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The Countdown Is On As International Buyers And African Tourism Businesses Prepare To Connect From 20–22 October
The countdown to Essence of Africa 2026 is officially gathering momentum, with Africa’s international buyer forum set to bring leading tourism businesses and carefully selected global buyers together in Zanzibar from 20–22 October 2026.
But ahead of the meetings in Zanzibar, an important conversation is already taking shape around the future of the destination itself.
In a recent interview ahead of Essence of Africa, Mohammed Hersi, Group Director of Operations at Pollmans Tours & Safaris and a member of the Essence of Africa Advisory Panel, offered a timely perspective on Zanzibar’s rapid tourism growth and the importance of getting that growth right.
Zanzibar’s Tourism Growth Brings A Bigger Conversation
Zanzibar welcomed 917,167 international visitors in 2025, representing a 24.5% increase from the previous year and bringing the island closer to the one-million-arrival mark. For Hersi, that growth presents an opportunity — but also a reason for the destination to think carefully about what comes next.
His argument is that Zanzibar should focus on value rather than simply chasing higher visitor numbers, particularly as new developments continue to emerge across the island.
With limited land and resources, the conversation goes beyond hotel rooms and arrival figures. Water, electricity, waste management, infrastructure, development density and the preservation of local character all become increasingly important as tourism expands.
Hersi points to the development pressures that can accompany rapid tourism growth and argues that destinations need clear planning and effective policies to ensure that tourism remains commercially valuable while protecting the qualities that attract visitors in the first place.
Protecting The Appeal Of East Africa
The discussion also extends beyond Zanzibar.
According to Hersi, Zanzibar and destinations such as the Maasai Mara form part of interconnected travel patterns across East Africa. Travellers can combine a Zanzibar stay with safari in the Serengeti or Manyara, while visitors to Kenya’s Mara may add Zanzibar or Kenya’s coast to their itineraries.
That connection makes destination stewardship a wider tourism industry issue. Protecting the appeal of one major destination can have implications for the wider network of businesses and destinations that benefit from multi-country travel.
For tourism businesses selling Africa internationally, this creates an increasingly important conversation around quality, sustainability, destination management and long-term value.
And it is precisely the kind of conversation that makes the timing of Essence of Africa 2026 particularly relevant.
27 Days Until The International Travel Trade Meets In Zanzibar
From 20–22 October, Diamonds Bijoux Zanzibar will become the meeting point for African tourism suppliers and pre-qualified international buyers.
Essence of Africa is designed around pre-scheduled business meetings, with buyers drawn from key markets across Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The programme also includes market-focused sessions, content discussions, networking and familiarisation opportunities.
The 2025 edition in Malindi provided a strong foundation, bringing together 158 international buyers from 39 countries and 150 African exhibiting companies, with more than 5,600 buyer-seller meetings taking place during the forum.
For 2026, the focus moves to Zanzibar, a destination whose growing international profile makes it a fitting setting for conversations around the future of African tourism.
The Business Of Building Better Tourism
The latest Advisory Panel discussion adds to a series of industry conversations being released in the run-up to the forum.
Earlier discussions have examined safari’s “missing middle”, the opportunities for Southern Africa in the MICE market and the potential of running tourism to drive destination development. Together, these perspectives underline the breadth of issues facing African tourism, from market access and connectivity to conservation, community benefits, events and destination planning.
The Zanzibar gathering provides the opportunity to take those conversations further, this time through direct engagement between tourism suppliers and the international buyers responsible for connecting African products with global travellers.
Zanzibar Is Calling
With 27 days remaining, the road to Essence of Africa 2026 is entering its final stretch.
The programme is taking shape. International buyers are preparing to meet African tourism businesses. And the industry conversations surrounding the forum are becoming increasingly relevant as destinations across the continent consider how to grow tourism while protecting what makes them distinctive.
20–22 October 2026. Diamonds Bijoux, Zanzibar.
27 days to go until Essence of Africa brings Africa’s tourism industry and the global travel trade together in Zanzibar.
The countdown is on. The conversations are growing. And the next chapter of African tourism is waiting to be discussed.
For the latest programme, participation information and event updates, visit Essence of Africa.
About Essence of Africa:
Essence of Africa is a private sector-led initiative designed to connect international buyers with African tourism suppliers. The event features pre-scheduled meetings, networking events, educational seminars, and familiarisation trips, providing a comprehensive platform for business development and collaboration.
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