Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi
Malawi: Arrivals of tourists from abroad was 432,000 arrivals in 2021. ▲ Rising
Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi, 1995–2021
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in arrivals.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi is 432,000 arrivals, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 117.1% on the previous year and down 43.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi peaked at 978,000 arrivals in 2019 and was at its lowest, 192,000 arrivals, in 1995.
Malawi ranks 131st of 203 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi, year by year
| Year | arrivals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 192,000 arrivals | — |
| 1996 | 194,000 arrivals | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 207,000 arrivals | +6.7% |
| 1998 | 220,000 arrivals | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 254,000 arrivals | +15.5% |
| 2000 | 228,000 arrivals | -10.2% |
| 2001 | 266,000 arrivals | +16.7% |
| 2002 | 383,000 arrivals | +44.0% |
| 2003 | 424,000 arrivals | +10.7% |
| 2004 | 427,000 arrivals | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 438,000 arrivals | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 638,000 arrivals | +45.7% |
| 2007 | 735,000 arrivals | +15.2% |
| 2008 | 742,000 arrivals | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 755,000 arrivals | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 746,000 arrivals | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 767,000 arrivals | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 770,000 arrivals | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 795,000 arrivals | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 819,000 arrivals | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 805,000 arrivals | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 849,000 arrivals | +5.5% |
| 2017 | 837,000 arrivals | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 871,000 arrivals | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 978,000 arrivals | +12.3% |
| 2020 | 199,000 arrivals | -79.7% |
| 2021 | 432,000 arrivals | +117.1% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 432,000 arrivals is above the median for low income countries, which is 366,700 arrivals, 1.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 432,000 arrivals is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 393,000 arrivals, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +117.1% | 199,000 arrivals | 432,000 arrivals |
| 2020 | -79.7% | 978,000 arrivals | 199,000 arrivals |
| 2006 | +45.7% | 438,000 arrivals | 638,000 arrivals |
| 2002 | +44.0% | 266,000 arrivals | 383,000 arrivals |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 213,400 arrivals | 192,000 arrivals | 254,000 arrivals | 5 |
| 2000s | 503,600 arrivals | 228,000 arrivals | 755,000 arrivals | 10 |
| 2010s | 823,700 arrivals | 746,000 arrivals | 978,000 arrivals | 10 |
| 2020s | 315,500 arrivals | 199,000 arrivals | 432,000 arrivals | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi?
- Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Malawi was 432,000 arrivals in 2021, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 978,000 arrivals in 2019.
- What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 192,000 arrivals in 1995.
- How does Malawi rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad?
- Malawi ranks 131st out of 203 countries with data for 2021.
- Is arrivals of tourists from abroad rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of trips by visitors who arrive from abroad and stay overnight.