Developments in the balance of travel services: October 2025
23/12/2025 - Press Releases
- The balance of travel services posted a surplus of €1,994.2 million in October 2025 and a surplus of €19,474.2 million in January-October 2025.
- Travel receipts rose by 8.2% in October 2025 and by 8.9% in January-October 2025.
- Inbound traveller flows increased by 7.2% in October 2025 and by 4.4% in January-October 2025.
Balance of travel services
Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services in October 2025 showed a surplus of €1,994.2 million, up by 8.7% from a surplus of €1,835.1 million in October 2024. More specifically, travel receipts rose by 8.2% to €2,252.5 million in October 2025, from €2,082.5 million in October 2024, while travel payments also increased by 4.4% (October 2025: €258.3 million, October 2024: €247.3 million). The rise in travel receipts stemmed from both a 7.2% increase in inbound traveller flows and a 0.4% rise in average expenditure per trip. Net travel receipts offset 74.2% of the goods deficit and contributed 91.2% to total net receipts from services.
In January-October 2025, the balance of travel services posted a surplus of €19,474.2 million, up from a surplus of €18,241.5 million in the same period of 2024. Travel receipts rose by €1,831.0 million, or 8.9%, to €22,385.8 million, while travel payments also increased by €598.3 million, or 25.9%, to €2,911.6 million. The rise in travel receipts was driven by a 4.4% increase in inbound traveller flows and a 3.9% rise in average expenditure per trip. Net travel receipts offset 70.9% of the goods deficit and contributed 89.8%% to total net receipts from services.
Travel receipts
In October 2025, as previously mentioned, travel receipts rose by 8.2% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU27 rose by 7.3% to €1,138.5 million, as did receipts from residents of other countries, by 8.1% (October 2025: €947.0 million, October 2024: 875.9 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU27 was due to increases in receipts from euro area residents by 5.8% to €979.1 million (October 2024: €925.0 million) and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries by 16.9% to €159.4 million.
Specifically, among major euro area countries of origin, receipts from Germany rose by 9.8% to €495.4 million. Receipts from France dropped by 15.3% to €93.6 million, whereas receipts from Italy grew by 31.7% to €77.6 million. Turning to other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 42.9% to €453.7 million, while receipts from the United States decreased by 15.5% to €144.7 million. No receipts were recorded from Russia.
In January-October 2025, travel receipts totalled €22,385.8 million, up by 8.9% year-on-year. This development is attributed to increases in receipts from EU27 residents by 5.8% to €12,122.9 million and in receipts from residents of other countries by 12.2% to €9,112.5 million. In greater detail, receipts from euro area residents rose by 3.7% to €9,404.2 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 13.5% to €2,718.7 million.
Specifically, receipts from Germany grew by 0.5% to €3,610.8 million, as did receipts from France, by 5.3% to €1,285.6 million. Receipts from Italy also increased, by 8.1% to €1,274.4 million. Turning to other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom grew by 15.1% to €3,551.7 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 8.4% to €1,543.9 million. Lastly, receipts from Russia rose to €22.6 million.
Inbound traveller flows
The number of inbound travellers in October 2025 rose by 7.2% year-on-year to 3,660.2 thousand. Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 6.3% year-on-year, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points grew by 14.7%. This overall increase was due to higher traveller flows from both EU27 countries (up by 6.6%) and other countries (up by 8.1%). In greater detail, the number of travellers from within the euro area rose by 9.1% to 1,721.8 thousand, whereas travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries decreased by 3.0% to 401.3 thousand.
Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 9.0% to 810.2 thousand, while travellers from France declined by 14.0% to 165.9 thousand. Travellers from Italy increased by 25.4% to 147.3 thousand. Turning to other countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom increased by 24.3% to 628.0 thousand, whereas travellers from the United States declined by 24.1% to 124.9 thousand. Finally, no travellers were recorded from Russia.
In January-October 2025, the number of inbound travellers rose by 4.4% to 35,261.1 thousand (January-October 2024: 33,788.0 thousand). Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 4.6%, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points increased by 4.9%. In the period under review, the number of travellers from within the EU27 rose by 1.4% year-on-year to 21,010.7 thousand, as did the number of travellers from other countries, by 9.1% to 14,250.4 thousand. Travellers from within the euro area increased by 6.0%, whereas travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries declined by 7.8%.
Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 8.3% to 5,654.2 thousand, whereas the number of travellers from France fell by 2.0% to 1,874.9 thousand. Travellers from Italy increased by 8.2% to 2,095.6 thousand. Turning to other countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom rose by 6.6% to 4,684.4 thousand, as did the number of travellers from the United States, by 2.0% to 1,397.4 thousand. Lastly, the number of travellers from Russia increased to 20.5 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 November 2025 will be published on 21 January 2026, in accordance with the 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.