Ema and Martina, students Tourism Management, researched sustainable tourism in Zanzibar and how tourism can support the local community and environment instead of harming them.
Zanzibar is an island on the east coast of Africa and a popular tourist destination. Think of pearly white beaches, palm trees swaying in the wind, and beautiful sunny weather every day. However, these picture-perfect experiences do come at a cost. Some of the tourist attractions on the island, like the popular dolphin or starfish tours, are actually harmful to the animals. “We want to show how tourism can support the local community, rather than harm the culture or the environment,” Martina says.
A bit of a culture shock
To further their research, Ema and Martina travelled to Zanzibar during the summer holidays. “It was amazing,” Martina reminisces. “The first few days we did have a bit of a culture shock.” After the initial shock, Ema and Martina really immersed themselves in Zanzibar culture. They learned basic Swahili to be able to communicate with the locals in their native language, stayed with locals instead of a hotel and took the local transport, the Dala-Dala. These are trucks that are converted into a shared minibuses.
Their time spent in Zanzibar, so far away from home, taught Ema and Martina to be more open-minded towards other cultures. “We live in a very developed country,” Ema says. “We learned how to set our prejudices aside and experience the differences in culture.” Ema and Martina really challenged themselves during the HZ Honours Programme. “We learned how to go with the flow and be flexible when things don’t go according to plan,” Martina says. “I feel like I can do anything now!”
Challenge yourself with the HZ Honours Programme
Are you ambitious and enterprising? Are you looking for more challenges during your studies? Then the Honours Programme is for you! This special programme, which runs alongside your studies, gives you the opportunity to develop yourself to the fullest, broaden your knowledge and contribute to a better future.
Endless options
Now they’re back from their travels, Ema and Martina are processing all of their research findings to make a guidebook that promotes sustainable tourism in Zanzibar. “It’s a lot of work and takes quite a bit of time,” Martina says. But it’s all worth it to be able to make a positive contribution to sustainable tourism.
Ema and Martina would definitely recommend participating in the HZ Honours Programme. “One thousand percent,” Ema says. “Just go for it!” You learn how to set up your own research project, keep track of your planning and how to manage expectations – both your own and the organisations you work with during your project. “I think this is the best thing you can do as a student,” Martina says. “The options are endless.”
