Tanzania’s tourism hits sky-high leap with 3.9bn/-US dollars netted

DODOMA: WITH 3.9bn/- US dollars collected, the Tanzanian government has made significant strides in Tourism sector with remarkable achievements and reforms witnessed during the implementation of the current financial year’s budget.

Presenting the budget estimates for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in the National Assembly, Minister Dr Pindi Chana said one of the major milestones attained is the sharp rise in the number of international tourist arrivals, which increased by 132.1 per cent from 922,692 tourists in 2021 to 2,141,895 in 2024.

She added that the number of domestic tourists visiting tourist attractions also surged by 307.9 per cent—from 788,933 in 2021 to 3,218,352 in 2024.

“This achievement has enabled the total number of tourists to reach 5,360,247, equivalent to 107.2 per cent of the 5 million target set in the CCM 2020 Election Manifesto,” she noted.

According to the Minister, the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) body ranked Tanzania as the leading African country in tourist growth for the year 2024, with a 48 per cent increase compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Ethiopia followed with 40 per cent, Morocco with 35 per cent, Kenya with 11 per cent, and Tunisia with 9 per cent.

“These results stem from the vision and commitment of our President, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, who championed promotional campaigns such as The Royal Tour and Amazing Tanzania,” Dr Chana explained.

Tourism earnings have also witnessed a major jump, with revenues from international tourists increasing from 1.3bn/- US dollars in 2021 to 3.9bn/-US dollars in 2024—a 200 percent growth. Meanwhile, domestic tourism revenues rose from 11.0463bn/- in 2021 to 209bn/- in 2024, reflecting a 353.1 per cent surge.

“This progress has positioned Tanzania 9th globally and 3rd in Africa in tourism revenue growth compared to the pre-COVID-19 era,” she said.

Government collections from the sector rose from 397.4bn/- in the 2020/2021 financial year to 901.1bn/- in 2023/2024. Between July 2024 and April 2025, the ministry has already collected 912.9bn/-, which is 94.2 per cent of its revenue collection target.

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Tanzania continues to shine globally, winning several accolades at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA), including Africa’s Leading Destination (2024) and World’s Leading Safari Destination (2024).

Serengeti National Park retained its title as the best safari destination globally for the sixth consecutive year since 2019. Mount Kilimanjaro was named Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2024, while Serengeti was ranked the world’s second-best safari destination by The Times of India.

Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) also received international recognition for service quality from the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR), winning the award for the fifth time in a row (2020–2024), while the Tanzania Tourist Board was named Africa’s Best Tourism Board.

Additionally, Tanzania has been selected to host the African edition of the World Travel Awards in June 2025.

The Minister said the country has recorded major progress in wildlife protection and management through anti-poaching operations, intensified patrols, and the adoption of modern technology.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Tanzania leads in Africa and globally with around 17,000 lions, 225,000 buffaloes, and 24,000 leopards.

The population of black rhinos rose from 163 in 2021 to 263 in 2025, a 61 per cent increase, while elephant poaching incidents dropped by nearly 90 percent.

The government has continued to support forestry and beekeeping product trade, in partnership with the private sector.

Over the past five years, commercial timber production from government plantations increased from 1,108,791 cubic metres in 2020/2021 to 1,264,535 cubic metres in 2024/2025.

Value-added forest processing industries rose from 636 medium and large-scale factories in 2020 to 1,671 in 2025, along with more than 7,000 small-scale carpentry workshops.

The value of forest product exports rose to 458.47bn/- in 2024/2025, marking a 333.8 per cent increase from 105.6bn/- in 2020/2021.

Bee product processing industries have also expanded, from one factory in 2020 to eight factories in 2025, located in Tabora, Kigoma, Singida, Iringa, Katavi, and Geita.

As of April 2025, a total of 1,321.35 tonnes of honey valued at 15.85bn/- had been exported, up from 430.61 tonnes worth 5.17bn/- in the same period in 2024, a 206.9 per cent increase.

“With this growth, the World Beekeeping Organisation has selected Tanzania to host the APIMONDIA Congress in 2027, which will attract over 4,000 participants from around the world,” she stated.

Dr Chana also announced that the Ngorongoro Conservation Area has regained its UNESCO Global Geopark status under the name Ngorongoro Lengai Geopark.

“In 2022, the site lost its Geopark status. However, in December 2024, it was reinstated due to the government’s efforts in conservation, promotion, and compliance with UNESCO guidelines. This status will increase tourist and research visits to the area and enhance geo-tourism,” the Minister said.