27.8 million tourists visited Greece in 2022 and spent 618 euros per trip on average

Based on provisional data by the Bank of Greece, the balance of travel services in December 2022 showed a surplus of €71.4 million, down from a surplus of €73.4 million in December 2021. More specifically, in December 2022, travel receipts rose by 32.8% to €247.1 million, up from €186.1 million in December 2021, while travel payments also increased by 55.9% (December 2022: €175.7 million, December 2021: €112.7 million). The rise in travel receipts was due to a 52.5% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip declined by 14.2%. Net travel receipts offset 2.4% of the goods deficit and contributed 20.0% of total net services receipts.

In the year 2022, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €15,696.1 million, up from a surplus of €9,390.2 million in 2021. Travel receipts rose by €7,128.6 million, or 67.9%, to €17,631.3 million, while travel payments also increased by €822.6 million, or 73.9%, to €1,935.1 million. The rise in travel receipts stemmed from an 89.3% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip declined by 11.9%. Net travel receipts offset 40.2% of the goods deficit and contributed 80.9% of total net services receipts.

Travel receipts

In December 2022, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 32.8% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of EU27 countries decreased by 0.6% to €88.2 million, while receipts from outside the EU27 increased by 59.9% (December 2022: €152.9 million, December 2021: €95.6 million). The fall in receipts from within the EU27 is attributed to a decrease of 7.1% in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries, which stood at €14.5 million, as receipts from euro area residents rose by 0.8% (December 2022: €73.7 million, December 2021: €73.2 million).

More specifically, among major euro area countries of origin, receipts from Germany declined by 16.4% to €21.8 million, as did receipts from France, which dropped by 30.6% to €6.9 million. Turning to non-EU27 countries, receipts from the United Kingdom dropped by 24.6% to €22.1 million, while receipts from the United States rose by 368.6% to €40.7 million. Receipts from Russia decreased by 85.8% to €0.8 million.

In the year 2022, travel receipts totalled €17,631.3 million, up by 67.9% relative to the previous year. This development was due to increases in receipts from residents of the EU27 by 46.8% to €9,977.7 million and in receipts from residents outside the EU27 by 105.2% to €7,245.9 million. In greater detail, receipts from euro-area residents rose by 44.9% to €8,019.6 million, as did receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries, which increased by 55.2% to €1,958.1 million.

Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 40.6% to €3,255.2 million, as did receipts from France, by 27.9% to €1,268.0 million. Turning to non-EU27 countries, receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 113.1% to €3,123.4 million. Receipts from the United States also increased by 100.6% to €1,195.7 million, while receipts from Russia declined by 63.9% to €41.3 million.

Inbound traveller flows

The number of inbound travellers in December 2022 rose by 52.5% year-on-year to 580.1 thousand. Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 43.3% compared with December 2021, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points rose by 77.1%. This overall increase was due to higher traveller flows from both within the EU27 (up by 44.6%) and outside the EU27 (up by 58.1%). In greater detail, travellers from within the euro area rose by 27.6% to 163.0 thousand, while travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries also increased by 113.2% to 67.6 thousand.

Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany increased by 3.3% to 44.7 thousand as did the number of travellers from France, by 18.1% to 17.8 thousand. Turning to non-EU27 countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom increased by 60.5% to 68.9 thousand and from the United States by 216.2% to 45.5 thousand. Finally, the number of travellers from Russia fell by 90.4% to 0.8 thousand.

Over the year 2022, the number of inbound visitors rose by 89.3% to 27,835.5 thousand (2021: 14,704.9 thousand). Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 81.5%, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points rose by 133.1%. In the period under review, the number of travellers from within the EU27 rose by 67.9% year-on-year to 16,994.9 thousand, while travellers from outside the EU27 increased by 136.6% to 10,840.7 thousand. The number of travellers from within the euro area rose by 57.2%, as did travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries, by 96.4%.

Specifically, travellers from Germany increased by 45.0% to 4,352.3 thousand and those from France by 49.6% to 1,757.6 thousand. Turning to non-EU27 countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom rose by 181.9% to 4,485.3 thousand, as well as from the United States by 174.9% to 1,088.7 thousand. Finally, the number of travellers from Russia dropped by 69.8% to 36.1 thousand.

In comparison with 2019, the last year before the pandemic

Compared with December 2019, in December 2022, travel receipts fell by 16.1% although the average expenditure per trip increased by 0.5%, as inbound traveller flows dropped by 16.2%.

Compared with 2019, in 2022, travel receipts fell by 3.0%, as did inbound traveller flows by 11.2%, while the average expenditure per trip increased by 9.7%.

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