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5 July, 2017

Why this unexpected place topped list of fastest-growing tourist spots

Freetown, Sierra Leone - June 17, 2012: three young boys in the middle of a dive in a lake, each with a different swimsuit and different way and shape of diving

By Hannah Edensor

United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) unveiled its list of fastest-growing tourism countries in the world, and a surprising name took the crown.

The West African country of Sierra Leone topped the list for exponential tourism growth in 2016, welcoming 310 per cent more tourists compared to 2015.

According to recently released figures, in 2015 24,000 people visited the country but it is anticipated that figure rose to 74,400 for 2016.

That might not seem like a huge number of tourists, but compared to the growth rate of other countries, it’s a rapid jump in popularity and interest.

The sharp rise in visitors is partly due to the country being declared Ebola-free at the end of 2015, and for many, Sierra Leone is like a secret beach destination still untainted by tourism.

Makeni, Bombali District, Sierra Leone, Africa

According to a Lonely Planet article, which quotes Destination Editor for Africa, Matt Phillips, Sierra Leone is quite a country.

Phillips says it comes with “staggeringly beautiful beaches, rainforests sheltering endangered species and a vibrant capital laden with subtle historical overtones, and it should not be Africa’s secret destination any longer.

“The scars of its civil war are fading, as is the trauma of the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak, and tourism can play a huge role in bringing some prosperity back to this warm-hearted nation.”

Sierra Leone has some of the bigger wildlife attractions of Africa, including the Tiwai Island wildlife sanctuary.

Other countries to feature in the UNWTO list included Nepal, which saw an increase of 39.7 per cent in visitors last year, per Lonely Planet.

The country was rocked by a massive earthquake in 2015 and is slowly recovering.

Iceland came in at number three, with Lonely Planet’s Destination Editor James Smart saying the country has “rocketed” in recent years.

“Ten years ago visitors to Iceland were eccentrics or adventurers or both,” he said, per Lonely Planet.

“Essentially, word got out that it’s an astonishing, unique place with a tightly packed bundle of volcanoes, glaciers and fjords with a great wilderness at its heart.

Check out the rest of the list for the top 10 fastest growing destinations for tourism in 2016:

Sierra Leone (visitors up 310 per cent)
Nepal (visitors up 39.7 per cent)
Iceland (visitors up 39 per cent)
South Korea (visitors up 30.3 per cent)
Moldova (visitors up 28.6 per cent)
Chile (visitors up 26 per cent)
Vietnam (visitors up 24.6 per cent)
Japan (visitors up 21.8 per cent)
Liechtenstein (visitors up 21.7 per cent)
Kiribati (visitors up 21.6 per cent)

In terms of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, the United States, China, Spain and France remain on top.

France saw 0.9 per cent growth to hit 84.5 million international tourists, while the US grew 3.3 per cent to 77.5 million, and Spain grew five per cent to 68.2 million.

Rounding out the top five was China, up 2.3 per cent to reach 56.9 million tourists, while Italy jumped 4.4 per cent to 50.7 million.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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