- Seychelles’ tourism department reported 334,552 visitor arrivals in 2022, exceeding expectations and representing an 81% increase from the same period in 2021.
- The top contributing markets for visitor arrivals were Germany, France, and Russia, followed by Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
Seychelles has seen a surprising increase in tourism in 2022, with visitor arrivals exceeding expectations. According to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics for the week ending January 1, the year-to-date total of arrivals is 334,552, representing an 81% increase compared to the same period in 2021.
The country’s tourism industry, a significant contributor to the economy, was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the temporary closure of its borders. However, in recent years, Seychelles has been working to rebuild the industry through additional marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships.
“We started the year with many uncertainties, one of them being the Ukraine war as Russia at the time was our main market,” said Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary for Tourism. Despite these challenges, events worked out in favour of the destination, with western European markets filling in for cancellations from Russia and Ukraine as they relaxed COVID travel restrictions.
In 2022, Europe continued to dominate the visitor arrival figures, with Germany leading the way at 44,772 visitors, followed by France with 44,503 and Russia in third place with 31,180. The winter schedule has also seen the return of Condor and Aeroflot to Seychelles, as well as extra charter flights from Israel, all of which are supporting the recovery of the destination.
Seychelles has also attracted a significant number of visitors from countries such as Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and India, which combined have brought in 51,668 visitors. Francis told the Seychelles News Agency (SNA) that “she hopes that this key sector will do better in terms of tourism earnings at the end of this year.”
The increase in tourism is welcome news for Seychelles, as the industry plays a vital role in the country’s economy. The tourism department is hopeful for the future and will continue to work towards attracting even more visitors in the coming years.
