How International Visitors Discover Tanzania
Understanding how international tourists obtain information about Tanzania is critical for tourism marketing, destination branding, and business strategy. Data from the 2024 International Visitors’ Exit Survey Report by the Bank of Tanzania reveals clear trends in how visitors learned about Tanzania between 2020 and 2024.
Source: Bank of Tanzania – 2024 International Visitors’ Exit Survey Report
Between 2020 and 2024, Tanzania’s tourism discovery shifted decisively from personal networks to professional travel intermediaries. By 2024, more than half of all international visitors learned about Tanzania through travel agents and tour operators, making them the country’s most powerful tourism marketing channel.
Travel Agents Remain the Leading Influence
Travel agents and tour operators continue to play a dominant role in promoting Tanzania as a destination. Their influence increased steadily from 23.9% in 2020 to 50.6% in 2024, making them the single most important source of information for international visitors.
This highlights the continued importance of professional tour operators, safari companies, and destination management companies in shaping travel decisions.
Friends and Relatives Still Matter—But Are Declining
Recommendations from friends and relatives were the top source of information in 2020 at 57.5%, but this influence gradually declined to 35.9% in 2024.
While word-of-mouth remains powerful, the trend suggests travelers to Tanzania are increasingly relying on structured and professional sources rather than personal networks alone.
Digital Channels Show Mixed Performance
Internet, websites and online platforms experienced a sharp rise during the pandemic period, peaking at 19.8% in 2021, but dropped significantly to 5.8% by 2024.
This indicates that while digital channels are important, they may be underutilized or overshadowed by tour operators who package and distribute information more effectively.
Traditional Media and Other Channels Play a Minor Role
Newspapers, magazines, brochures, TV channels, travel advisories, trade fairs, and Tanzania missions abroad all contributed relatively small shares—each generally below 5%.
Although these channels support awareness, their direct impact on influencing travel decisions remains limited.
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What This Means for Tanzania’s Tourism Industry
The data sends a clear message: