DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's tourism industry generated 4.2 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in the year ending October 2025, the highest in the country's history, according to the Bank of Tanzania (BoT).
A sharp increase in international arrivals drove the strong performance, the central bank said in a report.
Official statistics show that Tanzania welcomed about 173,000 more foreign tourists between January and November 2025 than in the same period of the previous year, bringing total arrivals to about 2.09 million, a 9 percent year-on-year rise.
Opening a wildlife stakeholders' meeting in the capital Dodoma on Saturday, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ashatu Kijaji described the sector as solid and vibrant.
She highlighted international recognition, including the Africa's Leading Destination and World's Leading Safari Destination awards, and the right to host the World Tourism Awards in December 2026.
The achievements reflect stronger public-private sector cooperation, enhanced marketing strategies and major infrastructure investments, Kijaji said.
On conservation, she noted that anti-poaching efforts have helped raise the elephant population from 43,000 in 2014 to over 60,000 in 2023.
Tanzania also hosts the world's largest populations of lions and leopards, the minister added. ■