Tourism in the Western Indian Ocean is a generator of economic growth. People tend to think that places with high biodiversity are also considered “nice”. The environment in itself is a tourist attraction that generates potential economic growth for many parts of the world. Furthermore, tourism development in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is growing rapidly.

Tourism in the WIO is valued in economic terms, and is an important contributor to local, national and international economies. Tourism diversifies the economies in the Western Indian Ocean region, particularly for the islands located in this region where other income generating activities and production might be limited. Tourism generates employment opportunities, which generates income for individual livelihood purposes. It accounts for much of the employment opportunities for both men and women. Employment opportunities in the tourism sector of the islands located in the WIO continue to grow. Tourism also increases foreign exchange in the region, which is beneficial in terms of economic development. Overall, tourism contributes substantially to the GDP. For example, in the Seychelles, tourism contributes to more than 50% of the GDP, and in Mauritius tourism contributes to around 30% of the GDP. Tourism is therefore promising and beneficial in terms of economic growth.