Namibia: International tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Namibia's international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 63.7% on 2019 (from US$102 million to US$37 million).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2019), the average change was +31% and a typical year strayed about 131.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 557.1% in 2006 and the biggest yearly fall was 63.7% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is downward, about US$12.65 million a year. A straight line explains 46% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2020, Namibia had the 75th highest value of the 117 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Namibia in the 2020 ranking

• Kyrgyz Republic — 72nd of 117: US$44 million
• Nepal — 73rd of 117: US$41 million
• Moldova — 74th of 117: US$38 million
• Azerbaijan — 76th of 117: US$36 million
• Côte d'Ivoire — 77th of 117: US$33.2 million
• Uruguay — 78th of 117: US$30 million

What this measures

International tourism receipts for passenger transport items are expenditures by international inbound visitors for all services provided in the international transportation by resident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 21 values

International tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) in nearby economies

• Angola — US$3 million (2020)
• Benin — US$860,000 (2019)
• Botswana — US$6 million (2020)
• Burkina Faso — US$57 million (2019)
• Cabo Verde — US$10 million (2020)
• Cameroon — US$28 million (2019)
• Comoros — US$500,000 (2020)
• Congo, Rep. — US$1.9 million (2016)

More private sector & trade data for Namibia

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 102.45% (2025)
• Import unit value index (2015 = 100) — 138 (2025)
• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$8.43 billion (2025)
• Export unit value index (2015 = 100) — 152.1 (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$7.02 billion (2025)
• Insurance and financial services (% of commercial service imports) — 1.88% (2024)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports) — 80.23% (2024)
• Commercial service imports (current US$) — US$2.44 billion (2024)
• Transport services (% of commercial service imports) — 13.22% (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Namibia's international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$)?

US$37 million in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 12.12% from US$33 million in 2000 (0.57% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$252 million in 2011 and the lowest US$14 million in 2005.

How does Namibia rank?

75th highest of 117 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) unusual for Namibia?

In 2020, Namibia's international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 63.7% on 2019 (from US$102 million to US$37 million). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2019), the average change was +31% and a typical year strayed about 131.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ST.INT.TRNR.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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