The Angolan government announced plans to introduce a tourism tax targeting international visitors, a move aimed at boosting funding for the country’s growing travel sector.
Under the proposal, international tourists will pay 5 percent of the daily rate of their overnight stay at hotels, resorts, lodges, and other tourist accommodations, capped at a maximum of seven nights, according to Tourism Minister Márcio Daniel.
“This tax is a structuring measure that will revolutionize the way the tourism sector is financed,” Daniel said, explaining that the levy is part of the Simplifica Turismo programme, which seeks to streamline public administration procedures.
The Council of Ministers also approved measures to strengthen Angola’s event and maritime tourism. A Convention Bureau will be created under the Ministry of Tourism to attract domestic, regional, and continental conferences, meetings, and exhibitions, capitalizing on new infrastructure including the António Agostinho Neto International Airport and a major conference centre in Chicala.
In addition, Angola aims to develop cruise ship tourism through its ports in Luanda, Namibe, and Lobito, seeking to compete with leading African destinations such as Cape Town, Durban, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, and Walvis Bay in Namibia.
The government hopes these initiatives will enhance Angola’s profile as a regional hub for both leisure and business tourism while generating additional revenue for the sector.
Background to Angola’s tourism sector
Angola’s tourism industry has significant untapped potential, thanks to its diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and extensive coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The country offers everything from pristine beaches in Benguela and Namibe, to the dramatic escarpments and waterfalls of the highlands, wildlife-rich national parks like Kissama, and urban attractions in Luanda.
Tourism contributes modestly to Angola’s GDP, partly due to years of civil conflict that limited infrastructure development and international arrivals. Since the end of the civil war in 2002, the government has focused on rebuilding transport, hospitality, and leisure infrastructure. Investments in airports, hotels, and conference facilities are designed to attract both international tourists and business visitors, particularly through the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) segment.
Angola’s maritime and cruise tourism is still nascent but holds promise, with ports in Luanda, Lobito, and Namibe capable of handling large vessels. The country also seeks to leverage its natural and cultural assets to diversify from oil-dependency, encouraging ecotourism, cultural tourism, and adventure tourism in regions like the highlands and the south-west desert.
In recent years, Angola has actively positioned itself as a regional competitor to countries like South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, and Namibia, which are better established in event tourism and international cruise arrivals. Government initiatives like the Simplifica Turismo program and new tourism tax measures are part of a broader strategy to strengthen financing, improve services, and expand Angola’s footprint in the global tourism market.
