Wildlife tourism from developed nations generates a previously unidentified economic counterflow, derived from the economic value of tourist mental health gains transferred back to countries of origin post-vacation. For eastern and southern Africa, this counterflow is estimated at ∼ US$100 billion per annum. That is ∼2.5 times larger than total in-country tourism expenditure in the destination nations, and also ∼2.5 times larger than all development aid they receive. Post-COVID recovery of tourism, mental health, conservation and community programs in developing nations, and the economies of both developing and developed nations can all benefit from reinvigoration of international wildlife tourism.