ZANZIBAR, Mar 9 - Electricity was restored to Tanzania's Zanzibar island after a three-months blackout in the idyllic Indian Ocean tourist spot, officials said.

The archipelago's main island, Unguja, had been without power since December 10 due to a breakdown affecting the 30-year-old undersea cable providing electricity from the mainland.

"The restoration of power has been a great relief to the business community," Abdallah Abbasi, head of Zanzibar Chamber of Commerce, said late Monday.

"Both factories and tourism were affected by lack of electricity.

"We appeal to the government to spare no efforts in making sure that similar a problem does not happen again," he added.

Zanzibar Trade and Tourism Minister Samia Suluhu Hassan said: "Although tourists continued to visit Zanzibar, many hotel owners complained about costs of running generators."

The island also suffered critical water shortages that also affected hospitals.

Zanzibar, whose other islands are Pemba and Mafia, has suffered prolonged blackouts in the past, including a four-week blackout in 2008.