Tanzania’s tourism booms

NGORONGORO: AS Tanzania joined other countries globally to mark World Tourism Day yesterday, the country has been ranked among the world’s top 20 performing nations in the tourism sector, with an average growth of over 50 per cent.

Speaking at the climax of celebrations held at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (picnic site), Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Hassan Abbasi, said the 2024 UN Tourism report ranked Tanzania as the leading country in Africa in tourist growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increase of 48 per cent.

It was followed by Ethiopia (40 per cent), Morocco (35 per cent), Kenya (11 per cent) and Tunisia (9 per cent).

Dr Abbasi noted that this year’s report confirms Tanzania’s place among the world’s top 20 countries performing well in tourism, with an average growth of over 50 per cent.

According to the PS, the number of international tourists increased from 922,692 in 2021 to 2,141,895 in 2024, representing a growth of 132.1 per cent, while domestic tourists rose from 788,933 in 2021 to 3,218,352 in 2024, an increase of 307.9 per cent.

“In total, by December 2024 both domestic and international tourists reached 5,360,247, a growth of 107.2 per cent,” he said.

He added that revenue from the sector increased from 1.3 billion US dollars in 2021 to 3.9 billion US dollars in 2024, a rise of 200 per cent.

Dr Abbasi explained that the achievements are the result of implementing CCM’s 2020– 2025 Election Manifesto, which aims to attract 5 million tourists and generate 6 billion US dollars in revenue by next year.

Between January and July 2025, the number of tourists increased by 9.2 per cent, reaching 1.27 million compared to 1.16 million during the same period in 2024.

He further noted that the efforts of the Sixth Phase Government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, including infrastructure improvements, the use of ICT and promotional films such as The Royal Tour and Amazing Tanzania, have contributed to raising the country’s international profile.

Dr Abbasi added that Tanzania has continued to shine on the global stage by winning various World Travel Awards (WTA) presented by World Luxury Media Group Limited.

He urged citizens to fully participate in tourism activities in line with the 1999 National Tourism Policy and the Tourism Act, Chapter 65, while calling on the private sector to collaborate with the government in promoting this crucial sector.

This year’s celebrations carried the theme: “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,” aimed at promoting innovation, professionalism, business development and community involvement in tourism growth.

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Reports from UN Tourism’s World Tourism Barometer indicate that Tanzania experienced a significant tourism boom in early 2025, surpassing its 2025 target of 5 million visitors by April.

The country recorded 5.3 million visitors by April and 794,102 tourist arrivals from January to May 2025, marking a 54.3 per cent increase over pre-pandemic levels and a 3.7 per cent rise from the same period in 2024.

The strong performance is attributed to effective government strategies, infrastructure development and a surge in interest from key markets, including China and regional neighbours such as Kenya and Burundi.