Oh no: Is Zanzibar facing a prolonged alcohol shortage?
Were you planning to book a trip somewhere sunny, perhaps to tropical Zanzibar? You certainly can, if you want to extend your Dry January a little longer. The island is facing a serious alcohol shortage. And that’s quite unfortunate, because 90 percent of the island’s income (Zanzibar is part of Tanzania) comes from tourism. And tourists generally do like to enjoy an alcoholic drink.
Especially since the island is becoming increasingly popular with British tourists, who are also known for enjoying a drink or eighteen in an evening.
‘We only serve soft drinks’
Hotel chains are already warning people about it; if you’re planning to enjoy a delicious cocktail on the beach, you may be disappointed. In the north, on the Matemwe beaches, many hotels are already serving only soft drinks. When people really want to drink alcohol, they are directed to the capital, Stone Town; that is the only place where alcohol is still available. And because of the high demand, prices there have already risen by 100 percent.
What happened?
Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, where the Zanzibar Liquor Control Board (ZLCB) postponed the licences of three established importers last year. Since local production is prohibited in Zanzibar (the island is predominantly Muslim), they depend on imports from the mainland. But because those licences were suddenly no longer being issued, they ran into trouble. These three major importers had already been active for 20 years and had supplied alcohol to the island all those years without any problems. The reason for the postponement is unknown, but the rumour on the island is that the importers were unwilling to pay enough in bribes.
Alcohol shortage in Zanzibar
Because there is nothing wrong with the paperwork: to be an importer in Zanzibar, you must have been born in Zanzibar, own a van and a warehouse, and pay more than €11,000 a year to the regulator. All three importers met these requirements, yet they suddenly still aren’t being granted their licences for the time being. However, the licence was granted to three new companies last month… But they cannot meet the enormous demand.
Solutions are being sought
The importers who are now without licences have since appealed to the government, including regarding their licence to sell spirits alongside beer and wine. But everything is moving slowly. More accurately: it has come to a complete standstill. Alcohol is now being delivered to Zanzibar only very sporadically, mainly beer, and that is nowhere near enough to supply the hotels and other hospitality businesses.
They do hope to find a solution soon; the target is this coming summer — until then, the island will largely be alcohol-free.
Also read:
- The 7 hotspots in Bonaire you’ll want to visit
- City guide: these are the best hotspots in Antwerp
- 36x the best places in Ibiza you’ll want to visit right now (from laid-back to chic)
Source: Nieuwsblad
