International media outlets, particularly in the West, are increasingly highlighting Somalia’s emerging tourism sector as signs of recovery take shape across the country’s infrastructure and visitor attractions.
In a recent report, the AFP news agency detailed how the Federal Government of Somalia is intensifying efforts to promote tourism at a time when the number of foreign visitors is rising gradually despite ongoing security challenges.
Somalia’s Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Daud Aweis Jama, told AFP that nearly 10,000 tourists visited the country last year, and the government expects this figure to potentially double by 2025.
On Mogadishu’s popular Lido Beach, scenes of children swimming in clear blue waters, vendors selling local goods, and families watching small boats of tourists arrive paint a different picture from the long-held perception of the capital.
Sheryl, a tourist from the United States, shared her experience while strolling along the beach: “I didn’t fully tell my family where I was traveling… but since the moment we landed, I’ve been relaxed. It’s nothing like what I had heard.”
Security conditions in Mogadishu have notably improved in recent years. Government officials report an 86% decrease in attacks since 2023, crediting modern surveillance cameras, upgraded checkpoints, and a strengthened security presence across the city.
Most visitors currently come from China, the United States, and Turkey, according to government data.
American tourists Sheryl and her husband Richard—accompanied by a security escort—appeared eager to explore the city’s culture with little fear for their safety.
Somalia remains a country rich in natural beauty, ancient historical sites, vibrant traditions, dramatic mountain landscapes, and fertile riverbanks. However, persistent security concerns have long hindered the country’s full tourism potential. As improvements continue, many hope the world will rediscover Somalia as a unique and welcoming destination.
