Tourism in Tanzania account for 1.3 percent of GDP

With many attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, Serengeti National park and Ngorongoro crater, tourism only accounts for 1.3 percent of Tanzania’s GDP

Tanzania is located on the East Coast of Africa bordering Kenya to the north, Mozambique to the south and the DRC, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia to the East.  It has a population of 59 million people expected to grow by 14.2 percent over the next decade to reach 68 million by 2030. 

 Growth potential

It has natural beauty in abundance.  Home to the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro and more than 30 national parks and marine protected areas.  The Ngorongoro crater, a UNESCO world heritage site, is the largest caldera in the world and host a micro-ecosystem, like no other, where the famous Maasai people live. Zanzibar, an island off the coast is famous for its white sandy beaches and a popular tourist destination. 

With all this natural beauty, tourism is an untapped market accounting for only 1.3 percent of the country’s GDP.  This is less than East Africa’s mean of 1.4 percent.  In recent years, the country has embarked on a tourism drive as a means for employment and boost foreign currency earnings.

International tourism expenditures – Source: World Bank (2018)