The tourism sector has been the hardest hit, together with the manufacturing and trade sectors. The timing of the resumption of air travel and cautious behaviour by travellers could further weigh on the performance of the sector. Statistics Mauritius estimates tourist arrivals to drop by around 70 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019. 21.
On average, tourism revenue in the first half of 2020 would fall short of 2019 receipts by around Rs18 billion. In the event the national borders remain closed for the rest of the year, the shortfall could rise to around Rs50 billion. This represents a significant drop in FX inflows from the tourism sector. 22.