Mauritius has recorded a significant rise in tourism revenue, with Minister of Tourism Richard Duval announcing an "record year" with 1,200,000 visitors up to October, 45,607 more than the previous year. The revenue for the first nine months of 2026 stands at Rs 83.62 billion, a 17.7% increase from Rs 71.05 billion the previous year.
However, a closer look at the numbers reveals that the revenue and visitor arrivals are not directly comparable, as the former covers January to September and the latter January to October. For a more accurate comparison, the number of visitors from January to September was 1,042,241, a 3.4% increase from 1,008,098 the previous year. This translates to 34,143 more visitors.
The increased revenue cannot be solely attributed to the rise in visitor numbers. If the 34,143 additional tourists had generated the entire Rs 12.57 billion increase in revenue, each would have spent Rs 368,000 during their stay. However, even if they spent at the 2025 average rate, they would only account for around Rs 2.4 billion, or 19% of the revenue increase.
The majority of the revenue increase can be attributed to a higher expenditure per tourist and the weak rupee. The rupee has depreciated by around 2.1% against the dollar and 6.1% against the euro. As the euro is the currency of Mauritius' largest visitor contingent, from France, the Réunion, Germany, and Switzerland, this depreciation has significantly impacted revenue.
When the revenue is converted to euros or dollars, the growth rate drops significantly. In euros, the revenue rose from 1.41 billion to 1.56 billion, a 10.9% increase, while in dollars, it rose from 1.57 billion to 1.81 billion, an increase of 15.2%. This indicates that around 2 to 7 percentage points of the 17.7% growth can be attributed to the weak rupee.
Once the exchange rate impact is neutralized, the remaining growth can be attributed to a higher expenditure per tourist, which rose by around 7% in euros. This could be due to higher hotel tariffs or more high-end stays. However, the 3.4% growth in visitor numbers only accounts for a small portion of the revenue increase.
The weak rupee, which has boosted tourism revenue, also has a negative impact on the economy, as it increases the cost of imported goods, including fuel, food, and medicine, for local families. The tourism sector's growth must be considered in the context of its impact on the broader economy.
Key points
- The 17.7% growth in tourism revenue in Mauritius can be largely attributed to a weak rupee and higher expenditure per tourist.
- The number of visitors to Mauritius rose by 3.4% from January to September 2026 compared to the same period the previous year.
- The weak rupee has had a mixed impact on the economy, boosting tourism revenue but increasing the cost of imported goods.
