Tourism in Mozambique contributed less than 1% to the GDP in 2025, falling significantly short of government expectations. Provisional budget data reveals an execution rate of just 0.92%, a steep decline from the 4.42% goal set for the year.
This performance marks a concerning retraction for the industry. In 2024, the sector accounted for 4.02% of the GDP. To reach the government’s 6% target by 2029, the industry must now average annual growth exceeding 1.25 percentage points.
The hospitality sector also struggled, recording a 0.06% retraction in 2025 against a projected growth of 8.24%. Analysts emphasize that achieving the long-term goal of 11.20% by 2029 requires urgent structural reforms and stronger recovery strategies.
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Despite the low economic contribution, tourist arrivals actually increased to 1.27 million in 2025, a rise of nearly 15%. This growth occurred despite significant disruptions, particularly the post-election protests from January to March that impacted infrastructure.
Historically, the sector has shown resilience. Foreign hotel guests tripled from 2020 to 2024, reaching over 757,000. This earlier surge was largely supported by visa exemption policies for citizens of 29 countries, providing a foundation for future recovery.
SEO Description: Mozambique’s tourism sector contributed under 1% to the GDP in 2025, missing government targets despite a 15% increase in total tourist arrivals.
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