Kenya, Burundi leading sources of visitors to Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. Kenya and Burundi emerged as the top sources of international arrivals to Tanzania between January and May 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

In the five-month period, Tanzania received 794,102 international tourists, with Kenya leading the pack at 93,112 visitors, accounting for nearly 12 percent of total arrivals. Burundi followed with 65,874 tourists, representing 8.3 percent of the total.

These figures surpass those from traditional long-haul markets such as the United States (42,478), France (38,255) and Italy (37,238), all of which are usually associated with safari expeditions and Zanzibar beach holidays.

However, tourism experts note that regional arrivals often differ in nature. Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato) chairman Willy Chambulo said, “Many of those registered from regional neighbours are not leisure tourists…many are for business and trade purposes.”

This distinction raises important considerations for the sector. While regional travellers contribute to the overall visitor tally, their economic impact per person may differ from that of leisure tourists. Tato has thus called for separate accounting to establish who is coming for what purposes.

Such disaggregated data would enable policymakers to craft targeted strategies, be it in marketing, infrastructure investment, or service delivery, based on the specific needs of business travellers, leisure tourists, or those visiting friends and relatives.

Germany ranked sixth with 35,626 visitors, reflecting consistent interest in Tanzania’s wildlife and nature tourism. Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo followed in seventh and eighth positions with 32,801 and 32,246 visitors, respectively. The figures are buoyed by strong cross-border ties and regional mobility.

China occupied the ninth position with 29,268 visitors, while the United Kingdom rounded off the top ten with 24,968 tourists. India, with 24,463 visitors, narrowly missed the top ten but remains a key source market, particularly for diaspora travel, weddings and business tourism.

Beyond arrival numbers, tourism’s economic impact continues to grow. The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) reported that travel receipts reached $3.91 billion in the year ending May 2025, an increase from $3.62 billion in the corresponding period in 2024.

This growth has propelled tourism to the top of Tanzania’s foreign exchange earners, surpassing gold exports, which stood at $3.83 billion.

BoT attributed the increase to a surge in international arrivals, which rose to 2,170,360 in the year ending May 2025, up from 1,961,870 the previous year.

As global travel stabilises post-pandemic, a clearer understanding of the mix and motivations of Tanzania’s visitors, both regional and international,