ARUSHA, Tanzania, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar is set to refurbish the largest and tallest building in its world heritage site stone town to woo tourists.
Issa Haji Ussi, Minister of State, President Office and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of Zanzibar, told Xinhua on Sunday that the move is one of the strategies aimed at boosting the number of tourists from the current 400,000 to 500,000 in the next three years.
"We're looking for funds and Oman Government has agreed to support us in refurbishing the Palace of Wonders building located at the stone town of Zanzibar," the official said, without divulging the total cost of the project.
"Currently, the building houses the Museum of History and Culture of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast," the minister said, revealing that the building is dilapidated and needs urgent refurbishment.
He said tourism is a foreign exchange earner for Zanzibar, "that's why we're coming up with a number of strategies to make it grow and woo as more tourists as possible."
Ussi also disclosed that Zanzibar is now eying for tourists from as far as Russia, China, and Middle East countries because for years it has been relying on those western countries, European countries and the United States.
