The Pulse. The Soul. The Gateway to a New Continent.
Zanzibar's first world-class lifestyle destination on the ocean shore in Michamvi.
/ About
Essence of Africa is a next-generation integrated resort on the ocean's first line in Michamvi, Zanzibar. The project brings together a beach club, a five-star hotel and supporting infrastructure into a single environment that builds sustainable demand and increases length of stay. Value is created not by any one asset, but by their combination — working for shared traffic and capitalisation.
The structure of the cluster
/ Location
A unique location. Sustainable demand. Limited supply.
Coastal land suitable for integrated development is running out — projects of this scale will not be repeated here.
/ Master Plan
The project sits on the ocean's first line, in the Michamvi area. The cluster's territory is divided into functional zones, each playing its own role in the project's overall ecosystem.
Hover over a point on the map
The first world-class beach club on the island's east coast: pools, restaurants, music and events in a day-to-night format. It opens first and begins generating income ahead of the other assets.
A berth for yachts and boats within the spiral pier — access to the reef, snorkelling, diving and sea excursions straight from the cluster.
A restaurant at the heart of the spiral pier, surrounded by the ocean on every side — the architectural centrepiece of the project and a stage for dining above the water.
A separate over-water platform in the northern part of the cluster: cocktails and dinners with a panorama of the Indian Ocean — from dawn to dusk.
A bar at the water's edge on the white sand of Michamvi — light cuisine, drinks and music, without leaving the beach.
A five-star hotel under Radisson management — 250 rooms, including the presidential and executive suites. It anchors the resort's premium segment and high average rate.*
A lifestyle format with 120 rooms — a driver for the low season: a younger audience, remote workers and longer stays of two weeks to a month.*
A land reserve for the project's next phases — expanding the resort as demand grows. Details to follow as the phase opens.
* The agreement with Radisson is in its final stage (LOI); the Radisson RED format for the resort is being finalised with the chain. Parameters are preliminary. The master plan is a visualisation.
/ Beach Club
The first world-class beach club on the east coast of Zanzibar. A year-round venue for leisure and events on the first line of the Indian Ocean, bringing together restaurants, music, beach leisure and a rich programme of events. The key asset of the Essence of Africa resort and a magnet for island guests, tourists and an international audience — it opens and begins generating income ahead of the other assets.
A day-to-night lifestyle destination format
01
Day Pass, beach leisure, a pool, a restaurant, cabanas, wellness programmes, family time.
02
Sunset Ritual, Sunset DJ Sessions, live music, gastronomic dinners, a cocktail format, lounge atmosphere.
03
Branded spaces are planned across the club — cabanas, beach areas, over-water villas and pop-up boutiques. Preliminary talks are under way with Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli.*
Gastronomic festivals, themed evenings, fashion shows, beach cinema, private and corporate events, performances by international artists. It sustains a steady flow of guests regardless of the season.
Infrastructure
The first phase opens in Q2 2027. The full opening — January 2028. * Talks with Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli are at a preliminary stage.
/ Hotels
The resort includes two hotels under Radisson management* — the five-star Blu and the lifestyle-format RED. Radisson Blu anchors the premium segment and a high average rate, while Radisson RED widens the reach with a younger audience.
Radisson management: the international booking system secures occupancy year-round, while the strength of the brand reinforces the positioning of the entire resort.
The two hotels are designed for different guests and together cover the full breadth of solvent demand — without competing with each other.
250 rooms, including the presidential and executive suites. Restaurants and bars, a spa centre with a gym and pools, a kids' club, and venues for conferences and weddings.
120 rooms, including suites with their own kitchens. A restaurant, pool bar, gym, outdoor pool and kids' club — a light, modern format for an active audience.
Radisson Blu holds premium demand year-round, while Radisson RED sustains occupancy in the low season.
A hotel under an international brand raises the value of the entire project (Knight Frank).
Radisson's booking system fills rooms year-round.
In the luxury segment, revenue per room is roughly a third above the market average — $197 versus $149 (STR/CoStar).
Radisson RED attracts guests in the low season — spring and autumn.
An international brand lifts the exit price and opens access to major institutional buyers.
Brand recognition accelerates sales and reduces the project's market risk.
* The agreement with Radisson is in its final stage (LOI); the Radisson RED format for the resort is being finalised with the chain. Parameters are preliminary. Sources: Knight Frank, STR/CoStar.
/ Current stage
The project has moved from concept to delivery:
Development roadmap 2026–2030
Market analysis completed
Land parcels acquired and Government Lease secured
Business and financial models built
Architectural concept prepared
ZIPA investment certificate obtained, granting the project official investment status and the right to the state support measures it provides
Site master plan developed
Beach club construction launched
01 / 05
2026NowMarket analysis, development of the financial model and concept, acquisition of land parcels, selection of contractors, finalisation of the master plan for the entire complex, launch of the first phase of beach club construction.
02 / 05
2027Beach club opens, the second phase of beach club construction begins, hotel construction starts. Q1 — Resort sales open, Q3 — development of the grounds.
03 / 05
2028Hotel opens, construction of commercial infrastructure, landscaping and development of the grounds.
04 / 05
2029Further development of the grounds and commercial assets.
05 / 05
2030The project reaches full operational capacity, forming a fully fledged lifestyle destination.
Key markets: Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Poland. Traffic from the Middle East is growing fast. Russia: direct flights launched three times a week.
Taken together, these factors create fertile ground for bringing a strong hospitality and residential product to market.
Sources: market study by Paris Society Consulting; STR/CoStar; national statistics of Tanzania, 2024–2025.
/ Investment
The project's economics rest on the synergy of the beach club and the hotel. Pulse Bay generates daytime footfall and recognition from 2027, creating cash flow before the hotel opens. The hotel converts that footfall into year-round occupancy and a premium ADR. The two assets work as a single monetisation platform, not as separate ventures.
secures a steady flow of guests
drive repeat visits
generates footfall and recognition
Zanzibar is at the point in the market cycle where the key growth factors coincide:
Rapid growth in international tourism: arrivals up 20–25 % a year, 638K → 917K tourists (2023–2025); the target is 1M+ in 2026.
A limited supply of quality infrastructure: growth lags demand, and the market is fragmented — small properties dominate.
Growing interest from international brands: seven upscale and luxury projects are under way — among them Four Seasons, Anantara, Hilton, Le Méridien.
An early stage for institutional capital; first-line oceanfront property values grow 10–15 % a year.
Zanzibar is at the same stage Bali and Tulum once were — before their defining lifestyle projects appeared. Each of those markets went through the same transformation: from a local resort to a global magnet.
The key market gap: guests arrive, but they don't stay. Essence of Africa closes that gap, creating an integrated environment for living, leisure and investment. This is the moment when the market's future leaders take shape.
This combination creates an investment window in which the market's future key assets emerge. Essence of Africa is being built at precisely this moment.
Sources: market study by Paris Society Consulting; STR/CoStar; national statistics of Tanzania, 2024–2025.
/ Team
The project is created by an international team with specialist expertise at every level.
Elyon Holdings (Dubai, UAE) is an international holding company — a strategic investor and a full-cycle project management centre: from structuring and financing through to construction and asset management. Its focus is the markets of Asia and Africa. ZNZ Development by Elyon is the group's project company in Zanzibar: ZIPA Approved Foreign Enterprise status, with land parcels held under Government Lease. Essence of Africa is the group's flagship project.
An international hotel operator reinforcing the project with its brand, service standards and global recognition. Talks are at the LOI stage; Radisson views the project as a priority route into the Zanzibar market. website Radisson
An international hospitality consultancy specialising in premium lifestyle destinations, uniting strategy, concept, branding and world-class operational expertise. website Paris Society Consulting
A hospitality consulting team responsible for the project's business model, concept, financial plan and strategic packaging; its portfolio spans more than 200 hotel development projects. website Basinn
A major general contractor in the Tanzania and Zanzibar market, known for delivering premium hotel projects including Four Seasons and the Zanzibar Park Hyatt. website CRJE
A hospitality consulting team responsible for the project's business model, concept, financial plan and strategic packaging; its portfolio spans more than 200 hotel development projects. website DOT
A portfolio of completed and current projects in Bali worth over USD 100 million. Bali is a comparable market — highly competitive, international, tropical and lifestyle-positioned. It is there that the project team built and launched:
An Accor hotel under the Handwritten Collection brand, winner of two nominations at the Real Estate Asia Awards 2025: best interior design of the year among luxury hotels and resorts, and best resort project of the year in Indonesia. 38 private villas, 116 rooms.
A premium villa club community set across 2.5 hectares. 75 units.
A resort in the Wyndham hotel chain. Hotel — 58 units, villas — 23 units.
A hotel in the Radisson hotel chain. 145 units.
Zanzibar is the next step — with less competition and greater growth potential.
