Africa 06.05.2026
Seychelles: Season 2026
By the end of 2025, 37,595 Russian tourists visited the Seychelles. This is a 7.3% increase compared to 2024 (35,030 visits). Thus, Russia takes the third place in the ranking of key inbound markets in 2025, behind only Germany (55,497 visits) and France (41,409 visits), and continued to close the gap.
In the first quarter of 2026, according to the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics, tourist arrivals from Russia to the islands increased by 11.4% (14,803 people from January to March, compared to 13,293 in the same period in 2025).
Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture Nicola Amanda Jane Bernstein noted that figures have increased year-on-year over the past three years, and a slight increase is expected this year. However, due to the unstable situation, she found it difficult to provide a definitive forecast. According to the minister, Middle Eastern airlines accounted for approximately 40% of all arrivals to the Seychelles. Many tourists chose connecting flights through these countries (on Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad flights) for their comfort and attractive prices.
Experts are confident that Russian tourist traffic will quickly recover once the situation in the Middle East fully stabilizes.
Additionally, a Seychelles embassy is planned to open in Moscow by the end of 2026. Previously, the Seychelles' diplomatic presence in Russia was minimal. Now, it will be a fully-fledged diplomatic mission with full representation, consular, and other capabilities.
Photo by @beloglazov_travel