Travel services (% of commercial service exports) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Travel services (% of commercial service exports) was 36.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Travel services in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1978–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
In 2025, travel services in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 36.1%.
That represents a change of down 5.6% on the previous year and down 37.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, travel services in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 63.0% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 29.4%, in 2021.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 13th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Travel services (% of commercial service exports) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 45.6% | — |
| 1979 | 45.1% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 47.0% | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 47.5% | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 47.7% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 52.5% | +9.9% |
| 1984 | 51.9% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 47.5% | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 48.7% | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 51.8% | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 53.4% | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 51.9% | -2.8% |
| 1990 | 44.1% | -15.1% |
| 1991 | 53.7% | +22.0% |
| 1992 | 53.3% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 54.8% | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 54.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 50.1% | -8.8% |
| 1996 | 42.6% | -15.0% |
| 1997 | 53.3% | +25.3% |
| 1998 | 54.4% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 55.1% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 54.0% | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 53.8% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 50.2% | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 55.7% | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 54.3% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 59.3% | +9.4% |
| 2006 | 49.5% | -16.5% |
| 2007 | 60.7% | +22.6% |
| 2008 | 62.3% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 63.0% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 59.4% | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 58.5% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 59.5% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 59.1% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 58.9% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 58.0% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 57.4% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 57.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 58.9% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 60.0% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 32.3% | -46.2% |
| 2021 | 29.4% | -9.0% |
| 2022 | 38.9% | +32.3% |
| 2023 | 36.1% | -7.2% |
| 2024 | 38.2% | +6.1% |
| 2025 | 36.1% | -5.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Travel services (% of commercial service exports) in Africa Eastern and Southern 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 | -46.2% | 60.0% | 32.3% |
| 2022 | +32.3% | 29.4% | 38.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 45.4% | 45.1% | 45.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 50.0% | 47.0% | 53.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.6% | 42.6% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.3% | 49.5% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.7% | 57.2% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.2% | 29.4% | 38.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 10 Syria 87.9% compare
- 11 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 85.5% compare
- 12 Tuvalu 85.4% compare
- 13 Andorra 84.4% compare
- 14 Antigua and Barbuda 84.4% compare
- 15 Saint Kitts and Nevis 83.8% compare
- 16 East Timor 82.7% compare
More private sector data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Merchandise trade 45.4% (2025)
- Food imports 10.4% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 337.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 76.23 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 13.5% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 26.8% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 282.56 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 61.43 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 358.19 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Travel services in Africa Eastern and Southern was 36.1% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 63.0% in 2009.
- What is the lowest travel services recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.4% in 2021.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for travel services?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 13th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is travel services rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Travel services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Travel services cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by nonresidents during visits to that economy, or acquired from other economies by residents during visits to these other economies. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.