International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) in Kuwait
Kuwait: International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) was 6.70 billion current US$ in 2020. ◆ Volatile
International tourism, expenditures for travel items in Kuwait, 1995–2020
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2020, international tourism, expenditures for travel items in Kuwait stood at 6.70 billion current US$.
The figure is down 57.7% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, expenditures for travel items in Kuwait peaked at 15.84 billion current US$ in 2019 and was at its lowest, 2.25 billion current US$, in 1995.
Kuwait ranks 19th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 2.25 billion current US$ | — |
| 1996 | 2.49 billion current US$ | +10.9% |
| 1997 | 2.38 billion current US$ | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 2.52 billion current US$ | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 2.27 billion current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 2.50 billion current US$ | +9.9% |
| 2001 | 2.84 billion current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2002 | 3.02 billion current US$ | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 3.35 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 2004 | 3.70 billion current US$ | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 4.53 billion current US$ | +22.5% |
| 2006 | 5.57 billion current US$ | +23.0% |
| 2007 | 6.64 billion current US$ | +19.1% |
| 2008 | 7.57 billion current US$ | +14.1% |
| 2009 | 6.19 billion current US$ | -18.2% |
| 2010 | 6.43 billion current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 8.06 billion current US$ | +25.3% |
| 2012 | 9.25 billion current US$ | +14.7% |
| 2013 | 9.65 billion current US$ | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 11.27 billion current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2015 | 12.38 billion current US$ | +9.9% |
| 2016 | 12.34 billion current US$ | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 12.55 billion current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 14.32 billion current US$ | +14.1% |
| 2019 | 15.84 billion current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 6.70 billion current US$ | -57.7% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 6.70 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.16 billion current US$, 5.8× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 6.70 billion current US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.07 billion current US$, 6.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) in Kuwait changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -57.7% | 15.84 billion current US$ | 6.70 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.38 billion current US$ | 2.25 billion current US$ | 2.52 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 4.59 billion current US$ | 2.50 billion current US$ | 7.57 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.21 billion current US$ | 6.43 billion current US$ | 15.84 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.70 billion current US$ | 6.70 billion current US$ | 6.70 billion current US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More private sector data for Kuwait
- Merchandise trade 72.3% (2025)
- Food imports 16.0% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 75.4% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 41.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 28.64 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 5.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 72.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 12.14 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 14,814 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, expenditures for travel items in Kuwait?
- International tourism, expenditures for travel items in Kuwait was 6.70 billion current US$ in 2020, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, expenditures for travel items recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 15.84 billion current US$ in 2019.
- What is the lowest international tourism, expenditures for travel items recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.25 billion current US$ in 1995.
- How does Kuwait rank for international tourism, expenditures for travel items?
- Kuwait ranks 19th out of 191 countries with data for 2020.
- Is international tourism, expenditures for travel items rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism, published as part of International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These may include expenditures by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.