The tourism sector contributed less than 1% to Mozambique’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025, leading the government to acknowledge the need for improvements to meet the targets set for 2029. The data reflects a lower-than-expected performance for the national economy, Lusa reported.
According to provisional budget execution data from the Ministry of Finance, tourism’s contribution to GDP was 0.92% in 2025, corresponding to “21% of the target set for the year,” estimated at 4.42%. “This indicates a relative decline in tourism’s contribution to the economy,” the document states.
This performance contrasts with that of 2024, when the sector accounted for 4.02% of GDP. By 2029, the government’s target is to reach 6%, requiring “efforts to achieve an average annual growth rate exceeding 1.25% in the coming years.”
During the same period, the growth rate indicator for accommodation, food services, and related activities recorded a decline of 0.06% in 2025, falling far short of the projected 8.24%. This result raises doubts about the sector’s ability to recover.
“This performance raises concerns about the feasibility of long-term targets. To achieve the 11.20% target by 2029, the sector must implement deep structural reforms and adopt strong recovery strategies to reverse the current trend,” the report states.
Despite this, tourist arrivals rose to 1.27 million in 2025, representing a nearly 15% increase over the previous year. In 2024, Mozambique recorded more than 1.09 million visitors, according to Economy Minister Basílio Muhate, an “indicator that reflects the sector’s consistent recovery and growing strength.”
At the same time, the number of foreign tourists in hotels more than tripled over five years, reaching about 757,400 in 2024. During the same period, the number of domestic guests fell by 18%, to approximately 1.09 million.
The government has been adopting measures to facilitate entry into the country, including the e-visa and visa exemptions for citizens of 29 countries. An online platform was also launched with the aim of making Mozambique “an attractive tourist destination visited by everyone,” according to the Minister of Science, Technology, and Digital Development, Américo Muchanga.
