PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - Mauritius expects its trade deficit to widen by 2.7 percent to 76 billion Mauritius rupees ($2.1 billion) in 2016 from an estimated 73.96 billion rupees last year, the statistics agency said on Friday. Mauritius is seeking to expand its financial services industry and manufacturing to broaden its economy away from a reliance on tourism and sugar production. "Based on recent past trends and information from various sources, total exports for 2016 is forecasted at around 95 billion rupees and imports at 171 billion. Trade deficit for 2016 is therefore expected to be around 76 billion rupees," Statistics Mauritius said in a statement. The agency did not give details on why it expects the trade deficit to widen this year, but said it had narrowed by 4.2 percent to 73.96 billion rupees in 2015 as import costs fell to 168.07 billion rupees from 172.03 billion in 2014. Exports were down slightly by 0.7 percent to 94.10 billion rupees. Britain was Mauritius' top market in Europe, accounting for 12.6 percent of exports last year. India was the main supplier of the island nation's goods, accounting for 17.7 percent of imports. ($1 = 35.8000 Mauritius rupees) (Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Editing by George Obulutsa and Alexander Smith)