Somalia experienced a surprising tourism boom last year with around 10,000 travelers visiting in 2024, up 50% from the previous year.
The increase comes despite the security challenges in the country such as kidnapping, terrorism, and piracy—as well as minimal medical infrastructure.
Adventure tour operator James Willcox of Untamed Borders noted that his company took 13 groups to Mogadishu in 2024, compared to just two in 2023, highlighting growing interest in ‘high-risk travel experiences.’
Somalia introduced a digital eVisa system on September 1, 2025, to ease entry for foreign visitors, though Somaliland and Puntland maintain separate border rules, underlining the central government’s limited control over the country.
Such tourism is controversial in Austria, where—in 2025 alone—more than 900 Somalis received asylum or subsidiary protection. At the same time, 71.6 % of Somalis living in Vienna receive minimum income support.
