Luanda: Angola recorded the highest tourism growth in Africa in 2025, with a 28 percent increase in the number of international visitors, positioning itself as the best-performing destination on the continent, according to data presented Thursday in Luanda by the executive director of UN Tourism, Natalia Bayona. The official made the statement during the presentation of the Tourism Investment Guide in Angola, at the "Angola Investment Summit 2026," which is taking place in the Angolan capital.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the UN official noted that the global tourism economy registered a growth of 2 percent, while Africa achieved an expansion of four percent, highlighting the region's potential to attract more tourists and investments. Angola surpassed traditionally consolidated destinations such as South Africa (18%), Morocco (14%), Tunisia (10%), and Zimbabwe (10%), becoming one of the emerging references in African tourism.
Bayona highlighted Angola's performance amidst the African continent's growth rate, which is higher than the world average. To support Angola's strategy, UN Tourism and the Angolan Ministry of Tourism have developed an Investment Guide for Tourism in Angola. This document presents business opportunities, tax incentives, legal framework, and priority projects for national and foreign investors.
She mentioned that the study predicts Angola's GDP to grow by about three percent, while the hotel sector is expected to see growth prospects of around 6.8 percent. The UN official added that Angola's competitive advantages include the existence of the Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX), a single window for investors, capital repatriation guarantees, and the "Simplifica Turismo" program to accelerate administrative processes related to tourism businesses.
The document also notes that Angola currently has 14 major tourism projects considered bankable, distributed across six regions, encompassing hotels, transport infrastructure, themed zones, and integrated developments. Strategic investments are already underway, including projects supported by the Angolan Sovereign Fund, the development of tourism infrastructure in Cabo Ledo, and the opening of the new Dr. Ant³nio Agostinho Neto International Airport, valued at over 3.5 billion US dollars.
It is considered that these investments, combined with economic reforms and improved air connectivity, reinforce Angola's position as one of the most promising tourism markets on the African continent and an increasingly attractive destination for international investment. Bayona highlighted that world tourism ended last year with 1.3 billion international tourists and estimated revenues of 1.9 billion US dollars, with the number of travelers expected to reach two billion by 2030.
Natalia Bayona cited confidence, legal stability, and security as decisive factors for attracting capital, adding that global investment reached 1.6 trillion US dollars, and tourism continues to assert itself as one of the most dynamic sectors of the world economy. The event, which concludes on Friday, is organized by the government of Angola, in partnership with the Global Tourism Forum Institute (GTFI), a prominent international platform for promoting investment and tourism development.
The "Angola Investment Summit" aims to promote concrete investment opportunities, strengthen public-private partnerships, and boost new projects capable of generating jobs, economic growth, and sustainable development for the country.
