Zanzibar continues to solidify its position as a leading global travel destination, with the latest data from the Office of the Chief Government Statistician revealing a 16.4% increase in visitor arrivals in 2023. The archipelago welcomed 638,498 visitors, a significant rise from the 548,503 visitors recorded in 2022.
Visitor Demographics and Market Trends
France emerged as Zanzibar’s top tourism source market, accounting for 10.7% of total visitors. It was closely followed by Italy (10.6%) and Germany (9.0%), while New Zealand recorded the lowest share at 0.1%.
December 2023 saw the highest influx of visitors, with 70,186 arrivals, followed by January (68,813). May recorded the lowest number of arrivals, with 26,620 visitors.
Modes of Entry and Visitor Composition
The majority of visitors (89.3% or 570,394 visitors) arrived through Zanzibar’s airport, with 537,799 coming via international flights and 32,595 from domestic flights originating from Tanzania Mainland. Meanwhile, 10.7% (68,104 visitors) entered through the seaport, including 4,383 from cruise ships and 63,721 via ferry from the mainland.
In terms of gender composition, 319,979 male visitors and 318,519 female visitors traveled to Zanzibar in 2023, reflecting a nearly equal distribution.
Visitors were categorized into three broad age groups:
- Children (under 15 years): 46,168 visitors
- Working-age population (15–64 years): 550,470 visitors
- Retirees (65+ years): 41,860 visitors
The majority of travelers visited Zanzibar for leisure and holiday purposes.
Emerging Markets and Length of Stay
The data indicates a general increase in visitors from emerging markets compared to 2022, with the exception of Ukraine, which recorded a decline.
Most visitors stayed in Zanzibar for seven days, followed by those who stayed for eight days, with an overall average length of stay of eight nights.
Growth in Hospitality Infrastructure
Zanzibar’s hospitality sector continued to expand, with 722 hotels and guest houses recorded in 2023, marking a 1.8% increase from 709 in 2022. Over the past five years (2019–2023), the number of hospitality establishments has been on a steady rise.
By district, Kusini had the highest number of hotels/guest houses (276), followed by Kaskazini A (206), while Wete recorded the lowest (2 hotels/guest houses). Additionally, 150 new hotels/guest houses were registered in 2023, bringing a total of 2,404 new rooms into the market.
Tourist Attractions and Visitor Preferences
A total of 21 tourist attractions were visited in 2023, comprising 18 government-owned sites and three private attractions. Government attractions saw a significantly higher number of visitors (121,614) compared to private attractions (42,470).
However, the total number of visitors to tourist sites dropped by 31.1%, from 238,038 visitors in 2022 to 164,084 in 2023. Kati district attracted the highest number of visitors (68,500), followed by Mjini (44,197), while Mcheweni recorded the lowest (2,396).
