International tourism, receipts (current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: International tourism, receipts (current US$) was 34.92 billion current US$ in 2019. ▲ Rising
International tourism, receipts in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1995–2019
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 34.92 billion current US$ for international tourism, receipts in 2019.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and up 53.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, receipts in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 35.52 billion current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 6.95 billion current US$, in 1995.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 25th out of 36 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
International tourism, receipts (current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 6.95 billion current US$ | — |
| 1996 | 7.73 billion current US$ | +11.2% |
| 1997 | 8.34 billion current US$ | +8.0% |
| 1998 | 8.82 billion current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1999 | 9.17 billion current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 8.24 billion current US$ | -10.2% |
| 2001 | 8.82 billion current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2002 | 9.78 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 2003 | 13.87 billion current US$ | +41.9% |
| 2004 | 16.11 billion current US$ | +16.2% |
| 2005 | 18.29 billion current US$ | +13.5% |
| 2006 | 20.48 billion current US$ | +12.0% |
| 2007 | 24.23 billion current US$ | +18.3% |
| 2008 | 24.53 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 22.72 billion current US$ | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 25.45 billion current US$ | +12.0% |
| 2011 | 28.09 billion current US$ | +10.4% |
| 2012 | 30.41 billion current US$ | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 30.40 billion current US$ | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 31.53 billion current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 28.74 billion current US$ | -8.8% |
| 2016 | 29.04 billion current US$ | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 33.10 billion current US$ | +14.0% |
| 2018 | 35.52 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 34.92 billion current US$ | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.20 billion current US$ | 6.95 billion current US$ | 9.17 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 16.71 billion current US$ | 8.24 billion current US$ | 24.53 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.72 billion current US$ | 25.45 billion current US$ | 35.52 billion current US$ | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 22 Portugal 10.52 billion current US$ compare
- 23 Switzerland 9.99 billion current US$ compare
- 24 Macao 9.44 billion current US$ compare
- 25 Denmark 9.10 billion current US$ compare
- 26 Poland 8.38 billion current US$ compare
- 27 Dominican Republic 7.56 billion current US$ compare
- 28 Belgium 7.45 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.9% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 147.11 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 19.5% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 88.65 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, receipts in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- International tourism, receipts in Sub-Saharan Africa was 34.92 billion current US$ in 2019, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, receipts recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 35.52 billion current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest international tourism, receipts recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.95 billion current US$ in 1995.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for international tourism, receipts?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th out of 36 groups with data for 2019.
- Is international tourism, receipts rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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, receipts (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.