After the air-disruption-driven slump of 2025 — which saw a 11.7% drop in arrivals — Seychelles tourism is staging a meaningful rebound. In January 2026, the archipelago welcomed 28,791 stopover visitors, compared to 26,850 in January 2025, a rise of +7.2%, according to Tourism Analytics data.
Europe dominates, Asia advances
The geographic breakdown confirms the archipelago's structural dependence on the European market: 21,362 tourists came from Europe, representing 74.2% of total arrivals. Asia accounted for 14.4% (4,135 visitors) and Africa 5.7% (1,653 visitors). The loyalty profile is improving: 12.6% of visitors are repeat visitors (versus 12.4% in January 2025), a sign that the Seychelles experience generates growing attachment.
A sector under structural pressure
The January 2026 increase is encouraging, but the road ahead is long. The year 2025 was severely affected by a reduction in direct air links, causing a 11.7% loss in arrivals that weighed on the entire economy — tourism representing around 25% of Seychelles GDP and over 70% of foreign exchange earnings. Seychelles pioneered sustainable financing: its blue bond, launched in 2018 (USD 15 million), inspired Gabon and Ecuador and remains a model for ocean finance among Small Island Developing States.
Why it matters
This +7.2% rebound comes as Seychelles seeks to diversify its source markets and develop its blue economy. For tourism operators across the Indian Ocean — Reunion, Mauritius, Maldives — the Seychelles recovery sends a positive signal about the resilience of international demand for high-end Indian Ocean tourism.
Sources: Tourism Analytics, IPS News — January 2026