By Jordan Finkle
Tanzania’s tourism sector has proven to be a crucial driver of economic growth, contributing over 17 percent to the country’s GDP and generating revenues of US$4.2 billion in the last year.
Tanzania opened its doors to 5.3 million international visitors in 2025, with the Government setting the ambitious target of increasing this to 8 million by 2030.
Scaling Tanzania’s tourism model in this way will test the country’s ability to balance between regional competitiveness, conservation and market dependence.
Tanzania is capable of meeting its 2030 tourism objective, but this will require a tailored and carefully considered approach. Fortunately, policymakers have shown that they are up to the task.
Tanzania’s appeal to tourists has seldom been in dispute. There was a 119 percent increase in visitors to Zanzibar between 2019 and 2023, and tourists continued to flock to Tanzania’s national parks during the same period, with international visitor arrivals surging by 116 percent.
However, questions have arisen over whether the country’s ecosystem will be able to absorb this rise in tourism over the long term. For Tanzania, it is vitally important that the surge does not hamper the very ecological assets that are at the heart of its economy.
The country appears poised to address this concern, given its long-standing promotion of controlled park access and conservation-linked revenue structures.
The Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) and Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) serve as proof that formal mechanisms already exist to help manage and control the effects of tourist influxes to national parks.
Similarly, the World Travel Awards recognised Tanzania’s deliberate shift towards eco-conscious tourism that supports conservation, communities and long-term economic growth.
For Tanzania, setting ambitious tourism goals comes out of necessity, as it operates within one of Africa’s most competitive corridors.
Data from the Marifa Report shows that South Africa and Kenya command stronger spontaneous desirability percentages, with 45 percent of respondents saying they would most like to visit South Africa in 2019 compared to 54 percent in 2023, and 31 percent saying the same about Kenya in 2019 compared to 38 percent. 20 percent of people said Tanzania in 2019 compared to 19 percent in 2023.
Tanzania has sought to close the gap on its regional competitors, however, by embedding itself deeply in trade and gaining vital brand exposure. 84 percent of UK Africa specialist tour operators currently sell destinations in Tanzania, and 182 UK tour operators offer visits to the country.
Therefore, despite the slightly lower spontaneous desirability percentages, these figures show that industry confidence in Tanzania remains robust. This is supported by the fact that Tanzania’s tourism sector recorded a 9.2 percent increase in tourist arrivals from January to July 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
The challenge going forward is how the country can convert these strong numbers into even stronger consumer perceptions, while still preserving its reputation as a conservation-led tourism destination, which ultimately lies at the core of its appeal.
Tanzania’s tourism sector and its ability to reach its 2030 goals will also, in part, depend on market volatility. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s tourism industry was severely impacted, with visitor arrivals dropping by 60 percent.
However, Tanzania has shown commendable resilience since. Recent strategy has sought to mitigate any potential future crises to the tourism sector by broadening and diversifying the country’s source markets.
In 2024, the US, Italy and France represented the highest percentage of international visitors to Tanzania. However, between January and May 2025, it was Tanzania’s near neighbours, Kenya and Burundi, that emerged as the top sources of international visitors.
Crucially, this suggests that the country may be gradually shifting from dependence on long-haul markets to stronger intra-African travel linkages.
Tanzania has cemented its position as one of Africa’s elite tourist destinations, being recognised as the continent’s leading safari destination. Industry confidence remains high and international visitor figures continue to surge.
The Government’s ambition to meet its goal of eight million visitors in the next four years will test the country’s resolve. Nonetheless, Tanzania has proven it has the strategic nous and industry knowledge to exceed expectations once again.
Jordan Finkle is a veteran media contributor from Utilize Core. Jordan specializes in market trends, growth startups, and the venture capital industry.
