Europe generates 62 percent of all tourists landing on the Zanzibar Islands

Zanzibar is reporting the arrival of nearly 70,000 tourists by June 2026.

The number is said to account for an increase of 3.1 percent from the 67,496 visitors recorded around the same time a year earlier and about 73.4 percent higher than May.

Europe accounts for over 61.9 percent of visitors flying onto the Isles.

Tourism contributes about 29.2 percent of Zanzibar’s GDP and 80 percent of its foreign exchange earnings.

The latest figures released by the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism also show a 73.4 percent increase from the 40,151 visitors recorded in May 2026, reflecting a strong rebound as the peak travel season gathers pace.

Europe remained Zanzibar’s largest source market, contributing 43,105 visitors, equivalent to 61.9 percent of total arrivals.

Africa ranked second with 13,418 visitors (19.3 percent), followed by Asia with 6,585 visitors (9.5 percent).

The Americas accounted for 5,443 visitors (7.8%), while Oceania contributed 1,042 visitors, representing 1.5 percent of total arrivals.

The report shows that 37,073 visitors, or 53.3 percent, were male, while 32,532, equivalent to 46.7 happened to be female tourists.

Air transport was listed as the main gateway to the islands, with 62,697 visitors (90.1 percent) arriving through airports, while 6,908 tourists (9.9 percent) entered via seaports.

 Leisure tourism continued to dominate, with 99.2 percent of visitors travelling to Zanzibar for holidays, 0.6 percent visiting friends and relatives, and the remaining 0.2 percent travelling for business, meetings and other social activities.

The average length of stay during the month was eight days. 

​Observers attributed the increase in visitor numbers to continued improvements in tourism infrastructure, particularly airport facilities and transport services linking Zanzibar with mainland Tanzania a​s well as international destinations.

Better infrastructure and improved transport services have contributed in boosting tourism by making travelling to Zanzibar easier.

The Tourism Sector is Zanzibar’s main economic bedrock, with the sector contributing a direct 29.2 percent to the Islands’ GDP and around 17.2 percent of Tanzania’s national GDP.

Tourism also accounts for roughly 80 percent of ​the Isles foreign exchange earnings, making the monthly arrival figures released by the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism closely watched as barometers of the islands’ economic health.

Zanzibar’s economy outperformed the national average through 2025, with the tourism sector generating 736,755 visitor arrivals in the twelve months ending November 2025, a 16.2 percent year-on-year increase.