Zanzibar recorded strong tourism performance in January 2026, welcoming 100,216 international visitors, according to data released by the Zanzibar Office of the Chief Government Statistician (OCGS).
The figure represents a 19.2 percent increase compared with 84,069 visitors recorded in January 2025, showing continued recovery and growth in the island’s tourism sector. However, arrivals slightly declined by 0.5 percent compared to December 2025, when 100,729 visitors were recorded, reflecting normal seasonal changes after the festive peak period.
Europe Dominates Tourist Arrivals
European countries remained Zanzibar’s largest tourism source market, accounting for 69,652 visitors, equivalent to 69.5 percent of total arrivals in January 2026.
Italy maintained its position as the leading source country with 14,472 visitors. France followed with 6,916 visitors, while Poland recorded 6,705 visitors. The strong performance from these markets confirms sustained demand from Europe for Zanzibar’s beach and leisure tourism.
Visitors from emerging markets — including India, Russia, Israel, China, and Ukraine — recorded a slight combined decline of 1.5 percent compared with December 2025. Meanwhile, Japan accounted for the smallest share of arrivals, representing just 0.3 percent of total international visitors during the month.
Air Travel Remains Main Entry Point
Air transport continued to dominate as the main gateway into Zanzibar. A total of 92,580 visitors, or 92.3 percent of arrivals, entered through airports.
Of these, 71,344 arrived via international flights, while 21,236 visitors used domestic flights connecting Zanzibar with Mainland Tanzania.
Seaport arrivals accounted for 7,636 visitors, including 581 cruise ship passengers and 7,055 ferry passengers traveling from Mainland Tanzania.
Strong Hotel Occupancy and Length of Stay
The average intended length of stay for international visitors in January 2026 was eight nights, reinforcing Zanzibar’s reputation as a medium-stay beach and holiday destination.
Accommodation data also showed strong performance. Zanzibar recorded a total of 913,911 available bed spaces during the month, out of which 800,124 beds were sold. This translates to a high occupancy rate of 87.5 percent, indicating robust demand for hotel and resort services.
Positive Outlook for 2026
The January performance signals a strong start to the year for Zanzibar’s tourism industry, which remains a key contributor to the island’s economy through foreign exchange earnings, employment, and investment.
With Europe continuing to lead arrivals and stable occupancy rates across hotels, Zanzibar’s tourism sector appears well-positioned to maintain growth in 2026 despite minor seasonal fluctuations and shifting dynamics in emerging markets.
