The meeting brings together representatives from public and private to explore the impact of festivals in Zanzibar, strengthen alliances and develop partnerships.
“The festival brings a significant boost for the local economy. All hotels around Stone Town are fully booked around festival time, it’s difficult to get local flights and ferry tickets; taxi drivers are busy, shops are full and local traders are all smiling. When we started Sauti za Busara February was low season in Zanzibar. Now it is one of the busiest times of the year, because of the festival.
Zanzibar Commission for Tourism statistics show the numbers of visitors to the islands during February each year has increased by more than 400% since the festival started” says Yusuf Mahmoud, Director of the Busara Promotions.
In spite of the growing number of visitors and the subsequent increase in revenue for Zanzibar businesses, it has become more difficult to find adequate sponsorship for the festival which is free of charge prior to sunset and charges a minimal fee for local guests to enable all Zanzibar residents to take part in the event.
“If we can not increase our support from the government and the local business community,we will not be able to host the event in Zanzibar after 2012” says Yusuf Mahmoud who has overseen the hugely successful delivery of the Sauti za Busara festival since the year 2003.
While more and more donors are looking for art organizations to become self-sustainable through private public partnership, local stakeholders have not yet fully realized the importance of supporting cultural events.
The aim of this meeting is to further inform possible partners of ways to support Sauti za Busara Festival,initiate conversations and generate awareness and support.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Zanzibar Beach Resort on Thursday, November 17th
from 9 am to 2 pm.
uuuuwwwi, stakeholders from zanzibar and tanzania? Ni lini zanzibar imekuwa si sehemu ya tanzania? kwa nini isisemwe stakeholders from tanzania?
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