Switzerland and Others Lift Seychelles Tourism as August Arrivals Surge 14.1% in Recovery

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Switzerland and other key international markets are helping lift Seychelles tourism as August arrivals surge during a wider recovery in visitor demand. The Indian Ocean location has seen recent improvements in tourism after international access was restricted. Europeans have been the main consumers of the re Opened Tourism. Now that airlines have resumed services, holidays to island destinations have gained popularity. August was better for the Seychelles, but the rest of the world is still recovering from the effects of Covid-19. Air transport and the long haul market have allowed various Island destinations to revive their tourism industries.

Seychelles Tourism Recovery Gains Speed as August Arrivals Jump 14.1%

August provided one of the clearest signs of improvement for Seychelles tourism in 2026. Visitor arrivals reached 34,987, representing an increase of 4,320 travellers from the 30,667 recorded in August 2025. That translates into 14.1% year-on-year growth. The improvement was particularly important because July had already recorded a smaller 1.8% annual increase, with arrivals moving from 31,068 to 31,628. Together, the July and August figures indicate two consecutive months of positive annual movement after an earlier period of weakness. NBS also recorded 232,342 year-to-date arrivals through 30 August, before the final day of the month was incorporated into the complete August count.

• August 2026 arrivals reached 34,987.
• August arrivals increased by 4,320 compared with August 2025.
• Year-on-year August growth reached 14.1%.
• July had already returned to positive annual growth.
• The two-month improvement provides stronger evidence of stabilising international demand.

Switzerland Joins Germany, France, Italy and UK in Seychelles’ European Travel Mix

Switzerland forms part of the European source-market network supporting Seychelles tourism. The clearest official late-August snapshot shows 142 Swiss visitors arriving during the week ending 30 August 2026, compared with 108 during the preceding week. That was an increase of 34 visitors, or about 31.5% week on week. Germany was considerably larger, supplying 1,165 visitors during the same week. France contributed 414, Italy 325, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland 270, and Austria 182. These figures should be treated as a weekly snapshot rather than full-month country totals, but they show how several European markets were feeding visitor traffic as August closed.

• Switzerland supplied 142 visitors in the week ending 30 August.
• The preceding weekly Swiss figure was 108.
• Germany led the listed markets with 1,165 arrivals.
• France, Italy, the UK and Austria also contributed substantial traffic.
• Europe therefore remained central to the destination’s late-August visitor flow.

Europe Remains the Main Engine Behind Seychelles Visitor Demand

Europe continues to matter enormously to Seychelles because the islands depend heavily on long-haul international holiday demand. During August, European travellers accounted for 23,301 arrivals, representing 66.6% of total visitors. Asia followed with 7,401 visitors, equivalent to 21.2%. The remaining regions together accounted for 4,285 arrivals. This structure is consistent with Seychelles’ established tourism profile. The Central Bank of Seychelles reported that Europe accounted for 70% of total visitor arrivals during 2025, led particularly by Germany, France and Russia. The August 2026 figures therefore show that the destination remains strongly tied to European travel demand even as Asian markets provide important diversification.

• Europe represented 66.6% of August arrivals.
• European visitors totalled 23,301.
• Asia generated 7,401 visitors.
• Asia represented 21.2% of the August market.
• Other regions together represented 12.2%.

First-Time Visitors Become a Powerful Part of Seychelles Tourism Demand

Another striking feature of the August recovery was the very high number of people visiting Seychelles for the first time. First-time visitors totalled 31,948, representing 91.3% of all August arrivals. Repeat visitors numbered 3,039, equivalent to 8.7%. For the travel industry, this distinction matters because a destination attracting a large share of new customers is reaching travellers beyond its existing repeat-visitor base. It can support new demand for accommodation, island transfers, excursions, restaurants and domestic travel between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. NBS officially tracks both first-time and repeat visitors by country of residence and purpose of visit as part of its tourism statistical system.

• First-time travellers numbered 31,948.
• They represented 91.3% of August arrivals.
• Repeat travellers totalled 3,039.
• Repeat visitors represented 8.7%.
• New visitors therefore dominated the August tourism market.

Seychelles Tourism 2026 Still Faces a Year-to-Date Gap Despite August Growth

The August rebound does not mean Seychelles has completely recovered the visitor losses accumulated earlier in 2026. During the first eight months, arrivals reached 232,970. That remained 8.3% below the 254,142 recorded across the comparable period of 2025. However, the result was 1.2% above the 230,299 visitors recorded during the first eight months of 2024. This creates an important distinction. Seychelles was performing below a particularly strong 2025 comparison but slightly ahead of 2024. Official weekly NBS statistics similarly showed that through 30 August the country remained below the corresponding 2025 year-to-date level, confirming that the recovery was real but incomplete.

• January-August 2026 arrivals reached 232,970.
• The comparable 2025 total was 254,142.
• Seychelles remained 8.3% below the 2025 level.
• The 2024 January-August total was 230,299.
• The 2026 result was nevertheless 1.2% above 2024.

This makes August especially significant. Strong monthly growth is reducing the earlier deficit, but several additional months of sustained improvement would be required before annual performance could fully close the gap with 2025.

Middle East Flight Disruption Explains Part of Seychelles’ Earlier 2026 Weakness

Seychelles’ earlier tourism slowdown cannot be separated from aviation. As an island destination, almost every international holiday depends on functioning air links. The Central Bank of Seychelles reported that visitor arrivals stood at 78,194 by 15 March 2026, down 0.4% from the same period of 2025. It linked the slowdown from early March to temporary airport closures and flight suspensions at important transit hubs following conflict-related disruption in the Middle East. Flights through those hubs later resumed, although initially at reduced capacity. The Central Bank simultaneously reported tourism earnings of about US$208 million during January and February 2026, 27% higher year on year despite subsequent pressure on arrivals.

• Seychelles depends strongly on international air access.
• Arrivals were down 0.4% by 15 March 2026.
• Temporary airport closures affected important connecting hubs.
• Some Middle East-linked flight capacity was disrupted.
• Tourism earnings for January-February still increased 27% year on year.

More Flights Strengthen Seychelles Tourism Access From Europe and Global Markets

Air connectivity improved during the middle of 2026. Tourism Seychelles reported that Qatar Airways returned on 16 June with four weekly services, while Turkish Airlines restarted flights on 17 June and moved towards three weekly services connecting Seychelles with Istanbul. Aeroflot resumed twice-weekly Moscow flights from 8 July. Earlier in the year, Air Seychelles introduced temporary direct Paris services three times per week and Rome services twice weekly as alternative European links. Official tourism information also identified seasonal services connecting Seychelles with Frankfurt and Zurich, including the Swiss market through Edelweiss. These routes widened the combination of direct and one-stop options available to international travellers during the recovery period.

• Qatar Airways operated four weekly services from 16 June.
• Turkish Airlines returned to summer operations.
• Aeroflot restored twice-weekly Moscow services from July.
• Air Seychelles introduced additional European links earlier in 2026.
• Zurich remains part of Seychelles’ seasonal European connectivity network.

Ethiopian Airlines Capacity Could Add Another Boost to Seychelles Travel

Seychelles’ international connectivity is also set to gain additional capacity later in 2026. Tourism Seychelles confirmed that Ethiopian Airlines plans to move from one daily Addis Ababa-Seychelles service to double-daily operations from 1 December 2026. The additional flight is scheduled to use a Boeing 737 with 16 Business Class seats and 138 Economy Class seats. According to the official announcement, the expansion will add more than 1,000 seats per week. Addis Ababa functions as a connecting hub for passengers travelling between Seychelles and markets across Africa, Europe, Asia and other regions. Greater frequency can therefore increase itinerary choices rather than serving only Ethiopian-origin travellers.

• Ethiopian Airlines currently operates daily between Addis Ababa and Mahé.
• Double-daily flights are scheduled from 1 December 2026.
• The additional service uses a Boeing 737.
• Each aircraft configuration includes 154 passenger seats.
• More than 1,000 additional weekly seats are expected.

What Seychelles’ August Tourism Recovery Means for Travellers in 2026

For travellers, the Seychelles tourism recovery means greater choice is gradually returning across the journey. More airline capacity creates additional routing possibilities, particularly through Doha, Istanbul, Addis Ababa and selected European gateways. Stronger visitor demand also means travellers planning peak-period holidays should compare flights and accommodation well ahead of departure rather than assuming the softer conditions seen earlier in 2026 will continue. The most important statistical signal is that August growth was not isolated: July had already moved into positive territory. However, year-to-date arrivals remained below 2025, making the present phase better described as a recovery rather than a new annual record.

• International demand strengthened during July and August.
• Europe remains Seychelles’ largest broad source region.
• Switzerland continues to form part of the European visitor base.
• Restored airline services provide more route choices.
• Year-to-date figures still call for a measured interpretation of the recovery.

Seychelles Tourism Recovery Builds Momentum but the 2025 Gap Still Matters

Seychelles tourism in 2026 is therefore showing a meaningful change in direction. August arrivals surged 14.1% year on year to 34,987 after July had already produced modest growth. Switzerland and other European markets remain important parts of the demand mix, while Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom continue to supply significant visitor traffic. New and restored air services are strengthening access after earlier disruption affected routes through major transit hubs. Yet the January-August total remained 8.3% below 2025. The clearest conclusion is that Seychelles has entered a stronger recovery phase, but sustained visitor growth will determine how much of the earlier 2026 shortfall can ultimately be recovered.

Conclusion

Switzerland and others are helping lift Seychelles tourism as the destination moves deeper into recovery, supported by stronger international demand and improving air connectivity. The long haul market from Europe has allowed August to have the second highest visitor figures in the history of the nation. The Seychelles have now reopened to more air markets improving connections to more major transport hubs. Although improvements to transport have allowed for a surge in visitors, the effects of Covid 19 remain and will continue to affect the market. Because of these improvements, the Seychelles have a greater opportunity for diverse visitor markets.