Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa, located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small islands and two large ones, known for its rich, vibrant culture, tropical climate, picturesque white - sand beaches turquoise waters, and stunning coral reefs, making it a popular destination for water sports like diving and snorkeling is establishing itself as an emerging East African aviation hub.
Zanzibar has seen significant aviation sector growth, marked by doubled passenger traffic and increased revenues under President Hussein Mwinyi with an economic reform agenda widely credited for the industry’s unprecedented growth, enhancing efficiency and contributing to the tourism sector’s expansion.
The Tanzanian semi – autonomous isles airports have undergone rapid transformation over the last five years establishing new routes, improving infrastructure and focusing on technology, leveraging digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and smart systems to improve efficiency, enhancing customer experience, and reducing costs within its aviation sector becoming a key aviation hub in East Africa.
Under the leadership of the Airports Authority (ZAA) Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) that has secured multiple accolades, including the Airports Council International (ACI) award for best African airport handling under two million passengers annually, an A grade from the ICAO security audit, and RA3 cargo certification by DNATA in 2023.
The airport has seen passenger numbers rise from around 840.599 in 2020 to over 2.4 million in 2025, and airport revenue have surged from 11.6 billion Tanzanian Shillings in 2019/2020 to nearly 50 billion in 2025.
These successes have positioned Zanzibar as a growing regional aviation hub opening access to European markets and the number of airlines using Zanzibar has growth from 68 in 2020 to 79 in 2025.and supported by added routes from carriers such as Edelweiss, FlySafair, Air France and Ethiad passenger traffic more than doubled.
Major infrastructure developments are also underway, including a new terminal at Pemba’s first international airport due in 2027, expanded facilities at AAKIA, and new technology upgrades such as Instrument Landing Systems and night – flight capabilities.
In addition, Zanzibar was chosen to host the prestigious AviaDe Africa summit in June 2025, signaling its emerging status as a significant player in Africa’s aviation and tourism industries, with government officials highlighting transport investment as central to job creation, tourism growth, and broader economic development.
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https://atta.travel/resource/zanzibar-emerging-as-east-african-aviation-hub.html
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