[MUSIC] [MUSIC] International tourist arrivals have increased tremendously since 1950, where 25 million international arrivals were registered until today where 1.2 billion international arrivals come. Increasingly we travel to far away destinations such as tropical and sub-tropical islands including Zanzibar where I've just arrived. We create not just many job opportunities as tourists, but also leave behind significant environmental footprints. This further impact on people's living conditions, but also maybe also on the health of the population where we come. Zanzibar is a group of tropical islands of the coast of Tanzania in the western Indian Ocean. During recent years, it has become a very popular place for tourists enjoying the rich culture, beautiful beaches, and colorful corals. [MUSIC] From 130,000 tourists in 2006, the total number reached 336,000 in 2016. And the curve is expected to rise over the coming years. The many tourists is good news to the tourism industry in Zanzibar, which accounts for 27% of the GDP and 80% of foreign revenue coming into Zanzibar. But as many other tourist nations in low-income countries, Zanzibar lacks the infrastructure and institutional capacity to manage the increasing pressure. So what happens to the island's vulnerable ecosystems, and the health of the population on Zanzibar when we arrive in large numbers and continue our Western lifestyle in a tropical setting with scarce resources? And limited capacity for environmental management. What happens, for example, to the wastewater we generate? What are the consequences of our large water use, not to mention the tons of solid waste we generate? My two colleagues from the State University of Zanzibar will know. And their research in solid waste generated by hotels in Zanzibar may shed light on the extent of the problem. So obviously this is from tourist hotels for mosquito control and even a shampoo called Eco shampoo. So obviously, this is all dumped by hotels. >> Yes, even in our study we did in the hotels, they mentioned that they dump here at Kiweba Forest. >> So do you know why they dump it here and they don't dump it in a more regulated site? >> I think the reason behind it's cheaper dumping them here. As my colleagues say, it's a very short distance. So those collectors who collect waste from the hotel, they prefer dumping them here rather than sending them somewhere else. >> So obviously waste is also found on the beach from hotels. So are the tourists consuming plastic bottles? Well, what are the impacts of plastic bottles ending up on the beach? It doesn't like nice, but what are the other implications? >> When these plastic bottles are swept away to the sea, they slowly breakdown into microplastic. They're eaten by fish as well as affecting seaweed plantation, reducing its value price and impact the community and fisherman livelihood. >> Besides the fisherman's livelihood, microplastic might present a risk to human health. Let's ask Marine Specialist, Mohammed Sheikh, what he knows about the issue. So all this plastic ending up at sea, what are the implications from a human health perspective? >> Well, when the plastic enters, in the sea, of course, they're degraded into small particles that's called microplastic. So microplastics are taken by fish. And then they are going through the food chain until they end up, consumers, which are human beings. Most of us, we are using this fish for the protein. So definitely there is implication, health implication, based on the chemical from the plastics. >> So I know you're also working on waste water. Maybe you could show me a site where you could illustrate some of the problems associated with waste water. >> Sure. This is the main outlet of waste water from Stone Town, which dispose untreated sewerage to the marine environment of Zanzibar. >> I know some hotels, at least that's one place I've seen it, they have very nice treatment facilities. Is that the norm? >> Some hotels in Stone Town, they have some facilities, they treat their own waste waters. >> Okay, but bars and restaurants and so on? >> Bars, restaurants, we have some small industries of gold. They all dispose to this sewer system. >> Okay. [MUSIC] From Stone Town itself, an estimated 2,500 cubic meters of untreated liquid waste is let into the ocean on a daily basis from their approximately 30 sewage pipes. [MUSIC] Studies done off the coast of Stone Town using bacterial indicators of water quality found that they exceed limits that are deemed safe for swimming by the US Environmental Protection Agency. I can't help thinking about people living in Stone Town or tourists coming here. What are the health implications of this going on? >> Definitely there are a lot of health implications because as untreated sewage, there are a lot of microbes, but also other chemicals contaminants. So as tourists and other locals they used to swim around these waters, so definitely they can get contaminated with these kinds of contamination. Let me take you to show the place where there is likely risk from this kind of sewage and other sources of contamination. >> Okay. >> So this is the area I wanted to show you. As you see, is about one kilometer from the point source which we previously see the place. Some people used to come here for swimming, both local and tourist. And just about there, there are some beautiful islands with coral reef and there is a perfect environment for tourism industry. >> Studies done in the marine environment off the coast of Stone Town have found that nutrients from waste water undermine the health of coral reefs. This has great negative consequence for the marine ecosystem, fishing communities, and the tourist industry. And what about microbiological contaminants? >> The results from other groups, it shows that the water are contaminated and some points, they're above level to the accepted from European countries and other development countries. >> So this young boy swimming here or maybe the tourists from the hotels, would they be at risk? >> Yes, the risk is not zero. There is contamination of microbes that can cause some diseases such as diarrhea and possibly cholera. >> Okay, and cholera is an issue here in Zanzibar? >> Yeah, like last year, there is a huge outbreak of cholera. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> According to the Minister of Health, the cholera outbreak on Zanzibar during 2015 and 2016, had an estimated 3100 cases with at least 50 people dying of the disease. Water consumption for gardens, pools, and showers at the more than 300 hotels in Zanzibar is adding pressure on the fresh water resources. In addition, the fresh water pumped from the ground might increase saltwater intrusion from the sea. This intense use of water by hotels might reduce the water availability to the general public. Professor Mohammed Sheikh must know how serious this problem is. >> We don't have much data on water consumption particularly for tourists or tourism industry But there is one publication of 2001, which shows that tourists use 15 times higher in terms of water than local. >> So what do you think, Mohamed? What would be the impact of such use ff water by hotels or tourists at hotels? >> After a few years, we may witness some scarcity of water. In case of any scarcity of water, it will have impact to locals as well. >> I've heard a lot about saltwater intrusion, would that be impacted by this kind of use? >> Yes, in recent decades, there is salt water intrusion. When you obstruct water from the ground, definitely, you increase the pressure of seawater. And finally, the groundwater can be contaminated. When water get contaminated with salt water, then to decontaminate, it becomes so difficult. And definitely that will be a worse scenario for water situation in the island. >> Okay, thank you so much. [SOUND] This is another thing I would like to investigate. Where do all the mosquitoes come from? Let me see if I can get in touch with Fatma Sali. So, Fatma, I know you have been researching a lot about mosquitoes in hotels and also in Stone Town itself. Tourists, they complain a lot about the mosquitoes. Exit interviews that tell us that it's one of the major complaints. Do you know where do all of these mosquitoes come from? >> You can look at this question in two aspects, or I can answer it in two aspects. If you look at the hotel environment and the residential environment. The hotels you find breeding places like the fountains, okay? Also littering around the hotel compounds. You also get mosquitoes in the flower pots, in the garden, where you find the trees with tree holes and water collects in the tree holes and then become breeding places. >> So these mosquitoes, they can be a nuisance, but they can actually also carry disease. >> Thanks to the efforts by the Minister of Health, Anopheles mosquito population is going down very drastically. And that's why we don't see much of malaria these days. But in the case of Aedes, not much has been done. And we have recently found Aedes mosquito in the urban areas of Zanzibar. And therefore Aedes mosquito, it's not just a nuisance mosquito. Of course it bites, gives painful bite, but could also transmit deadly diseases like chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever or even Zika. >> As we have seen, there are plenty of challenges in relation to tourism in Zanzibar. Scarce water resources, solid waste, waste water, and plenty of mosquitoes. Around the world, many hotels gets associated with the international certification authorization organizations like Green Key hotels, or Travelife or some of these sustainable tourist certification organizations, is that also spreading on Zanzibar? >> It is beginning very slowly. There's a lot of resistance to certification. Some of it is short sightedness, because they see the certification system is additional paperwork. They haven't got the confidence about the assessors. The kind of knowledge they have, that they actually do the assessment properly. So there is a bit of cynicism, if you like. But it is growing, it is growing because there's also international pressure. >> There might be a reason for cautious optimism, but what are the authorities doing to transform the tourist industry into sustainable sector, and achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals. My colleague Abdallah Bakar has asked Director General Sheikh Juma from the Zanzibar Environmental Management Authority about this. >> What is your vision on the environment at 2030? >> Yeah, I will tell you that in the 2030, we have the waste water treatment, this is our vision. We have the sanitary lending field, sorting of the waste from the domestic level that would be the proper mechanism that already instituted at the household level. So this our expectation. >> Sustainable waste management and clean water by 2030 sounds promising. But it is a complex affair. Many stakeholders are involved, new policies and regulations are needed, new infrastructures required, as well as technology, human resources, and finances. In addition, exact data from local authorities would help to forecast and focus new initiatives. However, given the growth and global tourism, we have to find ways for it to become sustainable and benefit local communities. Being a tourist myself, I can of course start changing practices and attempt to reduce impact I leave behind. [MUSIC]
