Zanzibar Tourism Reaches New Heights in 2025

July 2025: A Record-Breaking Month

According to official figures, Zanzibar welcomed 98,370 international visitors in July, marking a 44.2% year-on-year increase compared to July 2024—and a 45.7% surge from June 2025 Wikipedia+15Atta+15Sandbank Villas+15. Some sources report an even higher figure, with 106,108 arrivals reported in July—making it the island’s busiest month on record The CitizenSandbank Villas.

Europe remained the dominant source, contributing 64.4% of arrivals. Italy emerged as a standout market, delivering 10,403 visitors—accounting for 10.6% of July’s arrivals and representing an astonishing 291% month-over-month surge from June LinkedIn+7Daily News+7INDIA OUTBOUND+7. Other notable markets included France (7.7%), the UK (6.4%), Germany (5.7%), and Poland (5.1%) Daily News.

Almost all visitors (99.4%) traveled for leisure, with 91% arriving by air Revista de Investimentos Zanzibar+8Travel And Tour World+8Atta+8. The average stay exceeded seven nights, with about one-third of tourists staying exactly one week Atta+2INDIA OUTBOUND+2. The island’s hospitality capacity also felt the boom: bed occupancy soared to 81.1%, with over 741,000 of the 913,911 available beds occupied Revista de Investimentos Zanzibar+6Atta+6The Citizen+6.

A Year of Steady Growth

Zanzibar’s tourist arrival numbers steadily climbed throughout 2025:

• June 2025 saw 67,496 arrivals, a 30.9% increase year-on-year, and an 82.2% month-over-month jump from May Travel And Tour World+13The Citizen+13The Citizen+13.

• March 2025 recorded 60,345 visitors, reflecting a 16.3% increase compared to March 2024 Travel And Tour World+15Revista de Investimentos Zanzibar+15INDIA OUTBOUND+15.

• May 2025 delivered 37,038 arrivals, up 23.5% year-on-year LinkedIn+2Atta+2.

Why Tourism Is Booming

Several key factors are fueling Zanzibar’s tourism revival:

• Infrastructure upgrades, including expanded airport and port capacity, have improved access and convenience for international travelers cntraveler.com+15The Citizen+15IPP Media+15The Citizen.

• Policy innovations and more aggressive international marketing strategies have broadened Zanzibar’s appeal and diversified its source markets INDIA OUTBOUND.

• Economic benefits are significant—tourism-driven service receipts soared by 23.9% to over US$1.16 billion, contributing to a 42.6% rise in Zanzibar’s current account surplus, up to US$611.1 million by June 2025 IPP Media.

Challenges on the Horizon

While the tourism surge bodes well for economic growth and job creation, it brings growing concerns about sustainability. Rising visitor numbers are exerting pressure on infrastructure and threatening fragile ecosystems—especially waste management systems and marine habitats IPP Media. Policymakers and industry stakeholders are increasingly prioritizing balanced, eco-conscious tourism to ensure Zanzibar’s natural and cultural treasures endure.