Travel services (% of commercial service imports) in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Travel services (% of commercial service imports) was 11.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Travel services in Sao Tome and Principe, 1974–2025
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 Sao Tome and Principe is 11.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 57.7% on the previous year and down 58.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, travel services in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 31.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2009.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 148th 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 Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 6.9% | — |
| 1975 | 19.9% | +189.0% |
| 1976 | 8.8% | -55.7% |
| 1977 | 5.1% | -42.4% |
| 1978 | 6.7% | +31.1% |
| 1979 | 8.8% | +32.9% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | +17.2% |
| 1981 | 8.6% | -16.8% |
| 1982 | 7.8% | -9.3% |
| 1983 | 12.4% | +58.4% |
| 1984 | 7.7% | -37.7% |
| 1985 | 9.6% | +23.7% |
| 1986 | 9.5% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 13.0% | +37.8% |
| 1988 | 13.4% | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 20.4% | +51.8% |
| 1990 | 24.1% | +18.1% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | -65.9% |
| 1998 | 8.3% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 6.4% | -23.4% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 5.8% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 5.5% | -6.2% |
| 2003 | 4.9% | -10.1% |
| 2004 | 4.9% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | -89.1% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | +190.3% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | -55.4% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -88.6% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -9.7% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +239.6% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | +434.4% |
| 2012 | 9.8% | +663.0% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -69.1% |
| 2014 | 21.6% | +612.2% |
| 2015 | 26.8% | +23.7% |
| 2016 | 25.4% | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 29.0% | +14.0% |
| 2018 | 28.4% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 31.4% | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 23.3% | -25.6% |
| 2021 | 28.8% | +23.5% |
| 2022 | 12.4% | -57.0% |
| 2023 | 20.5% | +65.8% |
| 2024 | 26.1% | +27.0% |
| 2025 | 11.0% | -57.7% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 11.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.1%, 64% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 11.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.4%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Travel services (% of commercial service imports) in Sao Tome and Principe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +663.0% | 1.3% | 9.8% |
| 2014 | +612.2% | 3.0% | 21.6% |
| 2011 | +434.4% | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.4% | 5.1% | 19.9% | 6 |
| 1980s | 11.3% | 7.7% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.7% | 6.4% | 24.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 0.1% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 0.2% | 31.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 11.0% | 28.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 145 Malawi 11.8% compare
- 146 Bahrain 11.7% compare
- 147 Netherlands 11.6% compare
- 149 Sweden 10.9% compare
- 150 Seychelles 10.6% compare
- 151 Switzerland 10.5% compare
More private sector data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Merchandise trade 22.5% (2025)
- Food imports 31.8% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 37.1% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 183.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 231.13 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 98.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 1.5% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 38.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 105.01 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 158.17 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Travel services in Sao Tome and Principe was 11.0% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 31.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest travel services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2009.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for travel services?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 148th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is travel services rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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.