry to work towards emissions reductions and other actions for climate change adaptation and mitigation
Tangible Targets: Prepare a preliminary emissions reduction plan including such measures as installing LED lighting and adopting a Dark Skies outdoor lighting policy (i.e. low-level, low-wattage downlighting and path lights to reduce light pollution).
1. Choose sustainable food!
2. Waste less!
Discover ideas with our guide to
- Conduct a waste audit
- Reduce waste – choose zero waste products, packaging free!
- Reuse – choose reusable options – wash, return and reuse packaging
- Recycle – find recycling initiatives to take back waste
- Compost – decompose organic waste back into valuable fertiliser
3. Create space for nature!
Learn which indigenous plants to grow in your space and which invasive plants you should remove from our lists!
4. Support local Zanzibar culture, knowledge and expertise
Discover culturally important wild plants: traditional medicine, wild food, fruits and leaves and more.
5. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our operations
Choose bio-cooling plants to keep your home, office or garden cool naturally, and reduce your electricity bill!