Travel services (% of commercial service exports) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Travel services (% of commercial service exports) was 63.7% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Travel services in Saudi Arabia, 1971–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for travel services in Saudi Arabia is 63.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, travel services in Saudi Arabia peaked at 75.6% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 22.7%, in 1981.
Saudi Arabia ranks 49th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Travel services (% of commercial service exports) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 75.4% | — |
| 1972 | 75.6% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 71.1% | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 74.2% | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 68.3% | -8.0% |
| 1976 | 65.9% | -3.5% |
| 1977 | 61.1% | -7.2% |
| 1978 | 66.4% | +8.6% |
| 1979 | 29.8% | -55.1% |
| 1980 | 26.3% | -11.7% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | -13.6% |
| 2005 | 39.9% | +75.6% |
| 2006 | 34.1% | -14.7% |
| 2007 | 36.4% | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 66.0% | +81.5% |
| 2009 | 64.4% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 65.3% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | +9.0% |
| 2012 | 65.2% | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 62.6% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 64.0% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 68.8% | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 63.4% | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 66.1% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 66.0% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 59.9% | -9.3% |
| 2020 | 38.8% | -35.2% |
| 2021 | 31.4% | -19.1% |
| 2022 | 64.5% | +105.3% |
| 2023 | 68.7% | +6.5% |
| 2024 | 67.8% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 63.7% | -6.1% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 63.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 2.4× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 63.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.6%, 2.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Travel services (% of commercial service exports) in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +105.3% | 31.4% | 64.5% |
| 2008 | +81.5% | 36.4% | 66.0% |
| 2005 | +75.6% | 22.7% | 39.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 65.3% | 29.8% | 75.6% | 9 |
| 1980s | 24.5% | 22.7% | 26.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 48.2% | 34.1% | 66.0% | 5 |
| 2010s | 65.2% | 59.9% | 71.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.8% | 31.4% | 68.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 72.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 122.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 2.2% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 16.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 66.92 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in Saudi Arabia?
- Travel services in Saudi Arabia was 63.7% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 75.6% in 1972.
- What is the lowest travel services recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.7% in 1981.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for travel services?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 49th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is travel services rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
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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.