ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibari President Hussein Ali Mwinyi said Wednesday that plans are underway to build an international airport on Pemba Island to boost tourism.
"We need to open up Pemba Island and make it an attractive destination for tourists from across the world and other visitors," Mwinyi said when he officiated the renaming of the tourist hotel at Matemwe on Pemba Island.
The Zanzibar archipelago is formed by the two major islands of Pemba and Unguja, and Pemba Island currently has a small airport that accommodates small planes, said Mwinyi.
Mwinyi said the Zanzibari government has already signed an agreement to build the airport, which will be able to accommodate huge planes from across the world. He did not reveal the airport's contractors.
According to official statistics, Zanzibar witnessed a remarkable 16.4 percent surge in international tourist arrivals in 2023, when it welcomed 638,498 tourists, a record high. ■
