CURRENT ACTIVITIES - 2008  ZATI are continuously progressing issues concerning the airport, roads, electricity and taxes with the relevant Ministries and Government Institutions. We are proud of our partnership working and are always seeking organisations to help on projects and initiatives that will help build a successful tourism industry and support the development of Zanzibar.  As well as infrastructure we are also focussing on two important areas for tourism in Zanzibar - improving the sourcing of local supplies to hotels on the island, and enabling       Partnership Working  This year so far ZATI has attended and supported seminars and events organised by the following organisations:  Ø      The Sullivan Summit Ø      Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports Ø      Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Investment Ø      Rotary club of Zanzibar Stone Town Ø      Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority Ø      Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair Ø      Tanzania Revenue Authority Ø      ZANEMA (Zanzibar Employers Organisation) Ø      Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce Ø      Zanzibar Business Council        membership Recruitment  Recruiting new members is ongoing throughout the year although it is focused at the beginning of each year when current members need to re-subscribe. Between January and July 2008 we have received applications for 32 new members, bringing our numbers to over 80.  We have a target to reach 100 members in the next year.  Our members come from hotels, restaurants, tour operators, wholesaler suppliers, suppliers of services to the tourism sector, and retailers.       COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVOCACY    Membership Support   Throughout the year ZATI’s staff are involved in communicating Member’s concerns and problems to the relevant Government authorities by undertaking such activities as the Round Table discussions held with Government Ministers in December 2007. Members’ concerns include the level of staff skills, supply chains and infrastructure services.  This has been continued regularly in 2008, starting with the meeting with the Zanzibar Chief Minister which took place in March, a further meeting in May, two meetings with Senior police officers, and meetings with the Ministers of Tourism and Energy.   The ZATI Stragegic Plan   This has now been written and approved.  The ZATI executive board are now following the action plans.          Brochure  A report is produced annually to inform Members and relevant organisations of ZATI’s activities. The new 2008 brochure will be due out in August.   Zanzibar Tourism Strategy   - ZATI plays it's part:- ZATI with funding from the World Bank via IFC commissioned a report to look at the current level of tourism in Zanzibar. The report concluded that there are three challenges facing the private and public sector to enable tourism to grow  – availability of adequate supplies, the need for more trained personnel, and the improving the island’s infrastructure.  The report concludes that these three issues need to be taken in a Private / Public partnership.   ZATI is engaging with the European Commission sponsored Trourism Training Programme and has encouraged its members to attend three week training session held in July 08 in conjunctino with teh Commission for Tourism and the Zanzibar Hotel Training Institute. ZATI volunteer and Direct Julia Bishop is now a certified 'train the trainer' for and so are 15 ZATI members.  35 teachers from the Zanzibar Hotel Training Institute adn two private training institutes were also trained.   ZATI is working with VSO and CARE International to conduct a survey among its hotel members to identify the daily consumption of a tourist in order to be able to extrapolate the information into the tourism grouwth data - this will help us to identify what produce is current;y iported that can be grown locally. The information is backed up with a supply chain study to assist with the growth of SME, that has been conducted with assistance from IFC.  ZATI memebrs are being encouraged to support a 'buy local' policy. Karibu Fair, Arusha  ZATI, together with some of its Members, attends this East African travel trade fair to promote Zanzibar and its tourist businesses.  In 2008 ZATI had its own stand for the first time, and ZATI members were all in a Zanzibar enclosure.  ZATI members hosted the Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair evening cocktail party together with the Tanzanian Association of Tour Operators, and ZATI director presented a speech highlighting the importance of Zanzibar to Tanzania's tourism.  On the Saturday night the ZATI enclosure was a venue for many of our members' clients when we invited people to enjoy Zanzibar jumb prwawn, mishkaki beef skewers and which will of course have a Zanzibar theme!   Website    ZATI’s website presents the organisation, its aims and objectives and links to Members’ websites. The website will be updated monthly from July 2008.   Other Projects   Where resources allow ZATI works on specific projects aimed at improving Zanzibar for visitors, tourism businesses and communities. During 2007 these projects included building a police post at Nungwi, organising the Ondoa Taka Taka beach clean up, and participating in the Mwenge Torch. In 2008 ZATI sponsored Simuliza za Busara, a youth poetry and story telling event, a sail boat regata featuring 'ngalawas' where proceeds go to a psychiatric hospital In 2007, ZATI's projects included -   International Youth Foundation:  ZATI are working alongside the International Youth Foundation (IYF), a non-profit organisation, based in the US, to develop a programme to prepare young people for the tourism job market in Zanzibar. The programme will include hospitality sector training, IT training, and ‘life skills’ to increase young people’s employability. Tourism is fast replacing agriculture as the main driver of the economy, which clearly has implications for future employment prospects in Zanzibar. Discussions with both Government officials, and hotel owners and managers have indicated that local Zanzibaris are not benefiting from the tourism industry as much as they might. Hotels find themselves frequently hiring non-local staff because of a lack of qualified local applicants.  The project aims to design a training programme for young people focused specifically on the needs of the tourism industry in Zanzibar, which simultaneously will help to improve young people’s prospects for future employment. It is hoped that ZATI members will be able to provide internship slots and employment opportunities for trained young people. For those not placed in jobs entrepreneurship training will be provided.    International Finance Corporation In collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), ZATI are developing an industry growth strategic plan and a local Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) supply chain. The IFC are part of the World Bank and promote sustainable private sector investment in developing countries. IFC has established the Private Enterprise Partnership for Africa (PEP-Africa) to deliver technical assistance to the private sector, with special attention to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Zanzibar is one of the areas they are focusing on. The project has three components: 1.   Investment (hotel and infrastructure) opportunities assessment.             This will include bench-marking the Zanzibar tourism industry’s competitiveness against peers and establishing whether there are any untapped opportunities which could be developed. 2.   Industry Growth Strategic plan. Objectives include:             -  Developing a public-private partnership strategy to facilitate investment in priority infrastructure, services, staff etc;-  Advising ZATI on developing an effective advocacy and community relationship agenda. 3.   SMEs supply chain development.             This part of the project hopes to identify products that ZATI members can source from local SMEs and design a supply chain development strategy.            Nungwi Police Post  Members of ZATI and other hotels in Nungwi and Kendwa have supported a project to build a Police Post in the Nungwi area through contributing materials for its construction. The project has been led by Deputy Chairman Paolo Chiaro, who is also the Director of Renco Zanzibar Ltd. Renco were overseeing the development of the Police Post, as well as contributing materials and resources that had assisted in managing the project. The committee also included Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel, Sallehe’s (Sazani Beach), Baobab Beach Bungalows, Kendwa Amaan Beach Resort, Mnarani Beach Cottages, Kendwa Rocks. Flame Tree Cottages, La Rosa Dei Venti, Smiles Beach Hotel and La Gemma Dell’Est.          World Hotel Link – using sustainability and e-commerce to access the independent travel market.  ZATI are assisting the development of the World Hotel Link system in Zanzibar, an online booking site aimed at the independent travel market. The project is being implemented by the Private Sector Competitiveness Project, in partnership with the Tanzania Confederation of Tourism and Tanzania Tourism Board. In Zanzibar, the Commission for Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Investments are also involved.  All accommodation providers and tour operators will be offered the opportunity to participate in the portal. Included within the system will also be a ranking of how ‘sustainable’ each investor is, giving tourists extra information about their destination. Sustainable tourism contributes to the preservation and the harmonious development of a tourism destination through taking into account the long-term interests of current and future generations of people, the preservation of the environment and cultural heritage, and the equitable distribution of resources generated by tourism.