Victoria:Tourist arrivals in Seychelles have shown signs of recovery in recent months following a challenging start to 2026, although the total number of visitors remains below last year's levels, According to latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to Seychelles News Agency, the latest NBS bulletin, released on November 11, shows that 316,434 visitors arrived in Seychelles up to November 8, representing a decline of 6.3% compared with the 337,554 visitors recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
The figures indicate an improvement in visitor arrivals during the second half of the year following several months of declining arrivals earlier in 2026, particularly between March and June, when some of the largest decreases were recorded. Visitor arrivals fell by 37.2% in March, 28.4% in April, and 24.8% in June compared with the same months in 2025.
The situation began improving in July, with arrivals exceeding the previous year's figures, followed by stronger growth in August and September. Arrivals increased by 1.8% in July, followed by a 14.1% increase in August, and a 6.1% rise in September. The positive trend continued into October, when 41,242 visitors arrived in Seychelles, almost identical to the 41,238 recorded in October 2025.
Europe continues to be the most important source market for Seychelles and remains central to the country's tourism industry, with markets such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom contributing significantly to visitor arrivals. According to latest NBS figures, 222,504 visitors from Europe had travelled to Seychelles by November 8, a decline of 6.1% compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Asia was the second-largest source region, with 54,136 visitors, down 10.9%, while Africa recorded 24,568 visitors. Africa was the only major region to register growth during the period, with visitor arrivals increasing by 10.7%. The Americas contributed 13,444 visitors, a decline of 14.8%, while Oceania recorded 1,782 visitors, down 8.5%.
The NBS figures also confirm that Seychelles remains primarily a leisure destination, with holidays accounting for the overwhelming majority of visits. Up to November 8, 279,309 visitors had travelled to Seychelles for holidays, representing 88.3% of all visitor arrivals during the period. Another 23,050 travelled to the country for honeymoons, while 6,597 came for business.
Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Seychelles economy, alongside fisheries, contributing to foreign exchange earnings, employment, and business activity across several sectors. The latest figures suggest that matching the strong tourism performance of 2025, when nearly 399,000 visitors were welcomed, could prove challenging in 2026. The next NBS visitor arrivals bulletin, covering November 2026, is scheduled for release on December 7.