Developments in the balance of travel services: August 2025
22/10/2025 - Press Releases
- The balance of travel services posted a surplus of €4,148.7 million in August 2025 and a surplus of €14,340.6 million in January-August 2025.
- Travel receipts rose by 10.5% in August 2025 and by 12.0% in January-August 2025.
- Inbound traveller flows increased by 8.1% in August 2025 and by 4.1% in January-August 2025.
Balance of travel services
Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services in August 2025 showed a surplus of €4,148.7 million, up from a surplus of €3,827.7 million in August 2024. More specifically, travel receipts rose by 10.5% to €4,523.7 million in August 2025, up from €4,093.0 million in August 2024, while travel payments also increased by 41.4% (August 2025: €375.0 million, August 2024: €265.3 million). The increase in travel receipts resulted from both an 8.1% rise in inbound traveller flows and a 1.7% increase in average expenditure per trip. Net travel receipts more than offset 188.0% of the goods deficit and contributed 93.7% to total net receipts from services.
In January-August 2025, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €14,340.6 million, up from a surplus of €13,041.8 million in the same period of 2024. Travel receipts rose by €1,787.8 million, or 12.0%, to €16,712.0 million and travel payments increased by €489.0 million, or 26.0%, to €2,371.4 million. The rise in travel receipts was driven by a 4.1% increase in inbound traveller flows and a 7.2% rise in average expenditure per trip. Net travel receipts offset 65.1% of the goods deficit and contributed 88.0% to total net receipts from services.
Travel receipts
In August 2025, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 10.5% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of other countries increased by 30.5% to €1,863.3 million, whereas receipts from residents of the EU27 fell by 2.0% (August 2025: €2,440.9 million, August 2024: 2,489.5 million). The decrease in receipts from within the EU27 was due to a 5.4% fall in receipts from euro area residents to €1,853.1 million (August 2024: €1,959.3 million), as receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 10.9% to €587.8 million.
Specifically, among major euro area countries of origin, receipts from Germany declined by 16.5% to €612.3 million, as did receipts from France, by 13.7% to €262.7 million. Receipts from Italy also decreased, by 8.0% to €337.5 million. Turning to other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 40.0% to €848.7 million, receipts from the United States fell by 3.1% to €205.3 million and receipts from Russia increased to €4.9 million.
In January-August 2025, travel receipts totalled €16,712.0 million, up by 12.0% year-on-year. This development was due to increases in receipts from EU27 residents by 9.4% to €9,182.9 million and in receipts from residents of other countries by 14.9% to €6,707.5 million. In greater detail, receipts from euro area residents rose by 7.2% to €7,108.2 million and receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 17.4% to €2,074.7 million.
Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 6.6% to €2,637.8 million, while receipts from France increased by 5.5% to €1,023.3 million. Receipts from Italy also increased, by 1.4% to €984.3 million. Turning to other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 8.7% to €2,485.3 million, receipts from the United States increased by 20.6% to €1,174.3 million and receipts from Russia increased to €22.6 million.
Inbound traveller flows
The number of inbound travellers in August 2025 rose by 8.1% year-on-year to 7,465.7 thousand. Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 2.7% year-on-year, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points increased by 22.7%. This overall increase was due to higher traveller flows from both the EU27 (up by 4.5%) and other countries (up by 14.6%). In greater detail, the number of travellers from within the euro area grew by 3.1% to 2,927.2 thousand, as did the number of travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries, by 6.8% to 1,709.7 thousand.
Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 7.2% to 1,080.9 thousand, whereas travellers from France declined by 0.7% to 450.7 thousand. Travellers from Italy increased by 0.4% to 555.3 thousand. Turning to other countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom increased by 12.4% to 978.4 thousand, whereas travellers from the United States decreased by 23.5% to 174.2 thousand. Lastly, the number of travellers from Russia rose to 4.1 thousand.
In January-August 2025, the number of inbound travellers rose by 4.1% to 25,920.7 thousand (January-August 2024: 24,890.6 thousand). Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 4.2%, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points increased by 4.8%. In the period under review, the number of travellers from within the EU27 rose by 0.2% year-on-year to 15,285.6 thousand, as did the number of travellers from other countries, by 10.4% to 10,635.1 thousand. Travellers from within the euro area increased by 3.8%, whereas travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries declined by 6.9%.
Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 7.8% to 3,893.4 thousand, whereas the number of travellers from France fell by 6.3% to 1,423.1 thousand. Travellers from Italy increased by 2.1% to 1,576.8 thousand. Turning to other countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom rose by 4.5% to 3,277.5 thousand, as did the number of travellers from the United States, by 6.1% to 1,078.1 thousand. Lastly, the number of travellers from Russia rose to 20.1 thousand.
Note:
Inbound traveller flows exclude cruise passengers other than those recorded in the Border Survey.
Related information:
The next Press Release on “Developments in the balance of travel services” for August 2025 will be published on 21 November 2025, in accordance with the 2025 Advance Release Calendar, posted on the Bank of Greece website.
Related link:
Detailed and final data on the balance of travel services are published in the Travel services section of the Bank of Greece website.