Travel services in Gambia
Gambia: Travel services was 7.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Travel services in Gambia, 1978–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for travel services in Gambia is 7.0%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 39.8% on the previous year and down 84.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, travel services in Gambia peaked at 45.8% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 2020.
That places Gambia 171st out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Travel services in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 6.7% | — |
| 1979 | 7.3% | +9.2% |
| 1980 | 5.3% | -27.7% |
| 1981 | 7.2% | +35.4% |
| 1982 | 12.7% | +77.1% |
| 1983 | 10.7% | -15.8% |
| 1984 | 10.9% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 11.5% | +5.0% |
| 1986 | 12.3% | +7.1% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | -6.7% |
| 1988 | 15.5% | +35.3% |
| 1989 | 13.5% | -12.7% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | +70.5% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | +16.7% |
| 1992 | 24.8% | -7.9% |
| 1993 | 25.1% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 27.7% | +10.1% |
| 1995 | 30.4% | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 25.6% | -15.7% |
| 1997 | 27.5% | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | -59.8% |
| 2004 | 8.9% | -19.5% |
| 2005 | 11.7% | +31.1% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -41.6% |
| 2007 | 13.8% | +103.4% |
| 2008 | 13.2% | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 14.1% | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 18.5% | +31.9% |
| 2011 | 21.2% | +14.5% |
| 2012 | 17.8% | -16.0% |
| 2013 | 14.5% | -18.8% |
| 2014 | 45.8% | +216.4% |
| 2015 | 6.5% | -85.7% |
| 2016 | 9.7% | +48.3% |
| 2017 | 7.8% | -19.5% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 8.6% | +12.5% |
| 2020 | 3.2% | -62.9% |
| 2021 | 10.3% | +221.1% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | -48.1% |
| 2024 | 7.0% | +39.8% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 7.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 8.5%, 83% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 7.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.3%, 75% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Travel services in Gambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +221.1% | 3.2% | 10.3% |
| 2014 | +216.4% | 14.5% | 45.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.0% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 11.1% | 5.3% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.4% | 23.1% | 30.4% | 8 |
| 2000s | 11.4% | 6.8% | 14.1% | 7 |
| 2010s | 15.8% | 6.5% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.0% | 3.2% | 10.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 168 Grenada 7.4% compare
- 169 Japan 7.3% compare
- 170 Burkina Faso 7.3% compare
- 172 Eswatini 6.9% compare
- 173 Côte d'Ivoire 6.9% compare
- 174 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.4% compare
More private sector data for Gambia
- Merchandise trade 54.3% (2025)
- Food imports 22.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 44.7% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 894.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 90.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 1.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 514.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 182.13 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1982 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 41.6 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in Gambia?
- Travel services in Gambia was 7.0% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.8% in 2014.
- What is the lowest travel services recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 2020.
- How does Gambia rank for travel services?
- Gambia ranks 171st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is travel services rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 84.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Gambia 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 imports). 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 imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.