International tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: International tourism, receipts for travel items was 28.80 billion current US$ in 2019. ▲ Rising
International tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1995–2019
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2019, international tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 28.80 billion current US$.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 51.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 29.56 billion current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 5.17 billion current US$, in 1995.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
International tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 5.17 billion current US$ | — |
| 1996 | 5.90 billion current US$ | +14.1% |
| 1997 | 6.32 billion current US$ | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 6.81 billion current US$ | +7.7% |
| 1999 | 6.93 billion current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 6.21 billion current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2001 | 6.73 billion current US$ | +8.4% |
| 2002 | 7.43 billion current US$ | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 11.13 billion current US$ | +49.9% |
| 2004 | 12.96 billion current US$ | +16.4% |
| 2005 | 15.35 billion current US$ | +18.5% |
| 2006 | 16.98 billion current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 19.93 billion current US$ | +17.4% |
| 2008 | 19.95 billion current US$ | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 19.06 billion current US$ | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 20.87 billion current US$ | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 22.99 billion current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2012 | 24.95 billion current US$ | +8.5% |
| 2013 | 24.87 billion current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 26.07 billion current US$ | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 23.73 billion current US$ | -9.0% |
| 2016 | 24.28 billion current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 27.74 billion current US$ | +14.2% |
| 2018 | 29.56 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2019 | 28.80 billion current US$ | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.23 billion current US$ | 5.17 billion current US$ | 6.93 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 13.57 billion current US$ | 6.21 billion current US$ | 19.95 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.39 billion current US$ | 20.87 billion current US$ | 29.56 billion current US$ | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 28 Egypt 4.40 billion current US$ compare
- 29 Sweden 4.37 billion current US$ compare
- 30 Luxembourg 4.19 billion current US$ compare
- 31 Saudi Arabia 4.04 billion current US$ compare
- 32 Denmark 3.97 billion current US$ compare
- 33 Morocco 3.85 billion current US$ compare
- 34 Czechia 3.63 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- International tourism, receipts for travel items in Sub-Saharan Africa was 28.80 billion current US$ in 2019, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, receipts for travel items recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 29.56 billion current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest international tourism, receipts for travel items recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.17 billion current US$ in 1995.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for international tourism, receipts for travel items?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is international tourism, receipts for travel items rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.1%. 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 for travel items (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. 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 receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from 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.