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# [MAURITIUS] H1 2026 Tourism: 668,000 Visitors and Rs 40 Billion in Revenue Despite June Slowdown
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/maurice-tourisme-s1-2026-668-000-visiteurs-et-rs-40-milliards-de-recettes-malgre-le-repli-de-juin-en/
- Published: 2026-08-04T08:43:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-04T08:43:53.000Z
- Description: Mauritius counted 668,471 tourists in H1 2026 (+1.5%), generating Rs 40.44 billion in revenue. But June disappointed (-8.4%), with the UK down 25%. China (+30%) and South Africa (+27%) provided partial offsets.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Maurice, tourisme, Économie, Flash de mi-journée, #en

Mauritius' tourism figures for the first half of 2026 are in — and they paint a nuanced picture. Over the six-month period, the island welcomed **668,471 visitors**, a gain of **+1.5%** on H1 2025 (658,909 arrivals). Tourism revenue reached **Rs 40.44 billion** for the first four months of the year. But June brought a sharp chill.

## A Notably Weak June

In June alone, arrivals fell to **89,098 visitors** from 97,273 a year earlier — a drop of **\-8.4%**. European markets, Mauritius' primary source of visitors, lost significant ground: Europe as a whole was down **\-12%** in June, with the United Kingdom collapsing **\-25.2%** for the month and **\-16%** for the full half-year.

Average length of stay edged down slightly to **11.2 nights**, from 11.3 nights over the same period in 2025.

## Markets Bucking the Trend

Not all is gloom. China posted a standout performance with **+30.1%** arrivals over the semester — a surge reflecting the full return of Asian tourists following post-pandemic restrictions. India advanced **+11.9%** over six months despite a slight dip in June. South Africa jumped **+26.6%** in June alone.

Maritime traffic was the real revelation: cruise arrivals surged **+55.8%** over the half-year, lifting sea arrivals to 23,331 passengers — partially offsetting the near-stagnation in air traffic (+0.2% for the semester).

## Why It Matters

Tourism accounts for roughly 18% of Mauritius' GDP. H1 2026 confirms two structural trends: geographic diversification of source markets (China, India, Southern Africa) is advancing, but dependence on Europe — and the UK in particular — remains a vulnerability. The British market's -25% plunge deserves attention, against a backdrop of a weakened pound and intensifying competition from Mediterranean destinations. For the industry, the target of one million visitors in 2026 remains achievable — but only if the second half delivers a strong rebound.

*Sources: Le Mauricien, IonNews.mu, Statistics Mauritius / Business.OI*