Developments in the balance of travel services: September 2015
23/11/2015 - Press Releases
Balance of travel services
Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €1,975 million in September 2015, down 4.8% from a surplus of €2,075 million in September 2014. More specifically, travel receipts fell by 5.4% to €2,131 million in September 2015, from €2,252 million in the same month of 2014. Travel payments also decreased by 12.0% (September 2015: €156 million, September 2014: €177 million). Lower travel receipts resulted mainly from a decrease of 5.8% in average expenditure per trip, as arrivals remained broadly unchanged from September 2014. Net receipts from travel services accounted for 87.1% of total net receipts from services and more than offset (136.3%) the goods deficit.
In January-September 2015, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of €11,074 million, up 5.8% from a surplus of €10,464 million in the same period of 2014. This development is attributed primarily to an increase of €568 million or 4.7% in travel receipts, and, to a lesser extent, to a decrease of €41 million or 2.7% in travel payments. Higher travel receipts were mainly due to increased arrivals (by 8.6%), as the average expenditure per trip decreased by 3.4%. Net receipts from travel services offset 86.2% of the goods deficit and accounted for 74.2% of total net receipts from services.
Travel receipts
In September 2015, as mentioned previously, travel receipts fell by 5.4% year-on-year. Looking at the breakdown by visitor’s country of origin, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 4.1% (September 2015: €1,507 million, September 2014: €1,448 million), while receipts from outside the EU28 dropped by 24.3% (September 2015: €569 million, September 2014: €752 million). Higher receipts from within the EU28 were mainly due to a rise of €66 million or 7.0% in receipts from euro area residents, as receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries fell by 1.3% (September 2015: €502 million, September 2014: €509 million). Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany dropped by 1.1% to €423 million and those from France by 1.8% to €171 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also dropped, by 6.9% to €266 million (September 2014: €286 million). Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 73.1% to €60 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 57.8% to €185 million.
In January-September 2015, travel receipts increased by 4.7% year-on-year to €12,570 million. This development is attributed to higher receipts from within the EU28 (up 10.5% to €8,174 million), as receipts from outside the EU28 dropped by 4.8% to €4,084 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 6.7% to €5,208 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries rose by 18.0% to €2,966 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 7.4% to €1,859 million and those from France by 3.1% to €1,069 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 25.2% to €1,749 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 69.0% to €342 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 38.4% to €804 million.
Inbound traveller flows (1)
The number of inbound visitors in September 2015 rose by 0.2% year-on-year to 3,650 thousand. This development mainly reflected a 4.4% increase in arrivals from within the EU28, as arrivals from outside the EU28 dropped by 7.6%. In greater detail, arrivals from the euro area increased by 8.5% to 1,433 thousand, whereas arrivals from the non-euro area EU28 countries fell by 0.9% (September 2015: 1,032 thousand, September 2014: 1,041 thousand). Specifically, arrivals from Germany rose by 4.8%, while arrivals from France dropped by 7.4%. Arrivals from the United Kingdom fell by 10.8% to 333 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, arrivals from Russia fell by 61.7% to 90 thousand, while arrivals from the United States rose by 33.9% to 135 thousand.
The number of inbound visitors in January-September 2015 increased by 8.6% to 20,617 thousand (January-September 2014: 18,987 thousand). In the period under review, arrivals from within the EU28 rose by 17.1% year-on-year to 13,121 thousand, while arrivals from outside the EU28 dropped by 3.7% to 7,497 thousand. Arrivals from the euro area rose by 11.7% and those from the non-euro area EU28 countries by 24.3%. More specifically, arrivals from Germany and France increased by 17.8% and 2.0%, respectively, while arrivals from the United Kingdom rose by 17.5%. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, arrivals from Russia fell by 62.1% to 441 thousand, while those from the United States increased by 35.3% to 659 thousand.
(1) Inbound traveller flows exclude cruise passengers (other than those recorded in the Border Survey).
Related link: Developments in the balance of travel services: September 2015 - Table