In the period January-November 2024, inbound travel recorded an increase of 9.7% to 35.069 million travellers, compared to 31.969 million travellers in the corresponding period of 2023. At the same time, travel receipts increased by 44.7% in November 2024 and by 4.9% in January-November 2024 as they stood at €21.26 billion.

In the individual figures, it is striking that in November, receipts from Germany decreased by 15.3% to 41.8 million euros, while receipts from France increased by 94.7%.

According to provisional data from the Bank of Greece, the travel balance in November 2024 showed a surplus of 419.9 million euros, compared to a surplus of 229.9 million euros in the corresponding month of 2023. In particular, travel receipts recorded an increase of 44.7% in November 2024, reaching EUR 617.9 million, compared to EUR 426.9 million in the corresponding month of 2023, while an increase of 0.5% was also observed in travel payments (November 2024: EUR 198.0 million). The increase in travel receipts is mainly due to a 23.6% increase in inbound travel, but also a 20.9% increase in average expenditure per trip. Net receipts from travel services offset the goods deficit by 13.0% and contributed 62.0% to the total net receipts from services.

In January-November 2024, the travel balance recorded a surplus of EUR 18,768.2 million, compared to a surplus of EUR 18,064.3 million in the corresponding period of 2023. Travel receipts increased by EUR 999.6 million or 4.9%, reaching EUR 21,266.9 million, while travel payments increased by EUR 295.7 million or 13.4%, reaching EUR 2,498.7 million. The increase in travel receipts was due to a 9.7% rise in inbound travel, as the average expenditure per trip decreased by 5.4%. Net receipts from travel services offset the deficit in the goods account by 57.8% and contributed 84.2% to total net receipts from services.

RECEIPTS

In November 2024, as mentioned above, travel receipts increased by 44.7% compared to the same month in 2023 and stood at €617.9 million. More specifically, receipts from residents of the EU-27 countries recorded an increase of 32.4%, reaching 238.3 million euros, compared to 179.9 million euros in the corresponding month of 2023, while receipts from residents of other countries recorded an increase of 65.2% (November 2024: 323.0 million euros, November 2023: 195.5 million euros). The increase in receipts from EU-27 countries was the result of a 20.4% increase in receipts from both euro area residents (November 2024: €172.9 million, November 2023: €143.6 million) and non-euro area residents of EU-27 countries by 80.1% (November 2024: €65.4 million, November 2023: €36.3 million). 

In particular, as regards the main countries of origin of travellers from the euro area, receipts from Germany decreased by 15.3% to €41.8 million, while receipts from France increased by 94.7% to €20.7 million. Receipts from Italy rose by 4.8% to €28.3 million. Among the other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 157.5% to €46.4 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 78.2% to €112.8 million. Finally, there were no receipts from Russia.

In the period January-November 2024, travel receipts recorded an increase of 4.9% compared to the same period in 2023, amounting to EUR 21,266.9 million. This development is due to the increase in receipts from residents of EU-27 countries by 6.3% to €11,713.5 million, as well as receipts from residents of other countries by 0.5% to €8,453.9 million. More specifically, receipts from residents of euro area countries amounted to €9,256.3 million, up by 3.5%, while receipts from residents of EU-27 countries outside the euro area also rose by 18.5% to €2,457.2 million. 

In particular, receipts from Germany increased by 3.5% to €3,645.7 million, while receipts from France fell by 11.7% to €1,246.1 million. Receipts from Italy increased by 13.0% to €1,207.0 million. Among the other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom fell by 3.9% to €3,144.9 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 13.3% to €1,528.4 million. Finally, receipts from Russia fell by 53.3% to EUR 14.6 million.

INBOUND

Inbound travel traffic in November 2024 stood at 1,281.0 thousand travellers, up 23.6% compared to the same month in 2023. In particular, travel through airports increased by 20.4% compared to November 2023 and that through road border stations by 33.8%. The increase in inbound travel traffic was driven by an increase in travel traffic from both EU-27 countries by 12.9% and from other countries by 36.1%. More specifically, travel from the euro area countries amounted to 370.8 thousand travellers, down by 2.5%, while travel from the EU-27 countries outside the euro area increased by 46.2% to 257.9 thousand travellers. 

In particular, travel from Germany decreased by 20.4% to 109.5 thousand travellers, while travel from France increased by 37.2% to 38.2 thousand travellers. Travel from Italy decreased by 5.7% to 56.1 thousand travellers. As regards other countries, travel from the United Kingdom increased by 88.5% to 98.4 thousand travellers, while travel from the United States increased by 9.9% to 111.1 thousand travellers. Finally, there was no travel from Russia.

In the January-November 2024 period, inbound travel traffic recorded a 9.7% increase to 35,069.0 thousand travelers, compared to 31,969.7 thousand travelers in the corresponding period of 2023. In particular, travel through airports increased by 10.2% and that through road border stations by 9.6%. In the period under review, travel from the EU-27 countries amounted to 21,359.1 thousand travellers, an increase of 10.8% compared to the same period in 2023, while travel from other countries increased by 8.1% to 13,709.9 thousand travellers. Travel from euro area countries increased by 11.5% and travel from EU-27 countries outside the euro area by 9.3%. 

In particular, travel from Germany increased by 13.8% to 5,328.8 thousand travellers, while travel from France increased by 7.8% to 1,950.4 thousand travellers. Travel from Italy also rose by 9.8%, reaching 1,993.5 thousand travellers. As regards other countries, travel from the United Kingdom decreased by 1.1% to 4,491.7 thousand travellers, while travel from the United States increased by 8.1% to 1,480.7 thousand travellers. Finally, travel from Russia decreased by 54.3% to 15.2 thousand travellers.