Tonga: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Tonga's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) did not change 0% on 2019 (from US$5 million to US$5 million).

Across the 16 yearly changes before that (2004 to 2019), the average change was +1% and a typical year strayed about 30.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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 54.1% in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 64.1% in 2016. 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$1.08 million a year. A straight line explains 72% 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, Tonga had the 107th highest value of the 123 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 Tonga in the 2020 ranking

• North Macedonia — 106th of 123: US$6 million
• Mozambique — 107th of 123: US$5 million
• Namibia — 108th of 123: US$5 million
• Aruba — 110th of 123: US$4 million
• Nepal — 111th of 123: US$4 million
• Suriname — 112th of 123: US$4 million

What this measures

International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident 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 18 values

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

• Australia — US$1.17 billion (2020)
• Cambodia — US$44 million (2020)
• Fiji — US$2 million (2020)
• French Polynesia — US$74 million (2016)
• Indonesia — US$327 million (2020)
• Japan — US$1.29 billion (2020)
• Korea, Rep. — US$548 million (2020)
• Lao PDR — US$9 million (2020)

More private sector & trade data for Tonga

• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$255 million (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$13 million (2025)
• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 39.46% (2025)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports) — 32.75% (2025)
• Commercial service imports (current US$) — US$169.35 million (2025)
• Transport services (% of commercial service imports) — 24.33% (2025)
• Travel services (% of commercial service imports) — 40.27% (2025)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service exports) — 11.76% (2025)
• Commercial service exports (current US$) — US$102.8 million (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

US$5 million in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2003?

It is down 49.49% from US$9.9 million in 2003 (3.94% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$14.3 million in 2012 and the lowest US$3.3 million in 2016.

How does Tonga rank?

107th highest of 123 economies with data for 2020.

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

In 2020, Tonga's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) did not change 0% on 2019 (from US$5 million to US$5 million). Across the 16 yearly changes before that (2004 to 2019), the average change was +1% and a typical year strayed about 30.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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.TRNX.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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