Sustainable Tourism and Benefit-Sharing in Zanzibar: The Case of Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve

Sustainable tourism (ST) development in Zanzibar is considered as one of the vital activities that could generate income for day-to-day management of protected areas through benefit-sharing. This paper examines the potential of benefit-sharing from sustainable tourism in the Kiwengwa-Pongwe tourism zone (KPTZ) in Zanzibar from two major routes: water services and tourist attractions from Kiwengwa-Pongwe forest reserve (KPFR). Nine (9) out of thirteen (13) hoteliers and 35 tourists participated in a willingness to pay (WTP) survey conducted in August 2006. Data were obtained through questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. Great potential exists for the Kiwengwa-Pongwe tourism zone in Zanzibar to generate significant economic benefits from tourism business. However, the inexistence of an appropriate benefit-sharing mechanism makes the attainment of this goal difficult. If a benefit-sharing mechanism is properly instituted to allow an equitable economic, social and environmental benefit-sharing, tourism stakeholders and the surrounding communities would be able to generate enough revenue for financing a number of local sustainable development initiatives.