Tanzania Exports Up by +15% in 2021, Tourism Arrivals Up by +48%

Tanzania Exports in 2021

Tanzania’s exports of goods and services increased to USD 9,818.6 million in the year ending December 2021, from USD 8,555.5 million in the corresponding period in 2020, showing a year-on-year increase of 14.76%.

This was revealed by the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) in its latest Monthly Economic Review of January 2022.

The expansion was on account of a rise in exports of manufactured goods particularly sisal and sisal products, manufactured tobacco and other manufactured products as well as horticulture, fish products, and travel receipts.

Tanzania Investment Guide 2026 Free Edition

Exports of goods increased by +6.0% to USD 6,755.6 million, with non-traditional goods rising by 9.7% to USD 5,763.0 million.

Gold exports fell by 7.2% to USD 2,743.1 million and accounted for 40.6% of total goods exports, driven by the recent decline in the world market prices.

Exports of manufactured goods rose to USD 1,213.2 million in the year ending December 2021, from USD 908.6 million in 2020, driven by sisal and sisal products, manufactured tobacco and other manufactured products, particularly iron and steel, cosmetics, plastic, paper, and paper products.

On a monthly basis, exports of non-traditional goods were USD 465.2 million, slightly higher than USD 452.9 million in December 2020.

Exports of traditional goods declined to USD 627.9 million from USD 808.1 million in the same period in 2020. Much decline was recorded in exports of cashew nuts, tobacco, and cotton.

TanzaniaInvest Capital Markets Report Banner

On a monthly basis, traditional exports were largely unchanged at around USD 135.0 million.

Services receipts increased to USD 3,229.2 million, from USD 2,183.8 million in the year ending December 2020, largely boosted by travel (tourism) and transport receipts.

Travel receipts rose to USD 1,396.34 million, consistent with a rise in the number of international tourist arrivals by 48% to 918,603, as the recovery in tourism activities is underway.

On a monthly basis, services receipts were USD 362.9 million, compared to USD 218.9 million in December 2020, with travel receipts accounting for the larger increase.

Want to know more about Tourism in Tanzania? Our free overview of the Tanzania Business and Investment Guide 2026 covers Tourism, plus key sectors and investment opportunities. The complete 141-page edition includes policies, taxation, key regulations, full macroeconomic data, and sources, and is also available at no cost upon completion of a short form.

Download Free OverviewGet the Full Edition for Free
Related Posts
Tanzania BOT economic update for the year ending August 2026, showing gold exports rising to USD 5.63 billion.
Read More

Tanzania Exports Grow 16.4% to USD 20.2 Billion in Year Ending August 2026, Led by Gold (+30%) and Manufactured Goods (+44%), Supported by Iron and Steel Products and Glassware

Tanzania’s exports of goods and services rose 16.4% to USD 20,216.2 million in the year ending August 2026, led by gold exports (+30.2%) and manufactured goods (+44.3%), including iron and steel products and glassware. Transport receipts rose 26.4%, while travel receipts increased 1.7% to USD 4,389.7 million.
EU-Tanzania Investment & Business Forum 2026-2027 Helsinki day 1
Read More

EU–Tanzania Roadshow Opens in Helsinki With Mineral and Digital Investment Pitches

At the EU-Tanzania roadshow in Helsinki, the EU and Finland said they want to invest in Tanzania's critical minerals and digital economy, backed by a new EUR 156 million EU package and by Finnish financiers Finnvera and Finnfund, which confirmed they are open to Tanzanian deals. Tanzania offered European companies entry into graphite, nickel and rare earths processing, including at a former gold mine converted into a mineral processing zone, as well as into data centres, submarine cables and broadband, backed by TZS 7 trillion in planned public spending.
Tanzania mainland mandatory travel insurance
Read More

Tanzania Mainland Makes USD 44 NIC Travel Insurance Compulsory From 1st October 2026

Tanzania will require foreign visitors entering Mainland Tanzania to hold USD 44 travel insurance from 1 October 2026, per a Ministry of Finance notice confirming the commencement date under Government Notice No. 256 of 2026, administered by the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) at airports, land borders and seaports. Visitors will need to buy the cover before travel or on arrival and present a certificate covering medical treatment, evacuation and lost luggage, or risk being denied entry.
TANZANIA ECONOMIC EXPORTS UPDATE YE JULY 2026
Read More

Tanzania Exports Grow 16.5% to USD 20 Billion in Year Ending July 2026, Led by Gold (+47%) and Manufactured Goods (+46%), Supported by Iron and Steel, Glassware, and Textiles

Tanzania's exports of goods and services grew 16.5% to USD 19,985.8 million in the year ending July 2026, led by gold exports of USD 5,670.7 million and manufactured goods, supported by iron and steel products, glassware, and textiles. Traditional exports rose 14.9%, while travel receipts rose 1.6% to USD 4,292.8 million.