Tanzania has strengthened its position as one of Africa’s top tourism investment destinations, according to the latest Economic Impact Research report from the World Travel & Tourism Council.
The report, presented during the WTTC Global Summit aboard the Crystal Cruises vessel docked in Alexandria, highlighted Tanzania and South Africa as the continent’s strongest performers for tourism investment inflows, both ranking above the global average.
WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said the tourism industry continues to be a major contributor to economic expansion, employment and social progress despite ongoing global economic pressures.
According to the report, travel and tourism contributed 10.3% of global GDP in 2025, representing an estimated $11.7 trillion worldwide. WTTC forecasts the sector’s contribution could climb to $16 trillion by 2035, while tourism-related employment is expected to rise from 371 million to 471 million jobs globally.
Tanzania, an attractive destination for investors
In Africa, South Africa led tourism investment inflows at 7.7%, with Tanzania close behind at 7.4%, significantly outperforming the global average of 3.8%.
The report also ranked Tanzania, South Africa and Kenya among Africa’s strongest performers for visitor exports, reflecting robust spending by international travelers on locally produced goods and services.
Tanzania’s tourism momentum has continued into 2025 following a record-breaking 2024. Official figures show the country welcomed 2.14 million international visitors in 2024, up 18.5% from 1.81 million in 2023. Provisory tourism data estimates total foreign visitor arrivals in 2025 reached approximately 2.29 million, representing growth of about 7.1% compared with 2024.
Kenya remained the largest source market overall, followed by Burundi, while the United States, France, Italy, Germany and Zambia continued to rank among the top inbound markets.
Speaking after the summit, Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Tourism, Hassan Abbasi, said the findings reinforce the country’s growing competitiveness in the global tourism marketplace.
