The Least Visited Countries in the World

The number of global tourists is constantly on the increase and with the ever-developing technology, information is closer than before for travelers to learn about destinations they want to visit. Just like in marketing, the information tourists get about a country will either entice or repulse them. Countries, therefore, ought to develop their profiles as friendly tourist destinations. In the list of least visited countries, interestingly, a good number pass as very attractive destinations. Save for those that are openly hostile and unsafe, these countries are small and remotely located which perhaps is the reason as to why they receive few visitors. Below are two examples of peaceful and attractive yet least visited countries and one volatile least visited country.

Examples of Least Visited Countries

Tuvalu

Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice Islands, is an archipelago of nine islands in the South Pacific inhabited by the majority Polynesian ethnicity and minority Micronesian ethnic group. Unlike other island countries that enjoy visitor all year round, it is hard to know exactly why the peaceful and beautiful Tuvalu remains the least visited country, only recording a paltry 1,000 visitors in 2015. With calm turquoise waters perfect for snorkeling and diving as well as nice sandy beaches, this island nation has a variety of plant and animal species like sea turtles, seabirds, and a variety of fish. One would wonder why this peaceful nation with no military or politics was the least visited in 2015. Most probably, this situation is because Tuvalu is yet to market itself as a global destination and therefore potential visitors do not know much about the country.

Kiribati

Comprising 33 atolls and isles stretched along the equator in the Central Pacific, Kiribati has white-sand beaches and turquoise lagoons in the vast majority of the atolls that are uninhabited thus giving a conducive environment for diving, fishing, and birding among other activities. Some islets also have items from WWII battles. Just like Tuvalu, Kiribati is peaceful yet it received the second lowest visitors in 2015, despite the country being only five hours away from Hawaii. With enough marketing, Kiribati can increase its visibility as a leading tourist destination.

Sierra Leone

In 2015, Sierra Leone was the sixth least visited country in the world with only 24,000 visitors. Located in West Africa and on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, this country has white-sand beaches and large deposits of diamonds, gold, titanium, and bauxite. Since independence, Sierra Leone has been on the negative side of history as politics, coup d'états and diseases have seen the country suffer decades of civil wars leaving hundreds of thousands of people dead and destroying infrastructure. The 2014 Ebola breakout in West Africa that left many dead in this country only worsened the country’s hospitability. The above factors seem to be the only reason few people visit the country’s parks, beaches, and diverse ecosystem.

How Countries Can Attract More Visitors

Countries on this list record few visitors because of their safety statistics, friendliness, ease of doing business, being relatively unknown among other reasons. Countries that are not well-known ought to invest in marketing their attractions and facilities so as to increase their visibility. Nations rocked with instabilities will only attract visitors if peace reign since people’s primary care is their safety. In a world that is continuously becoming a global village, countries should open up their borders, embrace integration, ease visa regulations and institute policies that favor investors and tourists.