Ethical Travel in Zanzibar: What Responsible Tourism Really Looks Like on the Ground

When I read about the plastic bag ban in Zanzibar, I booked a holiday for my daughter and me. This is what I wanted, an island that cared. Cared about plastics and followed my ethics.

The View from our Eco Hotel.

Ethical Travel in Zanzibar?

Zanzibar is stunning, the plastic bag ban is heroic. But sadly, beauty and good intention alone does NOT make ethical travel.

So, is Zanzibar an ethical destination? Well, it depends on how you travel. With every good intention of choosing Zanzibar, I spend a good two hours every day picking up plastic bottles from the beaches.

We had booked a luxury hotel, which was ecological in its design, beautiful, and a dream. Until you stepped onto the beach or five centimetres outside of the resort. Once outside, you were in a no-man's wasteland.

Now, I am not judging travellers, the hotel owners, or anyone else. But I felt there was an unwritten trade-off between ethical travel and informed decisions.

My idea was to travel ethically. Was to love and enjoy the whole island, not just the proximity of the hotel and resort. For me to be clean in the resort means to respect the whole surroundings. To clean up the community next to it. To ensure the beach is clean and to have a responsible plan.

Running on the beach after I picked up the bottles

Who Benefits from Tourism in Zanzibar?

What shocked me the most was that Zanzibar hotels and owners were from all around the world. A lot of Germans. Now, living in Germany, I could not believe that foreign-owned resorts were just as "unconscious" about plastic waste around the resort.

Zanzibar is a very expensive island. Nearly everyone bills in USD, and even children on the beach ask for dollars. Zanzibar is beautiful, but "all-inclusive" can exclude local economies. Spending locally is dwarfed by resorts that care about their image. But, lack respect for the island outside of their property. This means that there are massive economic differences and cultural educational differences. Local people use plastic and leave it on the beach. Why? Maybe for lack of education or lack of bins. The hotels have great waste disposal opportunities, but again, only for anyone in the resort.

Sunset in Zanzibar

To be an ethical or a responsible tourist, you must

• Choose locally owned accommodation

• Or hotels that support the community, not only themselves

• Pick up after yourself

• Help clean a bit if you feel motivated. I know I did

• Eat local food

• always ask before taking photographs of children or people.

Ethical Travel Isn't a Trend read my Medium article.