Press Releases

Developments in the balance of travel services: July 2019

23/09/2019 - Press Releases

Balance of travel services

Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services in July 2019 showed a surplus of €3,398 million, compared with a surplus of €3,099 million in July 2018. More specifically, travel receipts in July 2019 rose by 11.1% to €3,645 million, from €3,280 million in July 2018, while travel payments also increased by 37.0% (July 2019: €248 million, July 2018: €181 million). The rise in travel receipts is attributed to an 8.9% year-on-year increase in average expenditure per trip, as well as to a rise of 2.4% in inbound traveller flows. Net receipts from travel services accounted for 85.6% of total net receipts from services and more than offset (169.1%) the goods deficit.

In January-July 2019, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €7,547 million, up from a surplus of €6,793 million in the same period of 2018. This development was due to an increase, by 13.6% or €1,097 million, in travel receipts, which were only partly offset by travel payments, up by 27.1% or €343 million. The rise in travel receipts is attributed mainly to a 13.1% increase in average expenditure per trip, as inbound traveller flows increased only slightly, by 0.6%. Net receipts from travel services offset 55.4% of the goods deficit and accounted for 69.9% of total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In July 2019, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 11.1% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 15.5% to €2,545 million, while receipts from outside the EU28 rose by 2.7% (July 2019: €1,034 million, July 2018: €1,007 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU28 was due to increases in receipts from euro area residents by 7.1% (July 2019: €1,490 million, July 2018: €1,391 million) and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries by 30.0% to €1,054 million. Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany decreased by 2.9% to €501 million, whereas receipts from France increased by 1.3% to €193 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also rose, by 63.6% to €566 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from the United States declined by 7.7% to €180 million, while receipts from Russia also fell by 8.7% to €88 million.

In January-July 2019, travel receipts totalled €9,154 million, up by 13.6% relative to the same period of 2018. This development was driven by a 12.0% increase in receipts from residents of the EU28, which came to €6,188 million, and by a 17.9% rise in receipts from residents outside the EU28 to €2,726 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 12.3% to €3,879 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries also increased, by 11.7% to €2,309 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany decreased by 1.1% to €1,444 million, while receipts from France rose by 19.5% to €551 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 25.9% to €1,318 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from the United States rose by 12.1% to €569 million, while receipts from Russia fell by 7.9% to €184 million.

Inbound traveller flows[1]

The number of inbound visitors in July 2019 stood at 5,673 thousand, compared with 5,539 thousand in July 2018. Specifically, visitor flows through airports edged down by 0.2%, whereas visitor flows through road border-crossing points increased by 8.3%. This increase in flows was due to higher visitor flows from within the EU28 (up 4.3%), as visitor flows from outside the EU28 declined by 1.8%. In greater detail, the number of visitors from within the euro area fell by 3.4% to 1,943 thousand, whereas visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries increased by 12.6% (July 2019: 2,078 thousand, July 2018: 1,846 thousand). Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany decreased by 13.0% to 589 thousand and visitors from France decreased by 4.2% to 285 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom increased by 29.6% to 644 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, visitors from the United States fell by 18.7% to 173 thousand, as did visitors from Russia, by 15.2% to 106 thousand.

In January-July 2019, the number of inbound visitors increased by 0.6% to 15,080 thousand (January-July 2018: 14,995 thousand). Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 2.6%, whereas visitor flows through road border-crossing points declined by 4.5%. In the period under review, the number of visitors from within the EU28 decreased by 1.8% year-on-year to 10,397 thousand, while the number of visitors from outside the EU28 increased by 6.1% to 4,684 thousand. Visitors from within the euro area declined by 0.8% and visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries fell by 2.8%. Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany decreased by 9.0% to 1,941 thousand, while visitors from France increased by 7.6% to 813 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom also increased, by 12.2% to 1,745 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, the number of visitors from the United States increased by 6.2% to 595 thousand, while visitors from Russia fell by 6.6% to 259 thousand.

Note: The next Press Release on “Developments in the balance of travel services” for August 2019 will be published on 22 October 2019.