Travel services in South Asia
South Asia: Travel services was 7.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Travel services in South Asia, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of service exports, BoP.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 7.7% for travel services in 2025.
That represents a change of down 31.4% on the previous year and down 52.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, travel services in South Asia peaked at 48.0% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 2021.
South Asia ranks 44th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Travel services in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of service exports, BoP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 23.5% | — |
| 1976 | 26.5% | +12.9% |
| 1977 | 37.7% | +42.0% |
| 1978 | 40.7% | +8.0% |
| 1979 | 40.5% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 48.0% | +18.5% |
| 1981 | 42.4% | -11.7% |
| 1982 | 39.0% | -8.1% |
| 1983 | 34.3% | -12.1% |
| 1984 | 23.8% | -30.6% |
| 1985 | 26.5% | +11.5% |
| 1986 | 34.1% | +28.4% |
| 1987 | 36.8% | +8.1% |
| 1988 | 34.8% | -5.6% |
| 1989 | 33.7% | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 33.0% | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 35.9% | +8.6% |
| 1992 | 42.7% | +19.1% |
| 1993 | 39.8% | -6.8% |
| 1994 | 35.3% | -11.5% |
| 1995 | 35.0% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 35.8% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 30.3% | -15.3% |
| 1998 | 26.2% | -13.7% |
| 1999 | 22.1% | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 22.0% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 19.4% | -11.5% |
| 2002 | 17.8% | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 20.4% | +15.0% |
| 2004 | 17.9% | -12.6% |
| 2005 | 15.0% | -15.8% |
| 2006 | 13.3% | -11.7% |
| 2007 | 14.0% | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 12.6% | -10.1% |
| 2009 | 13.6% | +8.1% |
| 2010 | 13.8% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 14.3% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 13.8% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 14.4% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 15.0% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 16.0% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 17.4% | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 16.6% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 16.6% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 7.3% | -56.1% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -29.5% |
| 2022 | 8.5% | +65.9% |
| 2023 | 11.1% | +30.9% |
| 2024 | 11.2% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 7.7% | -31.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.8% | 23.5% | 40.7% | 5 |
| 1980s | 35.3% | 23.8% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.6% | 22.1% | 42.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 12.6% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.4% | 13.8% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 5.1% | 11.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More economy & growth data for South Asia
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1,589 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 6.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.0821 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 221.99 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.5874 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5559 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 5.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 1,504 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 275.19 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is travel services in South Asia?
- Travel services in South Asia was 7.7% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest travel services recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 48.0% in 1980.
- What is the lowest travel services recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 2021.
- How does South Asia rank for travel services?
- South Asia ranks 44th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is travel services rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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 service exports, BoP). 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 exports which are services provided by residents to non-residents.