Zanzibar’s tourism industry makes huge comeback following COVID-19 Devastation – Tourism for 2023 is on the rise

Zanzibar’s tourism industry has rebounded impressively after the COVID-19 lockdown, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In January 2023, the island nation welcomed 68,813 foreign visitors, marking the highest monthly arrival in five years. European tourists constituted the majority, accounting for approximately 81.9% of all visitors. The December period had the highest number of visits, followed by July, August, October, and November, with an average of 1,502 arrivals per day.

In 2022, Zanzibar recorded 548,503 arrivals, surpassing the 2019 figures of 538,264. In January 2023, visitors from Italy outnumbered those from Poland and Ukraine, who had held the top spots in January 2022. Other significant arrivals included Germany, Scandinavian nations, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Kenya, which topped the African arrivals. These positive figures indicate the remarkable recovery and growing popularity of Zanzibar’s tourism sector. This has brought in business for many a Zanzibar beach resort. Many hotels the likes of The Residence Zanzibar recorded increased occupancy throughout this year.