Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin

Benin: Arrivals of tourists from abroad was 325,000 arrivals in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
325,000 arrivals
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
145th
of 203 countries
All-time high
325,000 arrivals
in 2020
All-time low
72,000 arrivals
in 2002
Years of data
26
1995–2020

Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin, 1995–2020

100.0k200.0k300.0k1995200720201995: 138.0k arrivals1996: 143.0k arrivals1997: 148.0k arrivals1998: 152.0k arrivals1999: 80.0k arrivals2000: 96.0k arrivals2001: 88.0k arrivals2002: 72.0k arrivals2003: 175.0k arrivals2004: 174.0k arrivals2005: 176.0k arrivals2006: 180.0k arrivals2007: 186.0k arrivals2008: 188.0k arrivals2009: 190.0k arrivals2010: 199.0k arrivals2011: 209.0k arrivals2012: 220.0k arrivals2013: 231.0k arrivals2014: 242.0k arrivals2015: 255.0k arrivals2016: 267.0k arrivals2017: 281.0k arrivals2018: 295.0k arrivals2019: 309.0k arrivals2020: 325.0k arrivals

Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in arrivals.

Analysis

In 2020, arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin stood at 325,000 arrivals. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.

That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 63.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin peaked at 325,000 arrivals in 2020 and was at its lowest, 72,000 arrivals, in 2002.

Benin ranks 145th of 203 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin, year by year

Annual values for Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin, 1995 to 2020.
Year arrivals Change
1995 138,000 arrivals
1996 143,000 arrivals +3.6%
1997 148,000 arrivals +3.5%
1998 152,000 arrivals +2.7%
1999 80,000 arrivals -47.4%
2000 96,000 arrivals +20.0%
2001 88,000 arrivals -8.3%
2002 72,000 arrivals -18.2%
2003 175,000 arrivals +143.1%
2004 174,000 arrivals -0.6%
2005 176,000 arrivals +1.1%
2006 180,000 arrivals +2.3%
2007 186,000 arrivals +3.3%
2008 188,000 arrivals +1.1%
2009 190,000 arrivals +1.1%
2010 199,000 arrivals +4.7%
2011 209,000 arrivals +5.0%
2012 220,000 arrivals +5.3%
2013 231,000 arrivals +5.0%
2014 242,000 arrivals +4.8%
2015 255,000 arrivals +5.4%
2016 267,000 arrivals +4.7%
2017 281,000 arrivals +5.2%
2018 295,000 arrivals +5.0%
2019 309,000 arrivals +4.7%
2020 325,000 arrivals +5.2%

Benin compared with similar countries

  • Benin's 325,000 arrivals is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 546,464 arrivals, 59% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
  • Benin's 325,000 arrivals is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 393,000 arrivals, 83% of the median. (41 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2003 +143.1% 72,000 arrivals 175,000 arrivals
1999 -47.4% 152,000 arrivals 80,000 arrivals

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 132,200 arrivals 80,000 arrivals 152,000 arrivals 5
2000s 152,500 arrivals 72,000 arrivals 190,000 arrivals 10
2010s 250,800 arrivals 199,000 arrivals 309,000 arrivals 10
2020s 325,000 arrivals 325,000 arrivals 325,000 arrivals 1

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 142 Trinidad and Tobago 334,000 arrivals compare
  2. 143 Seychelles 332,000 arrivals compare
  3. 144 Antigua and Barbuda 330,200 arrivals compare
  4. 146 Lesotho 320,000 arrivals compare
  5. 147 Botswana 314,000 arrivals compare
  6. 148 Burundi 299,000 arrivals compare

See the full ranking of 203 places →

More reference data data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin?
Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin was 325,000 arrivals in 2020, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad recorded in Benin?
The highest recorded value was 325,000 arrivals in 2020.
What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 72,000 arrivals in 2002.
How does Benin rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad?
Benin ranks 145th out of 203 countries with data for 2020.
Is arrivals of tourists from abroad rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is up 63.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Benin data come from?
The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Arrivals of tourists from abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/international-tourist-trips/benin/

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About this data

Indicator
Arrivals of tourists from abroad
Unit
arrivals
Source
UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
203 places, 5,187 data points, 1995–2024
Last refreshed

Number of trips by visitors who arrive from abroad and stay overnight.