Cultural tourism offerings would increase the value-added of the tourism sector, creating an enabling environment for longer stays, while preserving cultural values and accelerate participation and involvement of local population.

By effectively enhancing customer satisfaction and generating value from various tourism products, the development of cultural tourism offerings will improve visitors' experiences in Zanzibar.

Improved and diversified experiences of visitors through cultural tourism will promote and safeguards the island's cultural heritage and increases the number of return visitors as well as customer diversification.

The growth of tourists attracted to cultural offerings may increase waste generation and consequently put a strain on local waste management systems (23, 24).

Improper handling of historical sites as well as tourists overcrowding one place can damage supporting infrastructure and hinder the preservation of artefacts and tangible heritage (25).

Increased tourist arrivals can undermine local economy, increasing the cost of living for the domestic population.

Climatic stressors such as high temperatures, rising sea levels, flooding and drought can diminish the positive impact of cultural tourism (26).

If the traditions of local communities are not considered, thereby undermining the cultural diversity of the region, the business model may fail to reach the necessary level of positive impact (27).

Empower the local community and preserve cultural heritage by expanding employment opportunities, access to resources and higher tourism revenue and promoting longer stays.

Zanzibar Development Vision 2050: Diversification of tourism products, which are compatible with Zanzibar's natural and cultural heritage and have the potential to be profitable to accelerate market expansion, is one of the endeavors of the Vision 2050's economic transition pillar(3).

Zanzibar Blue Economy Policy 2022: One of the main objectives of this policy is to safeguard and promote Zanzibar's cultural and natural heritage while encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices (9).

Zanzibar Tourism Policy, 2018: Policy underlines the need to provide support to Community Based Tourism enterprises to enter the tourism value chain, enabling local communities to develop competitive tourism products and viable businesses (7).

Fiscal incentives: Aside from available general incentives for international investors such as exemption from payment of import duty, excise duty, VAT (8), a fiscal incentive package is being developed for tourism, including cultural tourism, as part of the “Tourism for All” initiative (29).

Other incentives: 100% foreign ownership, 33 to 99 years of land lease agreement, employment of expatriates in key positions, 100% allowance for R&D activities are some of the other incentives provided by the Government based on the size of the investment (8).

Tourism Act, 2009: The Act provides the institutional framework, administration, regulation, registration and licensing of tourism facilities and activities in Zanzibar (16).

Environmental Management for Sustainable Development Act,1996: The Act binds government to ensure that all public work and workplans should include overall environmental protection and environmentally-sound implementation while ensuring sustainable use of renewable and nonrenewable resources (18).

Zanzibar Association of Tour Investors, Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Zanzibar Association of Tour Guides, Zanzibar Association of Tour Operators, Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA), Zanzibar Employees' Association. (ZANEMA), Office of the Chief Government Statistician (for exit surveys).

World Bank.

SNV-Netherlands Development Organisation, VSO, USAID.