Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in Kenya
Kenya: Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP was 1.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in Kenya, 1995–2023
Source: UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Kenya stood at 1.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 45.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Kenya peaked at 9.4% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2020.
That places Kenya 128th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 8.7% | — |
| 1996 | 6.8% | -21.3% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | +20.2% |
| 1998 | 8.6% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 9.4% | +9.1% |
| 2000 | 3.9% | -58.1% |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | +19.5% |
| 2005 | 5.2% | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | -11.6% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | -17.8% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | -31.8% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | +34.4% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | +10.3% |
| 2012 | 3.6% | -9.7% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -16.5% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -13.8% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -10.9% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -13.6% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | -9.3% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -58.2% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +51.5% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | +46.2% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.3% | 6.8% | 9.4% | 5 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 2.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 1.8% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 0.7% | 1.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More economy & growth data for Kenya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1503 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 355.15 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 6.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2176 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 514.09 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 28.13 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Kenya?
- Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Kenya was 1.6% in 2023, according to UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1999.
- What is the lowest spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp?
- Kenya ranks 128th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Money received by the destination country from foreign visitors, including spending on accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, shopping, and fares paid to the country’s own airlines, as a share of, as a share of GDP.