Greek tourism progress in March: + 8.3% receipts + 2.5% arrivals

Based on provisional data by the Bank of Greece, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €62 million in March 2016, compared with a surplus of €64 million in March 2015. More specifically, travel receipts rose by 8.2% to €221 million in March 2016, from €204 million in the same month of 2015. Travel payments also increased, by 13.7% (March 2016: €159 million, March 2015: €139 million). Higher travel receipts resulted from an increase of 2.5% in arrivals and a rise of 5.6% in average expenditure per trip. Net receipts from travel services offset 4.1% of the goods deficit and accounted for 18.1% of total net receipts from services. 

In January-March 2016, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €90 million, up 13.7% from a surplus of €80 million in the same period of 2015. This development is attributed to a larger fall in travel payments (down €12 million or 2.6%) than in travel receipts (down €1 million or 0.1%). Slightly lower travel receipts were mainly due to a decrease of 6.2% in arrivals, as average expenditure per trip rose by 6.5%. Net receipts from travel services offset 2.2% of the goods deficit and accounted for 12.4% of total net receipts from services. 

Travel receipts 

In March 2016, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 8.2% year-on-year. Looking at the breakdown by visitor’s country of origin, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 7.2% (March 2016: €110 million, March 2015: €103 million) and those from outside the EU28 by 9.5% (March 2016: €104 million, March 2015: €95 million). Higher receipts from within the EU28 resulted from a rise of €13 million or 29.7% in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries, as receipts from euro area residents fell by 9.6% (March 2016: €53 million, March 2015: €59 million). Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany fell by 15.2% to €19 million, while those from France increased by 27.9% to €7 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 40.0% to €25 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia rose by 179.5% to €8 million and those from the United States increased by 18.8% to €24 million. 

In January-March 2016, travel receipts fell slightly by 0.1% year-on-year to €515 million. This development is attributed to lower receipts from within the EU28 (down 5.4% to €258 million), as receipts from outside the EU28 rose by 6.0% to €247 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents fell by 6.9% to €144 million and receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries dropped by 3.4% to €115 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 0.4% to €50 million and those from France by 1.1% to €14 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 5.5% to €49 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia increased by 44.0% to €12 million and those from the United States rose by 28.6% to €40 million. 

Inbound traveller flows

The number of inbound visitors in March 2016 rose by 2.5% year-on-year to 629 thousand. This development reflected a 1.9% increase in arrivals from within the EU28, as well as a 3.4% rise in arrivals from outside the EU28. In greater detail, arrivals from the euro area increased by 5.7% to 139 thousand, whereas arrivals from the non-euro area EU28 countries fell slightly by 0.3% (March 2016: 224 thousand, March 2015: 225 thousand). Specifically, arrivals from Germany rose by 14.5% to 48 thousand and those from France by 28.8% to 17 thousand. Arrivals from the United Kingdom also increased, by 37.3% to 48 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, arrivals from Russia increased by 523.6% to 10 thousand and those from the United States rose by 34.6% to 33 thousand. 

In January-March 2016, the number of inbound visitors decreased by 6.2% to 1,621 thousand, from 1,728 thousand in the same period of 2015. In the period under review, arrivals from within the EU28 fell by 9.3% year-on-year to 926 thousand and arrivals from outside the EU28 dropped by 1.8% to 695 thousand. Arrivals from the euro area rose by 2.5%, whereas those from the non-euro area EU28 countries fell by 15.7%. Specifically, arrivals from Germany rose by 5.5% to 118 thousand and those from France by 11.8% to 40 thousand. Arrivals from the United Kingdom also increased, by 6.3% to 107 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, arrivals from Russia rose by 134.9% to 20 thousand and those from the United States increased by 28.9% to 62 thousand. 

Inbound traveller flows exclude cruise passengers (other than those recorded in the Border Survey).

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