The Chumbe Team, always ready to welcome you to the island!

"Karibu Sana", you are most welcome to Chumbe Island Coral Park! In Swahili culture, hospitality is not just a way of business, but a way of life. Zanzibaris are known for their kindness and openness towards guests and foreigners and the staff at Chumbe Island have brought this warmth and generosity to a new level. Chumbe Island Coral Park employs 200% more staff than other resorts or hotels in Zanzibar. Therefore your needs and desires are given utmost attention to ensure you the most enjoyable holiday. As one of the core principles of eco-tourism, local people are given preference for employment opportunities and all aspects of work, including the Marine Park and guiding rangers, maintenance staff, cooks, house-keepers, waiters and administrators. This helps local communities to experience tangible benefits of Chumbe's eco-tourism and conservation endeavors, and therefore fosters a positive relationship with our neighbors and their families. As many of our employees come from the rural fishing communities along the coast of Zanzibar, most have little formal education. Chumbe has therefore made it a priority to provide training in all these positions from Chumbe management and numerous volunteers over the years. The result has been overwhelmingly positive. During its inception, Chumbe team members spoke very few words of English and possessed low levels of literacy. Over the years, the team now consists of many strong and confident English speakers, recognized throughout the region as being exceptional in their work and in their provision of service with the welcoming, family atmosphere you will find on the island. Professional development and skills-training continue to be offered annually to all Chumbe staff.

The project has also actively encouraged the employment of women unlike most hotels and resorts in Zanzibar. In the local Islamic culture, under-educated women from rural communities often find it difficult to find employment. Where employment is found for women, opportunities for female advancement in the workplace are limited. On Chumbe Island we promote equal opportunities to all staff, whether they are cooks, waiters, house-keepers, maintenance staff or other. Some of our current departmental Managers began as porters or wait-staff and have advanced themselves personally and professionally. All employees learn about the ecology of Chumbe and its relationship to natural resource utilization. They become familiar with the principles of eco-tourism and come to understand not only the ecological benefits of the island habitats such as coral reefs, but also the social, economic and cultural importance of these resources to Zanzibar. This is another avenue through which information is disseminated to the wider coastal communities. Environmental education in this form encourages feelings of ownership and responsibility towards a natural resource. Because of the pride they take in their work and benefits they experience, staff turnover at Chumbe is exceptionally low for the tourism industry in Tanzania. In summary, the management style on the island is very different from a regular hotelier operation. All project decisions are made through weekly discussion sessions with opportunity for all concerned to express their opinions and wishes. Whilst the management team comprises of two expatriate staff, much of their work entails training of local employees who will ultimately manage the project independent of foreign expertise. Therefore it has been important from the beginning to ensure that ideas from the team be given a chance to be developed. Decisions and systems established must be accepted by all and be culturally suitable.

The core of Chumbe Island Coral Park's project lies with the Chumbe Team running it. The overall staff atmosphere is thus one of a family or community environment, both on the island and within the headquarters office. The team is extremely proud of the successful protection of the Marine Park and the eco-tourism framework under which it operates. They have been empowered by the project through a unique approach to protected area management in this developing region of the world. A sense of ownership and responsibility for the environment is of great significance for the long-term security of wildlife preservation in East Africa.