From 2012 to 2016, the average increase for all export services was 7.9%. Total export services sales grew from US$13.28 trillion in 2012 to $14.329 trillion during 2016.

Miscellaneous maintenance and repair services was the fastest-growing service category over that five-year period via a 52.9% gain. In second place were telecommunications, communication and computer services via a 30.4% uptick.

World’s Fastest-Growing Export Services

Below are the world’s fastest-growing export services as of 2016.

1. Miscellaneous maintenance and repair services: US$78 billion (up 52.9% since 2012)
2. Telecommunications, communication and computer services: $481.6 billion (up 30.4%)
3. Charges for use of intellectual property: $313 billion (up 19.9%)
4. Miscellaneous business services: $1.052 trillion (up 16.5%)
5. Financial services: $410.4 billion (up 11.9%)
6. Unallocated services: $6 billion (up 11.7%)
7. Travel services: $1.174 trillion (up 8.2%)
8. Commercial services: $4.764 trillion (up 7.2%)
9. General services: $4.833 trillion (up 7%)
10. Personal, cultural and recreational services: $39.3 billion (up 0.9%)

Not all categories of export services increased in value from 2012 to 2016.

Loss leading categories were miscellaneous government goods and services (down -12.7%) and construction services (down -9.7%).

Other declining services-related categories were manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others (down -4.8%), transportation services (down -4.3%) as well as insurance and pension services (down -0.1%).

See also World’s Top Export Services and Top Providers of International Services by Country

Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on August 9, 2017.

The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports, and Field Listing: Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on August 9, 2017.

Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on August 9, 2017