THE Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) has hit a record collection of revenue 8.83bn/- during the third quarter of the financial year 2022/2023.
The amount collected from January to March is an increase of 195 per cent compared to the same period in 2019 before the outbreak of Covid-19, when the collection was 2.99bn/-. The collection of the third quarter in last financial year was 5.5bn/-.
This was revealed in ZAA’s Financial Year quarterly performance statement issued yesterday by its Communication Officer Ms Mulhat Doria.
According to the statement signed by its Acting Director General Mr Seif Abdallah Juma attributed the success to various reasons including personal initiatives of President Hussein Mwinyi, to promote tourism and improve infrastructure.
Improved services at the terminal III including ground handling by DNATA, enabling the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) become one of the airports that meet international standards for transporting cargo to Europe.
“The improved services at the AAKIA has been good and for transporting goods to Europe is expected to boost export particularly products from the blue economy sector and business by opening the borders of commercial opportunities,” the statement says.
In addition, ZAA says it is remembered that on September 22, 2022, Germany Airlines Edelweiss officially started receiving flight services (ground handling) through the DNATA Company at the Terminal III of Abeid Amani Karume.
Increase in passengers is another reason for the revenue increase as the number of passengers served in the period January – March 2023 increased to 538,828 compared to 424,968 passengers in the same period last year (2022).
Increase in flights (routes) has been described as another advantage that enables the revenue collection at AAKIA to increase.
The statement reads that the existing international airlines have also significantly increased the number of flight schedule to meet the needs of passengers including the NEOS airline from Italy.
The statement says in order for ZAA to keep the pace and further increase revenue collection in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2022-2023, it vows to continue to attract new airlines and issue permits for direct flights to Zanzibar.
“Other strategic measures for revenue increase include wooing international airlines to start their flights to Abeid Amani Karume Airport,” reads the report.
It further said the South African Airlines is expected to start its route to Zanzibar soon; also to ensure that it continues to maintain the security and safety in all airports in Zanzibar.
“We also need to sustain provision of good services in the existing passenger buildings at the AAKIA and also speed up the construction of Pemba International Airport,” the ZAA reports said
ZAA is also planning to construct the new fourth passenger building (terminal 4) at AAKIA,” the statement reads.
It concludes by commending President Mwinyi for his visionary leadership that is propelling the Zanzibar to the great heights.
