Honouring the people building Zanzibar’s blue future
The Zanzibar Blue Excellence Awards recognise the companies, institutions and people behind the islands’ ocean economy, across Tourism & Hospitality, the Blue Economy, Logistics & Trade, and Investment.
Nominations are open until 22 December 2026.
Four Pillars, one ocean economy
Every category is judged on its own criteria and on three ZBEA values: excellence, responsibility, and the value it creates for Zanzibar.
Tourism & Hospitality
Tourism is Zanzibar's largest employer and its window to the world.
8awards02Blue Economy
From seaweed farms on the east coast to the reefs around Pemba, the ocean feeds and employs Zanzibar.
7awards03Logistics & Trade
An island economy runs on what arrives and departs.
6awards04Investment
Capital shapes the Zanzibar of tomorrow.
6awards05Voices of Zanzibar
Today, travellers and investors discover Zanzibar through a phone screen.
3awards06Flagship & Special Recognition
The highest honours of the night.
8awardsA place and a person, honoured on the same night
Island of the Year
Zanzibar is an archipelago of over fifty islands. This award goes to the island or coastal destination that did the most in 2026 for its visitors, its people and its ocean, and is received on stage by the community itself.
Female Leader of the Year
Celebrates a woman whose leadership in Tourism, the Blue Economy, Logistics or Investment changed her organisation and her sector in 2026, and who is opening doors for the women coming after her.
Three awards where Zanzibar has a say
For Island of the Year, Content Creator of the Year and Video of the Year, part of the final score comes from you. The Judging Panel’s score always carries the larger weight.
- One vote per mobile number in each award, confirmed by a code sent by SMS.
- Automated and duplicate votes are filtered out, and suspicious patterns are reviewed before results are final.
- Running totals are never published. Results stay sealed until the Gala.
The road to the Gala
- By 30 November 2026Launch & nominations openComing next
- 22 December 2026Nominations close
- 23 December – 9 JanuaryJudging
- By 11 January 2027Shortlist announced & public voting opens
- Second half of January 2027The Gala
No award is sold, promised or given in exchange for sponsorship or payment.
Winners are chosen by an independent Judging Panel whose members declare any conflict of interest. Results are checked by independent accountants before the Gala and kept sealed until they are announced on stage.
Be remembered as a brand that believed from the first night
Title Partner
ZBEA 2027 presented by your brandYour name on every page, screen and headline of the campaign, from launch to the Grand Prix.
Pillar Partner
Own the Pillar that matches your businessStand on stage with the leaders of your sector and present an award in your Pillar.
Flagship Award Partner
The awards the public talks aboutIsland of the Year, Female Leader, Voices of Zanzibar and Young Leader.
Category Partner
Award name, presented by your brandAn accessible way for SMEs and specialist firms to be part of the night.
Know someone who deserves the stage?
A hotel that trains its people, a seaweed cooperative that doubled its income, a ferry that is always on time. If they made Zanzibar better in 2026, nominate them.