Seychelles has unveiled its tourist arrival statistics for the first nine months of 2023, revealing Russia’s remarkable growth rate as the leader among the top 5 countries. The data from the National Bureau of Statistics of Seychelles indicates that the country welcomed a total of 254,302 tourists during the first three quarters (January-September) of 2023, marking a significant 5.43% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (241,204).
In the top 5 countries for Seychelles arrivals in the first 9 months of 2023, Germany takes the lead with 35,625 visits, followed by France (32,116), Russia (28,107), Italy (14,739), and the United Kingdom (14,335). Notably, among all key inbound markets, only Russia currently operates direct flights to Mahe on a year-round basis, with an increased frequency during the winter season.
Germany and Switzerland also have such programs, but they are seasonal. Seychelles is poised to break its own record for Russian tourist arrivals this year, with the latest figures from the first 4 weeks of October indicating a strong surge in Russian tourism to the archipelago.