Zanzibar’s airports have seen a sharp rise in traffic — combined arrivals at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and Pemba Airport grew from 840,599 in 2020 to more than 2.4 million in 2025 — and the government has a matching infrastructure push underway. A feasibility study is in progress for a fourth terminal at the main airport, and Pemba Airport is being expanded toward full international-gateway status, targeted for 2027.
What’s changing for ferries and roads
Beyond the airports, two new high-speed ferries were being built in India for delivery around late 2025 into 2026, new port facilities are under construction at Mangapwani and Mpinga Duri, and the 48km Tunguu–Makunduchi road — plus two new flyovers — is being upgraded. For travelers, the practical effect should eventually be faster, more reliable transfers between the airport and the beach areas, though big infrastructure projects like this typically run behind their original timelines.
Good to know
Don’t plan around completion dates yet. Treat 2026–2027 targets as directional rather than guaranteed — check current ferry schedules and transfer options closer to your trip rather than assuming a project has finished on time.