The unlikely country in Africa that's seeing a tourism boom

One of Africa's lesser-known holiday destinations has recently experienced a surge in interest from international tourists, with a travel adventure company organising more group trips to the country than it ever has before. In particular, the country's capital has seen a huge rise in the number of people wanting to visit.

This comes as the country of Somalia, the easternmost country in continental Africa and home to over 18 million people, introduced a new e-visa system this week, in an attempt to encourage more tourism and business in one of the world's most challenging nations. This international visitor boom has occurred despite current UK Foreign Office travel advice, which urges against all travel to most parts of Somalia.

"If you choose to remain in Somalia, you do so at your own risk," the FCDO website reads. "You should have a personal emergency plan that does not rely on the UK government." Previously, Somalia's visa system was complicated and drawn-out, however, this new streamlined process is hoped to aid the Somali authorities' ambitions to draw in more foreign visitors. In 2024, the country's Ministry of Tourism reported more than 10,000 tourists - a 50% rise on the previous year.

The founder of Untamed Borders, James Willcox, revealed that his company has seen a boom in tourism interest for Somalia in recent months: "Over the next six months, we have 13 group departures to Mogadishu, this compares to two in 2024.

"Most are running at full capacity and we have seen a lot of private trip enquiries too."

Somalia is experiencing a degree of relative stability compared to previous years. The country still faces enormous challenges, but the fierce fighting of recent decades has markedly reduced. Fighting in Somalia has been driven by a mix of clan rivalries, competition over resources and the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab's insurgency against the Somali government. Despite African Union peacekeepers and international support, al-Shabaab still controls rural areas and carries out attacks in cities, leaving the country stuck in a cycle of violence and instability.

"We think a lot of people are trying to visit the nation now, during this period of relative lull," Mr Willcox explained.

"Next year the country is scheduled to encounter elections, which naturally can create tensions in a nation, particularly in one such as Somalia," he continued. "Some people are picking this window now to see and tick off the nation."

Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, which is home to 2.7 million people, is undergoing a property and construction boom. Following years of job shortages, this is providing a valuable source of employment. At the same time, the country is undergoing enormous financial reform to try and improve its financial institutions.

Stretching across the Horn of Africa, Somalia borders Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. With a land area of nearly 250,000 square miles, Somalia's terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands. Its coastline is more than 2,071 miles in length, the longest of mainland Africa. In the north lie the rugged east-west ranges of the Ogo Mountains.

Northern Somalia is now de facto divided up among the autonomous regions of Puntland (which considers itself an autonomous state), Somaliland (a self-declared but unrecognised state) and the newly established Khatumo State of Somalia.