MoE: 24.5% increase in tourism receipts in the first two months of 2024 – 20.7% increase in tourists – Economic Post

Tourism in our country has entered this year with the… right. As the Bank of Greece figures show, travel receipts increased by 22.2% in February 2024 and by 24.5% in the period January-February 2024.

At the same time, inbound travel traffic increased by 26.0% in February 2024 and by 20.7% in the period January-February 2024, with tourists reaching 1.458 million in the first two months, from 1.208 million in the corresponding period of 2023.

The travel balance showed a surplus of €117.3 million in February 2024 and €229.9 million in the January-February 2024 period.

Travel balance

According to the provisional data, the travel balance in February 2024 showed a surplus of 117.3 million euros, against a surplus of 116.2 million euros in the corresponding month of 2023. In particular, an increase of 22.2% was recorded in February 2024 by travel receipts, which amounted to 291.4 million euros, compared to 238.5 million euros in the corresponding month of 2023, while a 42.3% increase was also observed in travel payments (February 2024: 174.1 million euros, February 2023: €122.4 million). The increase in travel receipts was driven by a 26.0% rise in inbound travel traffic as average spend per trip fell 2.9%. Net receipts from the provision of travel services offset the goods balance deficit by 3.8% and contributed 31.2% to total net receipts from services.

In the period January-February 2024, the travel balance showed a surplus of 229.9 million euros, compared to a surplus of 170.7 million euros in the corresponding period of 2023. An increase of 112.2 million euros (24.5%) was presented by travel collections, which amounted to 569.7 million euros, while an increase of 53.0 million euros (18.5%) was also observed in travel payments, which amounted to 339.8 million euros. The increase in travel receipts is due to the increase in inbound travel traffic by 20.7% and the average expenditure per trip by 3.3%. Net receipts from the provision of travel services offset the goods balance deficit by 4.0% and contributed 28.3% to total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In February 2024, as mentioned above, travel receipts increased by 22.2% compared to the corresponding month of 2023. More specifically, a 57.3% increase was seen in receipts from residents of the EU-27 countries, which were formed in €154.8 million, while receipts from non-EU-27 residents fell by 2.7% (February 2024: €134.3 million, February 2023: €138.0 million). The rise in receipts from residents of the EU-27 countries was the result of a 48.2% increase in receipts from residents of the euro area countries (February 2024: €125.1 million, February 2023: €84.4 million). euros), as well as receipts from residents of EU-27 countries outside the euro area by 111.5%, to 29.8 million euros. In particular, with regard to the most important countries of origin of travelers from the euro zone, receipts from Germany increased by 65.5% and amounted to 29.7 million euros, while receipts from France decreased by 50.1% and constituted to 14.1 million euros. From the countries outside the EU-27, receipts from the United Kingdom showed a decrease of 30.8%, which amounted to 13.2 million euros, while those from the USA decreased by 4.3% and amounted to 23, 0 million euros. Finally, there were no collections from Russia.

In the period January-February 2024, travel receipts showed an increase of 24.5% compared to the corresponding period of 2023 and amounted to 569.7 million euros. This development is due to the increase in receipts from residents of EU-27 countries by 60.2%, which amounted to 303.9 million euros, as receipts from residents of non-EU-27 countries decreased by 0.9 % and amounted to 260.8 million euros. In more detail, receipts from residents of the euro area countries amounted to 240.6 million euros, increased by 48.9%, while receipts from residents of the EU-27 countries outside the euro area increased by 125.1 % and amounted to 63.3 million euros. In particular, receipts from Germany increased by 48.7% and amounted to 58.7 million euros, while receipts from France decreased by 12.9% and amounted to 34.1 million euros. From the non-EU-27 countries, receipts from the United Kingdom were down 11.7% to €33.2 million, while receipts from the USA increased by 20.9% to €46. .0 million euros. Finally, there were no collections from Russia.

Inbound travel traffic

Inbound travel traffic in February 2024 amounted to 721.3 thousand travelers, increased by 26.0% compared to the corresponding month in 2023. In particular, travel traffic through airports increased by 27.2%, compared to February 2023, and this through road border stations by 25.6%. The increase in inbound travel came from a rise in travel from both EU-27 countries by 51.5% and from non-EU-27 countries by 5.3%. In more detail, the travel traffic from the countries of the euro zone amounted to 257.9 thousand travelers, increased by 48.2%. Travel traffic from the EU-27 countries outside the euro area also showed an increase of 58.6%, which amounted to 130.4 thousand travelers. In particular, travel traffic from Germany showed an increase of 51.6% to 62.5 thousand travelers, while that from France decreased by 39.8% to 27.3 thousand travelers. In relation to countries outside the EU-27, travel traffic from the United Kingdom decreased by 28.1% and amounted to 28.4 thousand travelers, while that from the USA increased by 87.8% to 41.1 thousand. travelers. Finally, there was no travel traffic from Russia.

In the period January-February 2024, inbound travel traffic increased by 20.7% and amounted to 1,458.6 thousand travelers, compared to 1,208.1 thousand travelers in the corresponding period of 2023. In particular, travel traffic through airports increased by 19 .0%, while this through road border stations by 25.2%. During the reviewed period, travel traffic from EU-27 countries amounted to 755.8 thousand travelers, showing an increase of 37.3% compared to the corresponding period of 2023, while travel traffic from non-EU countries -27 increased by 6.9% and amounted to 702.8 thousand travelers. Travel traffic from euro area countries increased by 33.4%, while travel traffic from EU-27 countries outside the euro area increased by 46.4%. In particular, travel traffic from Germany increased by 25.4% and amounted to 132.7 thousand travelers, while that from France decreased by 9.1% and amounted to 69.9 thousand travelers. In relation to countries outside the EU‑27, travel traffic from the United Kingdom decreased by 34.7% and amounted to 64.6 thousand travelers, while that from the USA increased by 158.4% to 95.7 thousand. travelers. Finally, there was no travel traffic from Russia.