World Bank indicator BX.GSR.TRVL.ZS measures travel services as a percentage of service exports on a balance-of-payments basis. Travel services cover goods and services acquired by nonresidents during visits to an economy, while service exports are services supplied by residents to nonresidents. The latest non-empty file contains 198 observations, including 96 from 2025. The main same-year comparison therefore uses those 96 economies.
Table of Contents
The indicator describes the composition of service exports
A value of 60% means travel services account for about 60% of the economy’s recorded service exports. Merchandise exports are not part of the denominator, so the value should not be paraphrased as 60% of all exports.
Service exports can include transport, finance, information and communications, business services, and other categories in addition to travel. This ratio shows how prominent travel is within that service-export portfolio.
Travel services are not the same as visitor arrivals
This indicator does not count tourists or border crossings. It concerns balance-of-payments transactions associated with goods and services acquired by nonresidents during visits. Economies with similar arrival counts can have very different travel-service export shares because spending, stay length, and the rest of the service-export mix differ.
A high share therefore should not be turned into a claim that an economy receives the most tourists. Visitor volumes and service-export composition answer different questions.
Do not confuse the BoP service-export denominator with commercial service exports
Another World Bank series measures travel services as a share of commercial service exports. The labels are similar, but the indicator code and statistical denominator differ. They should not be treated as interchangeable.
This article uses BX.GSR.TRVL.ZS, specifically the balance-of-payments service-export measure. Keeping the indicator code visible helps distinguish closely related travel-service statistics.
The 2025 mean is 35.27% and the median is 28.55%
The 2025 subset contains 96 economies. Its mean is 35.27% and median 28.55%. The first quartile is 15.11% and the third quartile 53.22%, placing the middle half roughly between 15.1% and 53.2%.
54 observations are at least 25%, 29 are at least 50%, 8 are at least 75%, and 1 reaches 90% or more. At the lower end, 12 are below 10%.
St. Lucia is highest in 2025 at 93.26%
St. Lucia records 93.26%, followed by Grenada at 88.76%, St. Vincent and the Grenadines at 85.12%, Antigua and Barbuda at 84.27%, Dominican Republic at 78.43%, Cabo Verde at 78.28%, St. Kitts and Nevis at 78.17%, and Kosovo at 75.08%.
| 2025 rank | Economy/territory | Travel services / service exports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Lucia | 93.26% |
| 2 | Grenada | 88.76% |
| 3 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 85.12% |
| 4 | Antigua and Barbuda | 84.27% |
| 5 | Dominican Republic | 78.43% |
| 6 | Cabo Verde | 78.28% |
| 7 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 78.17% |
| 8 | Kosovo | 75.08% |
| 9 | Timor-Leste | 74.64% |
| 10 | Samoa | 72.90% |
| 11 | Cambodia | 72.59% |
| 12 | Dominica | 71.14% |
| 13 | Belize | 68.14% |
| 14 | Albania | 67.69% |
| 15 | Bolivia | 64.78% |
Several Caribbean economies appear near the top. What the indicator establishes is that travel occupies a large share of service exports. It does not measure tourism’s share of GDP, tourism employment, visitor arrivals, or the absolute value of travel-service exports.
Burundi is lowest in 2025 at 2.18%
At the lower end, Burundi records 2.18%, Israel 3.45%, Luxembourg 4.24%, Bangladesh 5.89%, Belgium 5.89%, Singapore 6.50%, Lithuania 7.14%, India 7.69%, Germany 8.28%, and Pakistan 8.98%.
| Low-order position in 2025 | Economy/territory | Travel services / service exports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 2.18% |
| 2 | Israel | 3.45% |
| 3 | Luxembourg | 4.24% |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 5.89% |
| 5 | Belgium | 5.89% |
| 6 | Singapore | 6.50% |
| 7 | Lithuania | 7.14% |
| 8 | India | 7.69% |
| 9 | Germany | 8.28% |
| 10 | Pakistan | 8.98% |
| 11 | Sweden | 9.49% |
| 12 | Finland | 9.65% |
| 13 | Romania | 11.54% |
| 14 | Poland | 11.84% |
| 15 | Estonia | 12.01% |
A low share means travel is a small component of service exports. Other service categories may dominate. It does not necessarily mean the travel sector itself is small in absolute terms.
Maldives is highest in the 2024 group at 95.12%
The 2024 subset contains 67 economies, with a mean of 40.38% and a median of 39.36%. Maldives records 95.12%, Bahamas, The 93.90%, Gambia, The 89.80%, Macao SAR, China 89.45%, and Andorra 85.13%.
| 2024 high-order position | Economy/territory | Travel services / service exports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maldives | 95.12% |
| 2 | Bahamas, The | 93.90% |
| 3 | Gambia, The | 89.80% |
| 4 | Macao SAR, China | 89.45% |
| 5 | Andorra | 85.13% |
| 6 | Jamaica | 82.08% |
| 7 | Sao Tome and Principe | 80.77% |
| 8 | Jordan | 76.50% |
| 9 | Lao PDR | 74.91% |
| 10 | Iraq | 72.51% |
| 11 | Bhutan | 69.10% |
| 12 | Croatia | 65.98% |
The 2024 mean is above the 2025 mean, but the difference does not establish a global decline. The sets of economies differ, so a trend analysis must match the same countries through time.
Travel-service exports and imports point in opposite directions
The export-side travel item reflects transactions associated with nonresidents visiting the reporting economy. The import-side travel item reflects residents acquiring goods and services while visiting other economies.
An economy with substantial outbound travel spending does not necessarily have a high travel-service export share. Looking at both sides helps separate inbound visitor-related exports from residents’ spending abroad.
A high share is not the same as a large absolute export value
Because this indicator is a percentage, it describes composition rather than monetary scale. A small service-exporting economy can have a 90% travel share, while a much larger economy with a 20% share can export more travel services in absolute dollars.
Absolute travel-service exports and total service exports are needed for scale comparisons. The percentage and the value are complementary rather than interchangeable.
The share can help identify export concentration
A very high travel share can indicate that service exports are concentrated in one category. Changes in international travel demand or mobility conditions may therefore matter more for service-export receipts.
Actual macroeconomic exposure depends on many other factors, including market diversification, fiscal buffers, transport access, and the size of other services. The ratio should be used as a structural signal rather than a standalone measure of vulnerability.
The 198 latest observations span 1993–2025
The latest-observation file contains 198 rows spanning 1993–2025. The largest recent groups are 2025 with 96 economies and 2024 with 67, but some economies retain final observations from the 1990s or 2000s.
| Observation year | Economies/territories | Share of 198 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 96 | 48.5% |
| 2024 | 67 | 33.8% |
| 2023 | 13 | 6.6% |
| 2022 | 2 | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | 1.0% |
| 2020 | 3 | 1.5% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2016 | 4 | 2.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2011 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2010 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2000 | 2 | 1.0% |
| 1994 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 1993 | 1 | 0.5% |
The complete file should therefore not be presented as a current single-year ranking of 198 economies. The 2025 subset provides the cleanest direct comparison, while the full table is best treated as an inventory of each economy’s latest non-empty observation.
The map draws 161 economies in the low-resolution boundaries
The featured map uses all 198 latest observations, and 161, about 81.3%, match polygons in the low-resolution world boundary file. Small islands and territories without polygons remain in the complete table.
The map is best for broad regional patterns. Exact values for small island economies should be read from the tables.
Complete list of the 198 latest observations
The table below lists the latest non-empty observation for every economy and territory in alphabetical order. Observation year is shown because direct comparisons should distinguish 2025 rows from older final values.
| Economy/territory | Observation year | Travel services / service exports |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2020 | 9.23% |
| Albania | 2025 | 67.69% |
| Algeria | 2024 | 3.03% |
| Andorra | 2024 | 85.13% |
| Angola | 2025 | 13.70% |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2025 | 84.27% |
| Argentina | 2025 | 26.90% |
| Armenia | 2025 | 44.10% |
| Aruba | 2023 | 87.83% |
| Australia | 2025 | 60.55% |
| Austria | 2025 | 27.55% |
| Azerbaijan | 2025 | 23.08% |
| Bahamas, The | 2024 | 93.90% |
| Bahrain | 2024 | 31.78% |
| Bangladesh | 2025 | 5.89% |
| Barbados | 2017 | 70.71% |
| Belarus | 2021 | 4.14% |
| Belgium | 2025 | 5.89% |
| Belize | 2025 | 68.14% |
| Benin | 2023 | 54.43% |
| Bermuda | 2023 | 33.20% |
| Bhutan | 2024 | 69.10% |
| Bolivia | 2025 | 64.78% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2025 | 53.12% |
| Botswana | 2024 | 63.16% |
| Brazil | 2025 | 19.20% |
| Brunei Darussalam | 2025 | 34.85% |
| Bulgaria | 2025 | 26.14% |
| Burkina Faso | 2024 | 20.08% |
| Burundi | 2025 | 2.18% |
| Cabo Verde | 2025 | 78.28% |
| Cambodia | 2025 | 72.59% |
| Cameroon | 2024 | 12.51% |
| Canada | 2025 | 29.87% |
| Cayman Islands | 2024 | 17.78% |
| Central African Republic | 1993 | 11.71% |
| Chad | 1994 | 21.27% |
| Chile | 2025 | 29.54% |
| China | 2025 | 14.34% |
| Colombia | 2025 | 48.13% |
| Comoros | 2023 | 72.90% |
| Congo, Dem. Rep. | 2025 | 51.49% |
| Congo, Rep. | 2021 | 3.14% |
| Costa Rica | 2025 | 30.81% |
| Cote d’Ivoire | 2024 | 38.91% |
| Croatia | 2024 | 65.98% |
| Curacao | 2023 | 65.85% |
| Cyprus | 2025 | 13.35% |
| Czechia | 2025 | 21.39% |
| Denmark | 2024 | 8.76% |
| Djibouti | 2024 | 4.42% |
| Dominica | 2025 | 71.14% |
| Dominican Republic | 2025 | 78.43% |
| Ecuador | 2025 | 46.68% |
| Egypt, Arab Rep. | 2025 | 53.53% |
| El Salvador | 2025 | 59.31% |
| Eritrea | 2000 | 57.05% |
| Estonia | 2025 | 12.01% |
| Eswatini | 2024 | 8.43% |
| Ethiopia | 2024 | 13.97% |
| Faroe Islands | 2011 | 19.94% |
| Fiji | 2024 | 53.08% |
| Finland | 2025 | 9.65% |
| France | 2025 | 20.52% |
| French Polynesia | 2016 | 47.68% |
| Gabon | 2015 | 9.07% |
| Gambia, The | 2024 | 89.80% |
| Georgia | 2025 | 55.22% |
| Germany | 2025 | 8.28% |
| Ghana | 2025 | 16.76% |
| Greece | 2024 | 42.09% |
| Grenada | 2025 | 88.76% |
| Guatemala | 2024 | 35.57% |
| Guinea | 2024 | 6.97% |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2024 | 44.49% |
| Guyana | 2023 | 75.40% |
| Haiti | 2024 | 37.71% |
| Honduras | 2025 | 22.66% |
| Hong Kong SAR, China | 2024 | 20.68% |
| Hungary | 2025 | 21.57% |
| Iceland | 2025 | 44.52% |
| India | 2025 | 7.69% |
| Indonesia | 2025 | 42.98% |
| Iran, Islamic Rep. | 2000 | 36.25% |
| Iraq | 2024 | 72.51% |
| Ireland | 2024 | 1.49% |
| Israel | 2025 | 3.45% |
| Italy | 2025 | 38.37% |
| Jamaica | 2024 | 82.08% |
| Japan | 2025 | 26.03% |
| Jordan | 2024 | 76.50% |
| Kazakhstan | 2025 | 22.54% |
| Kenya | 2024 | 43.47% |
| Kiribati | 2025 | 26.79% |
| Korea, Rep. | 2025 | 14.79% |
| Kosovo | 2025 | 75.08% |
| Kuwait | 2025 | 16.71% |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 2024 | 29.05% |
| Lao PDR | 2024 | 74.91% |
| Latvia | 2025 | 16.96% |
| Lebanon | 2023 | 68.29% |
| Lesotho | 2025 | 58.68% |
| Liberia | 2024 | 9.85% |
| Libya | 2020 | 12.54% |
| Lithuania | 2025 | 7.14% |
| Luxembourg | 2025 | 4.24% |
| Macao SAR, China | 2024 | 89.45% |
| Madagascar | 2024 | 51.45% |
| Malawi | 2024 | 10.84% |
| Malaysia | 2024 | 39.30% |
| Maldives | 2024 | 95.12% |
| Mali | 2024 | 32.92% |
| Malta | 2024 | 10.67% |
| Marshall Islands | 2024 | 46.82% |
| Mauritania | 2024 | 1.50% |
| Mauritius | 2024 | 48.07% |
| Mexico | 2025 | 54.70% |
| Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 2014 | 66.42% |
| Moldova | 2025 | 29.85% |
| Mongolia | 2024 | 39.61% |
| Montenegro | 2025 | 55.58% |
| Morocco | 2025 | 44.41% |
| Mozambique | 2024 | 18.06% |
| Myanmar | 2019 | 37.16% |
| Namibia | 2024 | 33.81% |
| Naoero | 2024 | 1.53% |
| Nepal | 2024 | 33.26% |
| Netherlands | 2024 | 7.32% |
| New Caledonia | 2016 | 29.46% |
| New Zealand | 2025 | 51.15% |
| Nicaragua | 2024 | 39.36% |
| Niger | 2024 | 30.96% |
| Nigeria | 2025 | 12.27% |
| North Macedonia | 2025 | 19.11% |
| Norway | 2025 | 15.14% |
| Oman | 2024 | 46.15% |
| Pakistan | 2025 | 8.98% |
| Palau | 2023 | 84.70% |
| Panama | 2025 | 32.62% |
| Papua New Guinea | 2024 | 1.06% |
| Paraguay | 2025 | 31.55% |
| Peru | 2025 | 51.86% |
| Philippines | 2025 | 16.93% |
| Poland | 2025 | 11.84% |
| Portugal | 2024 | 47.98% |
| Qatar | 2025 | 21.57% |
| Romania | 2025 | 11.54% |
| Russian Federation | 2025 | 19.35% |
| Rwanda | 2024 | 53.60% |
| Samoa | 2025 | 72.90% |
| San Marino | 2023 | 33.26% |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 2024 | 80.77% |
| Saudi Arabia | 2025 | 61.41% |
| Senegal | 2023 | 39.81% |
| Serbia | 2025 | 19.05% |
| Seychelles | 2024 | 53.97% |
| Sierra Leone | 2024 | 53.14% |
| Singapore | 2025 | 6.50% |
| Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 2023 | 80.80% |
| Slovak Republic | 2025 | 12.55% |
| Slovenia | 2025 | 26.07% |
| Solomon Islands | 2024 | 21.11% |
| South Africa | 2025 | 37.96% |
| South Sudan | 2023 | 50.94% |
| Spain | 2025 | 46.83% |
| Sri Lanka | 2024 | 45.85% |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | 2025 | 78.17% |
| St. Lucia | 2025 | 93.26% |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 2025 | 85.12% |
| Sudan | 2022 | 68.67% |
| Suriname | 2025 | 14.99% |
| Sweden | 2025 | 9.49% |
| Switzerland | 2025 | 12.03% |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2010 | 84.41% |
| Tajikistan | 2025 | 18.64% |
| Tanzania | 2024 | 57.01% |
| Thailand | 2025 | 58.77% |
| Timor-Leste | 2025 | 74.64% |
| Togo | 2020 | 14.98% |
| Tonga | 2024 | 65.81% |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2025 | 36.80% |
| Tunisia | 2024 | 25.52% |
| Turkiye | 2024 | 48.02% |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 2018 | 95.89% |
| Tuvalu | 2023 | 84.45% |
| Uganda | 2024 | 64.05% |
| Ukraine | 2024 | 6.05% |
| United Arab Emirates | 2024 | 39.24% |
| United Kingdom | 2025 | 12.49% |
| United States | 2025 | 17.29% |
| Uruguay | 2025 | 33.56% |
| Uzbekistan | 2025 | 50.36% |
| Vanuatu | 2022 | 49.76% |
| Venezuela, RB | 2016 | 36.81% |
| West Bank and Gaza | 2025 | 30.29% |
| Yemen, Rep. | 2016 | 21.48% |
| Zambia | 2024 | 64.85% |
| Zimbabwe | 2024 | 44.35% |
How to interpret the comparison
First, the denominator is service exports on a balance-of-payments basis. Second, the ratio is not visitor arrivals or tourism’s share of GDP. Third, a percentage is not an absolute export value. Fourth, export-side and import-side travel measures point in opposite directions.
Fifth, BX.GSR.TRVL.ZS should not be confused with the separate commercial-service-export share indicator. Sixth, the full 198-row latest file mixes years, so the direct ranking is based on the 96 observations from 2025.
Source and calculation
The source is World Bank World Development Indicators BX.GSR.TRVL.ZS, Travel services (% of service exports, BoP). The 2025 mean, median, quartiles, threshold counts, and rankings use only the 96 observations dated 2025. The map and complete table use each economy’s latest non-empty observation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the denominator total exports?
No. BX.GSR.TRVL.ZS uses service exports on a balance-of-payments basis; merchandise exports are not included.
What is the 2025 median?
The median across the 96 observations dated 2025 is 28.55%, while the mean is 35.27%.
Does a high travel-service export share mean more tourists?
Not necessarily. This indicator measures the composition of service exports, while visitor counts measure travel volume.
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