In 2015, travel enthusiasts focused on a small volcanic island in the South Atlantic: St. Helena. Best known as Napoleon’s final exile, this remote spot stood on the brink of change.
For centuries, ships provided the only access to this British territory. But with its first airport nearly complete, many people predicted a tourism boom. However, purists worried the island might lose its unique charm. Did those fears come true? Let’s find out.
Eight Years On
Back in 2015, the initial flights were hotly anticipated. However, it took time before the first commercial flight happened. In October 2017, a scheduled commercial flight landed successfully from Johannesburg, carrying just 68 passengers. Hailed as a new chapter, unfortunately, the visitor floodgates didn’t open. At the time, the airport was meant to bring St. Helena closer to the world, but nature and logistics had other ideas.
St. Helena has seen modest tourism growth since gaining air access. Official figures show visitor numbers climbed from 4,200 in 2017 to 5,100 in 2019, with most arriving by plane rather than ship.
Unfortunately, the pandemic reversed that progress. Like destinations worldwide, the island saw visitor numbers plummet during travel restrictions. Even after reopening in late 2022, tourism levels haven’t fully recovered to pre-COVID numbers.
A 2024 update from the St. Helena Government noted that arrivals were picking up, but it seems that even with a second weekly flight, getting back to the projected boom or bust days hasn’t happened.
Projected Visitor Numbers Are Not Happening
Recent figures from February 2025 suggest a modest increase over the previous year. In that month, 656 people arrived on the island, with 480 traveling by air. This is progress, but it’s far below the original projections from when the airport was first proposed.
A report from Frayed Passport pointed out that early plans hoped for as many as 29,000 annual visitors within a couple of decades. Now, that seems unlikely. Instead of mass tourism, what emerged seems to be a cautious but sustainable growth.
A few boutique hotels opened, including one under the Mantis brand. The island’s roads definitely improved, and medical transfers became faster and less weather-dependent. Additionally, locals found new ways to tap into the slow but steady stream of guests. You can enjoy guided hikes, heritage tours, and birdwatching experiences.
Is The Island Worth A Visit?
St. Helena remains one of the last truly unspoiled destinations. History, geology, and raw isolation still define the experience there. Visitors climb Jacob’s Ladder’s 699 steps in Jamestown, wander through Napoleon’s final home at Longwood House, and follow in the footsteps of astronomers like Halley who studied these southern skies. The island’s unique wildlife, especially the endangered wirebird, still rewards nature lovers willing to make the trek.
For western travelers craving adventure far from crowds, St. Helena delivers. Just don’t expect it to be easy or cheap. Flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town take commitment, and you won’t find big-city buzz in St. Helena. Rather, it’s a place for slow travelers who prefer quiet discovery over instant gratification.
Intentional Planning
You don’t stumble onto St. Helena by accident. Going there requires intention. What you’ll find is worth the effort: no sprawling resorts and no tacky souvenir stalls. Instead, you can expect breezy cafés, unhurried days, and landscapes untouched by mass tourism.
As South Atlantic News noted, the island may lack the “value for money” developers once envisioned, but, it nevertheless offers something rarer. It’s a self-sufficient world where authenticity still matters. For those who travel to connect rather than check boxes, that’s not a compromise: it’s the whole point of it.
Did you ever visit the island? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all your travel and tourism updates.
