Travel services in Kenya
Kenya: Travel services was 16.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Travel services in Kenya, 1975–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
In 2024, travel services in Kenya stood at 16.0%.
That represents a change of up 11.6% on the previous year and up 139.6% 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 121st out of 198 countries with data for 2024, 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 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 | 16.0% | +11.6% |
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 | 10.7% | 6.2% | 16.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 49.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 30.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0633 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in Kenya?
- Travel services in Kenya was 16.0% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in 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 121st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is travel services rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 139.6%. 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.
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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.