Where sport meets culture, business in Zanzibar
DAR ES SALAAM: SPORT is no longer simply about what happens between the lines. In Zanzibar, the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) presents an opportunity to use sport as a bridge to tourism, culture, entertainment and business.
As Tanzania prepares to host AFCON 2027, Zanzibar is being encouraged to look beyond the football matches and consider how the tournament will create opportunities for communities, particularly young people and those working in the creative and tourism sectors.
Minister for Information, Arts, Culture and Sports Dr Riziki Pembe Juma has urged Zanzibar residents to turn culture, arts and sports into sources of income and development while protecting the islands’ heritage.
Speaking at the closing of the 31st Mzanzibar Culture Festival at Culture Musical Club grounds in Vuga, Dr Riziki said the opportunities created by AFCON should benefit local communities as well as the wider economy.
Her message is timely because the success of a major sporting event is increasingly measured not only by what happens in stadiums but also by the economic activity generated around them. Zanzibar already has a strong foundation in tourism.
Dr Riziki said tourism contributes about 30 per cent of Zanzibar’s gross domestic product and accounts for approximately 80 per cent of foreign-exchange earnings.
The sector provides more than 35,000 direct jobs and over 65,000 indirect employment opportunities. These figures underline why sport and tourism should be viewed as complementary sectors. A football visitor is not simply a spectator.
That person may also require accommodation, transport, food, entertainment and other services while looking for opportunities to explore the destination.
This creates a chain of opportunities for hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transport providers, traders, artists and other businesses.
Zanzibar’s traditional dances, music, food, fashion, crafts and historical attractions can add another dimension to the visitor experience. The challenge is to ensure that local people are active participants in this economy rather than spectators of it.
The cycling event held at Pujini in South Pemba during World Tourism Day activities demonstrate how sport can be used to promote tourism. The 60-kilometre senior race passed through Kiwani, Kengeja and Mtangani before finishing at Dodo Pujini.
While it was a sporting competition, it also provided an opportunity to showcase Pemba’s tourism attractions.
The Zanzibar Tourism Commission said the event was organised to promote Zanzibar’s attractions to local and international audiences.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Arts, Culture and Sports Matar Zahor Masoud also noted that several attractive destinations in Pemba remain relatively unknown and could benefit from greater promotion. This is where sports events can make a difference.
Cycling, running, water sports and community football can take participants and spectators beyond conventional tourist centres and introduce them to communities and attractions that might otherwise receive little attention.
The 31st Mzanzibar Culture Festival also demonstrated how culture can complement sport and tourism.
Its theme, “Our Culture is a Heritage for Our Generations; Use Cultural Opportunities at AFCON 2027,” sends a clear message that heritage can be preserved while also creating economic opportunities.
Zanzibar’s music, dance, cuisine, traditional clothing, crafts and history are valuable tourism assets.
AFCON could provide artists, musicians, performers, designers, photographers, filmmakers and other creative professionals with opportunities to develop products and experiences for local and international audiences.
Young people should be at the centre of this effort. Skills in event management, sports marketing, digital content creation, broadcasting, hospitality, photography and merchandising could open new avenues for employment and entrepreneurship. The link between sport, tourism and technology will also be important.
World Tourism Day 2026 is being observed under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.” For Zanzibar, this provides an opportunity to use digital platforms to market sporting events, cultural activities, tourism attractions and local businesses to global audiences.
Visitors should be able to discover attractions, accommodation, transport, restaurants and cultural experiences easily through digital platforms. Local entrepreneurs can also use social media and other technologies to market their products directly to visitors. The biggest question, however, is what remains after AFCON 2027.
Major tournaments eventually end, but their legacy can last for years if opportunities are properly planned and managed.
For Zanzibar, that legacy could include stronger sporting structures, improved skills, new businesses, better tourism products and greater opportunities for young people.
Sports associations, football clubs and other organisations can also become partners in promoting tourism and community development.
Zanzibar, therefore, does not have to choose between sport, culture and tourism. The strength lies in connecting all three. Football can bring visitors.
Culture can give them reasons to explore and stay longer. Tourism can create the market, while sport and the creative industries can generate jobs and business opportunities.
The real success of AFCON 2027 for Zanzibar, therefore, should not be measured only in goals, victories or attendance figures.
It should also be measured by how effectively the tournament creates opportunities for young people, supports local businesses, promotes Zanzibar’s culture and showcases destinations beyond the traditional tourist circuit. That is the bigger game Zanzibar should be preparing to win.
