Tourism in Zanzibar in 2026: the numbers keep moving upward
How many tourists are visiting Zanzibar in 2026? Based on the latest official statistics available, we compare international arrivals month by month against 2025 and 2024. Across the first five available months, the trend remains positive.
Official figures currently available
Tourism in Zanzibar is strongly seasonal. That is why the most accurate way to read the trend is to compare each month with the same month in the previous year. On that basis, all five currently available months in 2026 are above their 2025 equivalent.
A particularly strong start to the year
100,216 international arrivals recorded +19.2% vs January 2025January 2026 marks a powerful start for the destination. Zanzibar recorded 84,069 arrivals in January 2025 and 73,468 in January 2024. The 2026 level is therefore clearly above both previous years.
February remains in positive territory
86,839 international arrivals +4.9% vs February 2025February 2026 stands above the 82,750 arrivals recorded in February 2025. Compared with February 2024, which counted 71,095 international visitors, the two-year trend also remains clearly positive.
Growth continues in March
65,581 international arrivals +8.7% vs March 2025March 2026 confirms continued growth with 65,581 visitors, compared with 60,345 in March 2025 and 51,873 in March 2024. The direction remains positive both year-on-year and over a two-year view.
April still moves higher
38,554 international arrivals +3.8% vs April 2025April is part of a softer phase in Zanzibar’s seasonal cycle. Even so, April 2026 remains above April 2025, which recorded 37,137 arrivals, and well above April 2024, which stood at 28,995.
May confirms the trend
40,151 international arrivals +8.4% vs May 2025Zanzibar recorded 40,151 international visitors in May 2026. For comparison, the archipelago welcomed 37,038 in May 2025 and 29,995 in May 2024. This means another year-on-year increase.
Three years placed side by side
This table compares exactly the same months in order to avoid misleading readings caused by seasonality. The data shows that 2026 is above 2025 in each of the first five available months.
| Month | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | Change 26/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 100,216 | 84,069 | 73,468 | +19.2% |
| February | 86,839 | 82,750 | 71,095 | +4.9% |
| March | 65,581 | 60,345 | 51,873 | +8.7% |
| April | 38,554 | 37,137 | 28,995 | +3.8% |
| May | 40,151 | 37,038 | 29,995 | +8.4% |
| Total January–May | 331,341 | 301,339 | 255,426 | +10.0% |
International arrivals in Zanzibar. January–May totals are calculated from the monthly figures. Primary source: Office of the Chief Government Statistician Zanzibar. Percentages may include minor rounding differences.
Is tourism really increasing?
Over the comparable period from January to May, the answer is yes. But the best interpretation does not come from looking at one isolated month. It comes from comparing the same periods and observing multiple years.
2026 remains above 2025
Between January and May 2026, Zanzibar recorded 331,341 international arrivals. Across the same five months in 2025, the total stood at 301,339.
This represents growth of around 10.0% on a like-for-like basis. More importantly, the increase is not driven by one single exceptional month: January, February, March, April and May 2026 are all higher than the same months in 2025.
The data does not point to a single short-lived spike. It points to a broader improvement spread across five consecutive months when each one is compared with the same month in the prior year.
The figures to remember
On the same five-month basis, the upward movement becomes even clearer when the comparison goes back to 2024.
What do Zanzibar’s 2026 tourism figures actually mean?
Zanzibar’s tourism statistics for 2026 show that international arrivals continued to grow across the first five months currently available. From January to May, the destination recorded 331,341 international visitors, compared with 301,339 over the same period in 2025.
The comparison with 2024 is even more striking. From January to May 2024, Zanzibar recorded 255,426 international arrivals. Two years later, across exactly the same period, the total reaches 331,341 visitors.
That corresponds to growth of about 29.7% between 2024 and 2026 on a strictly comparable basis. For a serious tourism analysis, this method is more reliable than comparing different parts of the year.
Why is January 2026 especially important?
January 2026 stands out with 100,216 international arrivals. In January 2025, Zanzibar recorded 84,069 visitors, compared with 73,468 in January 2024.
Over two years, January therefore shows growth of roughly 36.4%. This highlights Zanzibar’s ability to attract a high international volume during a strong seasonal period.
Does the drop from January to April mean tourism is weakening?
No. A proper reading has to account for seasonality. The fact that April has fewer visitors than January does not automatically mean tourism is falling. The correct approach is to compare April 2026 with April 2025 and April 2024.
On that basis, April 2026 is still positive: 38,554 visitors, compared with 37,137 in April 2025 and 28,995 in April 2024. So the month remains above both previous years.
Does May 2026 confirm the pattern?
Yes. Zanzibar recorded 40,151 international arrivals in May 2026, compared with 37,038 in May 2025 and 29,995 in May 2024. The year-on-year increase is about 8.4%.
Taken together, the first five available months paint a stronger picture than any isolated month. At this stage of the year, the official statistics point to a continuing rise in international tourist arrivals to Zanzibar.
What does this mean for the economy and real estate in Zanzibar?
For investors, entrepreneurs and real estate professionals, tourism statistics are an important contextual indicator. Higher arrivals can influence accommodation demand, tourist-area traffic, service consumption, hospitality activity and several segments of the local economy.
That said, a tourism figure alone is never enough to justify a real estate investment. Every project still needs to be assessed according to its location, acquisition price, legal structure, development cost, operational model and actual demand.
At Amani Invest in Paradise, our approach is to use market data as a decision-making tool, without turning a national tourism statistic into an automatic promise of returns.
Three years, one visible upward path
From January to May, Zanzibar moved from 255,426 international arrivals in 2024 to 301,339 in 2025, and then to 331,341 in 2026. This comparison does not project the full-year total. It only measures the same first five months across each year.
Verified data sources
The figures used in this article come primarily from official Zanzibar statistical publications. The links below point to the source series and reports.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the main questions about Zanzibar’s tourism statistics in 2026.
How many tourists did Zanzibar receive in 2026?
Across the January to May 2026 period covered in this analysis, Zanzibar recorded 331,341 international arrivals. This is a partial-year figure, not a full-year total.
Is tourism increasing in Zanzibar in 2026?
Yes, across the comparable January to May period. International arrivals are up by about 10.0% compared with the same five months in 2025.
How many visitors did Zanzibar receive in January 2026?
Zanzibar recorded 100,216 international arrivals in January 2026, compared with 84,069 in January 2025 and 73,468 in January 2024.
What is the official source for Zanzibar tourism data?
The main source used here is the Office of the Chief Government Statistician Zanzibar, also known as OCGS, which publishes official tourism statistics for Zanzibar.
Can January and April be compared directly?
Not in a meaningful trend analysis, because seasonality matters. The better method is to compare January 2026 with January 2025, and April 2026 with April 2025.