Africa tourism growth outpaces global average in 2026

Africa’s tourism sector outperformed global trends in the first half of 2026, recording a 4% increase in international arrivals. This growth significantly exceeded the 0.4% global average for the same period. According to the UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, approximately 690 million international tourists traveled during the first six months of the year, an increase of three million arrivals compared to 2025.

While Africa saw steady momentum in both North and Sub-Saharan regions, the global market faced headwinds. Second-quarter growth slowed due to Middle East conflicts, rising oil prices, inflation, and increased travel costs.

On a regional level, Zanzibar reported a 24.5% increase in international visitors in 2025, reaching over 917,000 arrivals. Industry experts suggest the island should focus on high-yield luxury tourism rather than mass tourism to avoid infrastructure strain and overtourism, noting that the island must manage water, electricity, and waste requirements as new developments emerge.