Developments in the balance of travel services – August 2015
22/10/2015 - Press Releases
Balance of travel services
Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €3,181 million in August 2015, compared with a surplus of €2,970 million in the same month of 2014. More specifically, travel receipts rose by 7.3% to €3,395 million in August 2015, from €3,164 million in the same month of 2014. Travel payments increased by 10.0% (August 2015: €214 million, August 2014: €195 million). Higher travel receipts resulted mainly from an increase of 2.8% in arrivals and a rise of 4.5% in average expenditure per trip. Net receipts from travel services accounted for 91.3% of total net receipts from services and more than offset (268.7%) the goods deficit.
In January-August 2015, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €9,099 million, up 8.5% from a surplus of €8,389 million in the same period of 2014. This development is attributed to an increase of €690 million or 7.1% in travel receipts, and a decrease of €20 million or 1.5% in travel payments. Higher travel receipts were mainly due to increased arrivals (by 10.6%), as the average expenditure per trip decreased by 3.0%. Net receipts from travel services offset 79.8% of the goods deficit and accounted for 71.9% of total net receipts from services.
Travel receipts
In August 2015, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 7.3% year-on-year. Looking at the breakdown by visitor’s country of origin, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 15.8% (August 2015: €2,433 million, August 2014: €2,101 million). Receipts from outside the EU28 dropped by 10.0% (August 2015: €900 million, August 2014: €1,000 million). The increase in receipts from within the EU28 is attributed to a rise of €207 million or 14.1% in receipts from euro area residents and to an increase of 19.8% in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries (August 2015: €756 million, August 2014: €631 million). Breaking down receipts by visitor’s country of origin, receipts from Germany rose by 5.8% to €469 million and those from France by 12.5% to €409 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 24.0% to €451 million (August 2014: €364 million). Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 61.6% to €89 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 54.4% to €186 million.
In January-August 2015, travel receipts increased by 7.1% year-on-year to €10,439 million. This development is attributed to higher receipts from within the EU28 (up 12.1% to €6,667 million), as receipts from outside the EU28 dropped by 0.7% to €3,515 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 6.6% to €4,203 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries rose by 22.8% to €2,464 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 10.2% to €1,436 million and those from France by 4.0% to €898 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 33.5% to €1,483 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 68.0% to €282 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 33.5% to €619 million.
Inbound traveller flows (1)
The number of inbound visitors in August 2015 rose by 2.8% year-on-year to 4,994 thousand. This development mainly reflects a 9.1% increase in arrivals from within the EU28, as arrivals from outside the EU28 fell by 6.1%. In greater detail, arrivals from the euro area increased by 11.6% to 1,921 thousand. Arrivals from the non-euro area EU28 countries also increased by 5.2% (August 2015: 1,193 thousand, August 2014: 1,134 thousand). Specifically, arrivals from Germany rose by 19.9% to 537 thousand, while arrivals from France dropped by 0.7% to 385 thousand. Arrivals from the United Kingdom rose by 14.4% to 483 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, arrivals from Russia fell by 54.1% to 116 thousand, while arrivals from the United States rose by 38.3% to 128 thousand.
The number of inbound visitors in January-August 2015, increased by 10.6% year-on-year to 16,968 thousand (January-August 2014: 15,343 thousand). In the period under review, arrivals from within the EU28 rose by 20.5% year-on-year to 10,655 thousand, while arrivals from outside the EU28 fell by 2.9% to 6,312 thousand. Arrivals from the euro area rose by 12.5%, while those from the non-euro area EU28 countries increased by 31.4%. More specifically, arrivals from Germany and France increased by 22.5% and 4.4% to 1,829 thousand and 1,101 thousand, respectively, while arrivals from the United Kingdom rose by 24.9% to 1.791 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, arrivals from Russia fell by 62.2% to 351 thousand, while those from the United States increased by 35.7% to 524 thousand.
(1) Inbound traveller flows exclude cruise passengers (apart from those recorded in the Border Survey).
Related link: Developments in the balance of travel services – August 2015 - Table