Mauritius Tourism Minister Pushes 'Plan B' for 1.4M Visitors in 2026

Mauritius Tourism Minister Richard Duval has called on the island's hospitality industry to develop a contingency strategy to shield the sector from future international crises, warning that relying solely on current growth trends is not enough.

Speaking at the 53rd Annual General Meeting of the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Mauritius, known by its French acronym AHRIM, Duval urged industry leaders to draw up a "Plan B" that would allow the sector to adapt quickly if global events, such as geopolitical tensions, pandemics or economic downturns in key source markets, were to disrupt travel flows.

The minister set an ambitious target for 2026: more than 1.4 million tourist arrivals and tourism revenues exceeding Rs 103.3 billion. If achieved, that would represent a record year for the sector, surpassing the 1.3 million arrivals recorded in 2023, which was itself a post-pandemic rebound milestone.

Tourism is one of the pillars of the Mauritian economy, alongside financial services and manufacturing. The sector directly employs tens of thousands of people across hotels, restaurants, tour operators and related businesses, and its performance has an outsized effect on the country's foreign exchange earnings and overall GDP growth.

Duval's remarks reflect a broader anxiety in the industry. Mauritius draws the majority of its visitors from Europe, particularly France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as a growing share from Asia and Reunion Island. Any slowdown in those markets, whether from economic pressure or travel disruptions, can have immediate knock-on effects on hotel occupancy rates and airline connectivity to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.

The AHRIM general assembly is an annual gathering that brings together the country's leading hotel groups and restaurant operators to discuss policy, challenges and strategy. It is one of the main forums where the government and the private hospitality sector coordinate on issues ranging from airlift capacity to workforce training and environmental standards.

What this means: For businesses in the tourism supply chain, from small guesthouses to large resort groups, the minister's call signals that the government expects the industry to build resilience rather than simply ride favourable trends. Investors and operators may need to diversify their source markets, develop off-peak promotional campaigns or build financial reserves to weather periods of reduced demand. The 1.4 million visitor target also sets a clear benchmark against which the government's tourism policy will be measured heading into the next electoral cycle.

Source: Le Defi Media