Press Releases

Developments in the balance of travel services: June 2019

21/08/2019 - Press Releases

Balance of travel services

Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €2,424 million in June 2019, compared with a surplus of €2,095 million in June 2018. More specifically, travel receipts in June 2019 rose by 16.4% to €2,620 million, from €2,252 million in June 2018, while travel payments also increased by 25.3% (June 2019: €197 million, June 2018: 157 million). The rise in travel receipts reflected a 16.4% increase in average expenditure per trip, as inbound traveller flows remained unchanged compared with June 2018. Net receipts from travel services accounted for 84.2% of total net receipts from services and more than offset (153.6%) the goods deficit.

In January-June 2019, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €4,150 million, up from a surplus of €3,693 million in the same period of 2018. This development is attributed to an increase, of 15.3% or €732 million, in travel receipts, which were only partly offset by travel payments, up by 25.4% or €276 million. The rise in travel receipts is attributed to a 15.9% increase in average expenditure per trip, as inbound traveller flows fell slightly, by 0.5%. Net receipts from travel services offset 35.8% of the goods deficit and accounted for 60.7% of total net receipts from services.

 

Travel receipts

In June 2019, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 16.4% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 14.3% to €1,824 million, whereas receipts from outside the EU28 rose by 21.9% (June 2019: €724 million, June 2018: €594 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU28 was due to increased receipts by 28.3% from euro area residents (June 2019: €1,159 million, June 2018: €904 million), as receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries fell by 4.0% to €664 million. More specifically, among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany rose by 13.9% to €450 million and receipts from France also increased by 54.0% to €181 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom increased slightly by 0.4% to €390 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from the United States declined by 6.8% to €133 million, while receipts from Russia fell by 7.8% to €59 million.

In January-June 2019, travel receipts increased by 15.3%, relative to the same period of 2018, to €5,509 million. This development was driven by a 9.7% increase in receipts from residents of the EU28, which came to €3,643 million, and by a 29.6% rise in receipts from residents outside the EU28 to €1,691 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 15.7% to €2,389 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries showed a small decline of 0.2% and stood at €1,254 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany dropped slightly by 0.2% to €944 million, while receipts from France rose by 32.2% to €359 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 7.3% to €752 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from the United States increased by 24.4% to €389 million, while receipts from Russia fell by 7.2% to €96 million.

 

Inbound traveller flows[1]

The number of inbound visitors in June 2019 stood at 4,102 thousand, compared with 4,104 thousand in June 2018. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 2.8%, whereas visitor flows through road border-crossing points declined by 10.2%. The relative stability in the number of inbound visitors is attributed to higher visitor flows from outside the EU28 (up by 6.0%), offset by a decline in flows from countries within the EU28 (down by 2.2%). In greater detail, the number of visitors from within the euro area increased by 9.0% to 1,554 thousand, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries decreased by 12.3% (June 2019: 1,389 thousand, June 2018: 1,584 thousand). Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany increased by 4.1% to 591 thousand, while visitors from France increased by 29.5% to 240 thousand. The number of visitors from the United Kingdom fell by 5.5% to 546 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, visitors from the United States decreased by 10.2% to 135 thousand and visitors from Russia also decreased by 14.1% to 85 thousand.

In January-June 2019, the number of inbound visitors declined by 0.5% to 9,407 thousand (January-June 2018: 9,456 thousand). Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 4.2%, whereas visitor flows through road border-crossing points declined by 12.7%. In the period under review, the number of visitors from within the EU28 decreased by 5.2% year-on-year to 6,376 thousand, while the number of visitors from outside the EU28 increased by 11.0% to 3,031 thousand. Visitors from within the euro area increased by 0.7%, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries decreased by 11.7%. Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany decreased by 7.1% to 1,352 thousand, while visitors from France increased by 15.2% to 528 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom also rose, by 4.0% to 1,101 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, the number of visitors from the United States increased by 21.4% to 422 thousand, while visitors from Russia rose by 0.5% to 153 thousand.

 

Note: The next Press Release on “Developments in the balance of travel services” for July 2019 will be published on 23 September 2019.