Travel receipts for January–March 2025 rose by 4.4% compared with the same period in 2024, reaching €1,072.7 million. According to provisional data from the Bank of Greece, average expenditure per trip fell by 1.1% over the same period. It is worth noting that travel payments jumped 21.3% to €674.3 million in the quarter.
Balance of travel services
Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services in March 2025 showed a surplus of €220.9 million from a surplus of €233.9 million in March 2024. More specifically, in March 2025, travel receipts rose by 5.1% to €473.4 million, up from €450.5 million in March 2024, while travel payments also increased by 16.6% (March 2025: €252.6 million, March 2024: €216.6 million). The rise in travel receipts stemmed from a 5.4% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip declined by 0.6%. Net travel receipts offset 7.1% of the goods deficit and accounted for 55.8% of total net receipts from services.
In January-March 2025, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €398.4 million, down from a surplus of €471.2 million in the same period of 2024. Travel receipts rose by €45.7million, or 4.4%, to €1,072.7 million, while travel payments also increased by €118.4million, or 21.3%, to €674.3 million. The rise in travel receipts was driven by a 5.4% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip fell by 1.1%. Net travel receipts offset 4.7% of the goods deficit and contributed 41.6% to total net receipts from services.
Travel receipts
In March 2025, as mentioned previously, travel receipts grew by 5.1% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU27 increased by 11.1% to €237.7 million, whereas receipts from residents of other countries decreased by 1.4% (March 2025: €215.2 million, March 2024: €218.2 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU27 was due to increases in receipts from euro area residents by 1.3% to €193.4 million (March 2024: €190.9 million) and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries by 92.7% to €44.4 million.
More specifically, among major euro area countries of origin, receipts from Germany dropped by 27.1% to €52.8 million, as did receipts from France by 13.2% to €14.1 million. Receipts from Italy increased by 28.1% to €32.8 million. Turning to other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom declined by 2.7% to €26.4 million, while receipts from the United States decreased by 29.8% to €55.7 million. Lastly, receipts from Russia also fell, by 74.9% to €0.4 million.
In January-March 2025, travel receipts totalled €1,072.7 million, up by 4.4% year-on-year. This development is attributed to increases in receipts from residents of the EU27 by 0.3% to €519.9million and in receipts from residents of other countries by 8.5% to €526.1 million. In greater detail, receipts from euro area residents fell by 0.6% to €434.2 million, whereas receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 5.1% to €85.7 million.
Specifically, receipts from Germany dropped by 16.3% to €113.9 million and receipts from France declined by 34.4% to €32.0 million. Receipts from Italy increased by 33.5% to €76.5 million. Turning to other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom grew by 17.8% to €72.0 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 4.5% to €143.8 million. Lastly, receipts from Russia stood at €2.0 million.
Inbound traveller flows
The number of inbound travellers in March 2025 rose by 5.4% year-on-year to 921.5 thousand. Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 17.0% year-on-year, whereas traveller flows through road border-crossing points decreased by 12.0%. This overall increase was due to higher traveller flows from both EU27 countries (up by 1.4%) and other countries (up by 9.4%). In greater detail, the number of travellers from within the euro area rose by 15.1% to 324.3 thousand, whereas travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries declined by 24.6% to 112.9 thousand.
Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 16.3% to 83.3 thousand, whereas the number of travellers from France decreased by 54.6% to 21.9 thousand. Travellers from Italy increased by 10.5% to 46.8 thousand. Turning to non-EU27 countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom rose by 17.1% to 62.7 thousand, while travellers from the United States also increased by 19.9% to 79.9 thousand. Finally, the number of travellers from Russia increased by 2.7% to 1.3 thousand.
In January-March 2025, the number of inbound travellers rose by 5.4% to 2,459.0 thousand (January-March 2024: 2,332.5 thousand). Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 14.1%, whereas traveller flows through road border-crossing points decreased by 8.1%. In the period under review, the number of travellers from within the EU27 fell by 0.7% year-on-year to 1,179.1 thousand, whereas travellers from other countries increased by 11.7% to 1,279.9 thousand. The number of travellers from within the euro area rose by 14.2%, whereas travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries decreased by 30.7%.
Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 19.6% to 244.5 thousand, whereas the number of travellers from France fell by 48.7% to 60.6 thousand. Travellers from Italy increased by 21.4% to 127.6 thousand. Turning to non-EU27 countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom rose by 41.8% to 167.5 thousand, while the number of travellers from the United States grew by 16.2% to 188.7 thousand. Lastly, the number of travellers from Russia stood at 1.9 thousand.
