Travel services (% of commercial service imports) in Kenya
Kenya: Travel services (% of commercial service imports) was 17.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Travel services in Kenya, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
In 2025, travel services in Kenya stood at 17.6%.
That represents a change of up 10.7% on the previous year and up 148.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, travel services in Kenya peaked at 21.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 4.1%, in 1982.
That places Kenya 112th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Travel services (% of commercial service imports) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 5.2% | — |
| 1976 | 11.5% | +121.7% |
| 1977 | 8.9% | -22.6% |
| 1978 | 10.7% | +19.6% |
| 1979 | 9.2% | -14.0% |
| 1980 | 5.0% | -45.3% |
| 1981 | 4.8% | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 4.1% | -14.7% |
| 1983 | 4.2% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 4.4% | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | +12.5% |
| 1986 | 6.4% | +31.3% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 5.2% | -15.2% |
| 1989 | 5.4% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 6.4% | +19.3% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | -30.7% |
| 1992 | 5.7% | +28.7% |
| 1993 | 19.1% | +235.1% |
| 1994 | 19.5% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 20.8% | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 13.1% | -39.0% |
| 1998 | 12.8% | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 13.9% | +8.7% |
| 2000 | 19.1% | +37.9% |
| 2001 | 19.5% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 20.8% | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | -39.0% |
| 2005 | 12.8% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 14.2% | +11.2% |
| 2007 | 17.6% | +24.3% |
| 2008 | 15.5% | -12.3% |
| 2009 | 13.7% | -11.4% |
| 2010 | 11.2% | -18.3% |
| 2011 | 10.1% | -10.1% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | -22.5% |
| 2013 | 11.9% | +52.6% |
| 2014 | 6.7% | -44.0% |
| 2015 | 7.1% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | -19.5% |
| 2017 | 9.2% | +61.7% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | -31.2% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | -13.8% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | +13.1% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | +17.5% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | +33.3% |
| 2023 | 14.3% | +48.2% |
| 2024 | 15.9% | +10.8% |
| 2025 | 17.6% | +10.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 17.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.1%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 17.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.4%, 1.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Travel services (% of commercial service imports) in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +235.1% | 5.7% | 19.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.1% | 5.2% | 11.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 5.1% | 4.1% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.7% | 4.4% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.8% | 12.8% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.1% | 5.5% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 6.2% | 17.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 109 Saint Kitts and Nevis 17.9% compare
- 110 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 17.8% compare
- 111 India 17.6% compare
- 113 Mexico 17.5% compare
- 114 France 17.2% compare
- 115 Kyrgyzstan 17.1% compare
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.6% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 58.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 5.73 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 50.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 29.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 7.93 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in Kenya?
- Travel services in Kenya was 17.6% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 21.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest travel services recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1% in 1982.
- How does Kenya rank for travel services?
- Kenya ranks 112th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is travel services rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 148.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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.