Developments in the balance of travel services: April 2017

21/06/2017 - Press Releases

Balance of travel services

Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services in April 2017 showed a surplus of €247 million, compared with a surplus of €263 million in April 2016. More specifically, travel receipts rose by 11.3% to €484 million in April 2017, from €435 million in the same month of 2016. Travel payments also increased, by 38.1% (April 2017: €237 million, April 2016: €171 million). The rise in travel receipts was due to a 12.0% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip fell slightly, by 0.4%. Net receipts from travel services offset 20.9% of the goods deficit and accounted for 40.0% of total net receipts from services.

In January-April 2017, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €387 million, up 14.1% from a surplus of €340 million in the same period of 2016. This development was driven by both an increase in travel receipts (up €23 million or 2.4%) and a drop in travel payments (down €24 million or 3.8%). The rise in travel receipts is attributed to a 3.2% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip fell slightly, by 0.8%. Net receipts from travel services offset 6.2% of the goods deficit and accounted for 23.1% of total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In April 2017, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 11.3% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 24.2% to €277 million, whereas receipts from outside the EU28 dropped by 3.6% (April 2017: €180 million, April 2016: €186 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU28 was due to a 54.9% increase in receipts from euro area residents (April 2017: €207 million, April 2016: €134 million), as receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries fell by 22.0%. Breaking down receipts by visitor’s country of origin, receipts from France rose by 147.5% to €67 million and those from Germany by 39.3% to €57 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom decreased by 33.5% to €36 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia dropped by 38.0% to €7 million and those from the United States by 55.9% to €25 million.

In January-April 2017, travel receipts increased by 2.4%, relative to the same period of 2016, to €997 million. This development is attributed to a 9.2% rise in receipts from within the EU28 to €545 million, as receipts from outside the EU28 fell by 5.6% to €412 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 29.3% to €381 million and receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries dropped by 19.9% to €164 million. Specifically, receipts from France rose by 89.3% to €81 million and those from Germany by 20.6% to €112 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom decreased by 33.1% to €70 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia dropped by 1.4% to €23 million and those from the United States by 27.0% to €78 million.

Inbound traveller flows (1)

The number of inbound visitors in April 2017 rose by 12.0% year-on-year to 1,010 thousand. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 10.0%, while visitor flows through road border-crossing points also rose, by 12.4%. This development is attributed to higher visitor flows from within the EU28 (up 21.3%), as visitor flows from outside the EU28 remained stable. In greater detail, visitors from the euro area increased by 50.6% to 348 thousand, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries decreased by 3.1% (April 2017: 270 thousand, April 2016: 279 thousand). Specifically, visitors from France increased by 108.9% to 91 thousand, while visitors from Germany also rose, by 52.4%, to 92 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom decreased by 18.3% to 81 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, the number of visitors from Russia decreased by 33.2% to 14 thousand, as did the number of visitors from the United States, by 43.9%, to 36 thousand.

In January-April 2017, the number of inbound visitors increased by 3.2% to 2,602 thousand, from 2,523 thousand in the same period of 2016. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 11.0%, while visitor flows through road border-crossing points declined by 7.9%. In the period under review, visitors from within the EU28 increased by 9.6% year-on-year to 1,574 thousand, whereas visitors from outside the EU28 decreased by 5.4% to 1,029 thousand. Visitors from the euro area rose by 33.8%, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries decreased by 7.6%. Specifically, the number of visitors from France increased by 42.4% to 119 thousand, as did the number of visitors from Germany, by 38.7%, to 247 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom decreased by 16.6% to 172 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, the number of visitors from Russia decreased by 4.9% to 38 thousand, as did the number of visitors from the United States, by 6.4%, to 117 thousand.

Note: The next Press Release on “Developments in the balance of travel services” for May 2017 will be published on 24 July 2017.

(1) Inbound traveller flows exclude cruise passengers (other than those recorded in the Border Survey).