Dar es Salaam — France yesterday launched a new flight that will see passengers travel direct from the French capital Paris to Tanzania's archipelago Zanzibar.

The launch was officiated by the French Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness Franck Riester when he landed in Zanzibar with the direct flight from Paris, the first in close to 50 years.

French tourists are among the leading travellers who visit Tanzania. Currently, an average of 7,000 tourists from France arrive in Tanzania each month, with the number set to rise with the inauguration of the new Paris-Zanzibar direct flight.

This move is a boost to Tanzania's tourism sector which had taken a hit following the global Covid-19 pandemic. Zanzibar, which relies on tourism to run its economy was the hardest hit as global travel restrictions saw a limited number of tourists visiting the island.

According to French Minister Riester, this new development will help both France and Tanzania strengthen tourism ties and foster more growth.

Source: https://allafrica.com/stories/202110200801.html