International tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): International tourism, number of arrivals was 55.56 million in 2019. ▲ Rising
International tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1995–2019
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
Analysis
In 2019, international tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 55.56 million.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and up 52.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 56.25 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 14.19 million, in 1995.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 35th of 46 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
International tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 14.19 million | — |
| 1996 | 16.05 million | +13.1% |
| 1997 | 16.64 million | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 17.78 million | +6.8% |
| 1999 | 19.15 million | +7.7% |
| 2000 | 19.44 million | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 20.38 million | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 22.02 million | +8.1% |
| 2003 | 22.80 million | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 24.57 million | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 26.23 million | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 29.61 million | +12.9% |
| 2007 | 34.49 million | +16.5% |
| 2008 | 35.56 million | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 36.52 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 40.14 million | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 40.53 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 42.98 million | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 44.48 million | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 46.27 million | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 48.67 million | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 50.88 million | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 52.50 million | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 56.25 million | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 55.56 million | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.76 million | 14.19 million | 19.15 million | 5 |
| 2000s | 27.16 million | 19.44 million | 36.52 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.82 million | 40.14 million | 56.25 million | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 499.63 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.5% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.25 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 367.94 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.25 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- International tourism, number of arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 55.56 million in 2019, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, number of arrivals recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 56.25 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest international tourism, number of arrivals recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.19 million in 1995.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for international tourism, number of arrivals?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 35th out of 46 groups with data for 2019.
- Is international tourism, number of arrivals rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism, published as part of International tourism, number of arrivals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.