Tim Henshall - Head of Tourism Marketing in the UK - attempted to provide clarity and updates on the "hot" topic of Zanzibar's new mandatory Travel Insurance, during a well-attended The Africa Hub webinar on Tuesday 17th September.
The initiative was extensively debated by over 180** international travel professionals with examples of the questions and answers listed here :
When does the policy requirement start?
From 1st October 2024, although the website is already live at http://visitzanzibar.go.tz
Do clients need it when they already have their own travel insurance?
Insurance sourced from ZIC (with AXA) is mandatory, regardless of whatever other policies the traveller may already have. This is to ensure all international visitors to Zanzibar are adequately covered.
AXA in Morocco has been the leading proponent of this initiative and it highlighted the low % of international visitors arriving into the North African country without adequate cover (eg. those travelling with low cost airlines for weekend breaks into Marrakesh).
Numerous industry observers have commented that this is not the case with Tanzania and Zanzibar, with an estimated 95% of visitors already having travel insurance. Whilst no recognised study has been conducted to clarify this, international tour operators have emphasised their requirement for clients to have insurance in place at the time of booking.
Do all international visitors have to have this particular insurance to gain entry?
Yes, it is a legal requirement for entry to Zanzibar by all international visitors to show that they have ZIC (with AXA) Insurance cover.
Can visitors gain the insurance 'on arrival"?
It has been stated that gaining insurance cover will be available on arrival, but it is my strong recommendation that visitors buy ahead of time, to be sure of as speedy and trouble-free an entry as possible.
How much does the insurance cost?
The policy costs $44 for adults; 3-17 year old pay $22, 0-2yr old are included in their parents' cover. The policy gives 92 days worth of cover (and includes the mainland, even though Tanzania does not require it).
How many clients are likely to claim against the insurance?
In reality, probably not many. We anticipate most UK travellers would prefer to claim against their own (UK-sourced) insurance policies, as they will expect that would involve less red-tape and easier processing.
It is important to recognise that it is criminal offence (fraud) if an individual claims against more than one policy for the same incident. AXA will be aware of this as they themselves will be insuring many people twice-over. This obviously raises questions about whether AXA is able to sell 'duplicate' policies.
At the same time, the cover is modest by international standards as there are numerous clauses and conditions which make claims less likely, due to their limitations and restrictions.
Where does the revenue from the project go (as clients might respond better if it's for good work)?
We have requested clarity from ZIC and the Ministry of Finance, as we hope it will be put to positive use - for example the building of new medical facilities or the enhanced provision of health care services, across the archipelago. We will advise the trade as soon as we are able.
Has the travel industry and tourism organisations lobbied against it's "hasty" introduction?
Yes, representation has been made to the Ministry of Finance in Zanzibar by numerous trade bodies, including TATO. Various Embassies and High Commissions across the globe, including the UK, have also raised concerns and issues. But it has been passed in Zanzibar's parliament and is now law.
Without further rationalisation and explanation, we do remain concerned that it may give off a negative image of both Zanzibar and the Tanzanian mainland and may provide a competitive advantage to other destinations like Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Tim Henshall committed to keeping www.tanzaniatourism.uk/zanzibar-insurance updated as regularly as possible.
** 188 travel professionals (94 from the UK) with 48 different nations.
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