Zanzibar tourist numbers soar in June, Germany leads the charge

Unguja. Zanzibar’s tourism sector continued its upward trajectory in June 2025, recording 67,496 international arrivals—a sharp 30.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year, and a significant 82.2 percent jump from May 2025.

The latest data released by Office of the Chief Government Statistician and the Tourism Commission underscores Zanzibar’s resilience and growing appeal as a global holiday destination, with European visitors remaining the dominant market, accounting for 62 percent of all arrivals.

Germany emerged as the top source of visitors, contributing 9.4 percent of total arrivals, followed closely by the United Kingdom at 7.7 percent and France at 7.5 percent. Japan, meanwhile, registered the lowest proportion of tourists at just 0.2 percent.

The African market continued to be dominated by South Africa which contributed 3,476 followed closely by Kenya which contributed 1,882 visitors to the island.

The majority of visitors equivalent to 91.1 percent—entered through Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, underscoring the strategic role of air connectivity in Zanzibar’s tourism recovery.

Of these, 50,372 arrived on international flights, while 11,087 came via domestic routes. The seaport saw 6,037 arrivals, including 71 cruise passengers and 5,966 ferry travellers from mainland Tanzania.

Holidaymaking remained the key motivation for most travellers, with 99.2 percent of visitors coming to Zanzibar purely for leisure. Only 0.5 percent visited friends and relatives, while 0.3 percent cited other reasons.

The data also highlighted a near-gender balance among tourists, with males comprising 52.3 percent of arrivals and females 47.7 percent. Notably, the number of female visitors almost doubled from May, surging by 98.7 percent, while male arrivals rose by 69.4 percent over the same period.

In terms of age distribution, visitors aged 15 to 64 years dominated, making up 88.5 percent of total arrivals. Children under 15 years accounted for 5.9 percent, while those aged 65 and older comprised 5.6 percent.

Emerging markets showed promising growth, with arrivals from countries such as Poland, India, Russia, Israel, China, and Ukraine increasing by 59.2 percent compared to June 2024. This points to a diversifying tourism base and expanding market opportunities for Zanzibar.

Tourists stayed an average of seven days, with 28.4 percent of visitors choosing to spend exactly one week on the islands. Zanzibar’s hospitality sector provided 913,911 bed spaces in June, with 497,110 beds occupied, translating to a bed occupancy rate of 54.4 percent.

Tourism officials have welcomed the figures, expressing confidence that the positive momentum will bolster economic growth, create more employment opportunities, and solidify Zanzibar’s reputation as one of Africa’s premier tourist destinations.