The travel balance showed a travel surplus of 2,061 million euros in September 2021 and 8,033 million euros in the period January-September 2021, according to data released by the Bank of Greece.

Travel receipts increased by 150.8% in September 2021 and by 139.3% in the period January-September 2021.

Incoming travel traffic increased by 124.4% in September 2021 and by 89.0% in the period January-September 2021.

Travel balance

In particular, according to the provisional data, the travel balance in September 2021 showed a surplus of 2,061 million euros, compared to a surplus of 816 million euros in the corresponding month of 2020.

In particular, travel receipts increased by 150.8% in September 2021, amounting to 2,176 million euros, compared to 868 million euros in the corresponding month of 2020, while an increase of 120.1% was also observed in travel payments ( September 2021: EUR 115 million, September 2020: EUR 52 million). The increase in travel receipts is due to the increase in incoming travel traffic by 124.4%, as well as the average expenditure per trip by 10.7%. Net receipts from travel services offset by 89.6% the goods balance deficit and contributed 85.9% to total net receipts from services.

In the period January-September 2021, the travel balance showed a surplus of 8,033 million euros, compared to a surplus of 3,001 million euros in the corresponding period of 2020. An increase of 5,097 million euros (139.3%) was presented by travel receipts, which were formed in EUR 8,758 million, while an increase of EUR 66 million (10.0%) was also observed in travel payments, which amounted to EUR 725 million. The increase in travel receipts is due to the increase in incoming travel traffic by 89.0%, as well as the average expenditure per trip by 25.5%. Net receipts from travel services offset by 45.1% the goods deficit and contributed 77.6% to total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In September 2021, as mentioned above, travel receipts increased by 150.8% compared to the corresponding month of 2020. More specifically, receipts from residents of EU-27 countries increased by 123.4%, which were came to EUR 1,348 million, while receipts from residents of non-EU-27 countries increased by 206.1% (September 2021: EUR 801 million, September 2020: EUR 262 million). The increase in receipts from residents of EU-27 countries was a result of the increase in receipts from residents of euro area countries by 108.6% (September 2021: € 1,088 million, September 2020: € 521 million), as well as and by residents of EU-27 countries outside the euro area by 216.9%, which amounted to 260 million euros. In particular, for the most important countries of origin of travelers from the euro area, receipts from Germany increased by 79.5% to 517 million euros and those from France increased by 132.1% to 177 million euros. From outside the EU-27, receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 110.9% to € 398 million, while receipts from the US increased by 3,450.1% to € 147 million. euro. Receipts from Russia also increased by 1,250.8% and amounted to 10 million euros.

In the period January-September 2021, travel receipts increased by 139.3% compared to the corresponding period of 2020 and amounted to 8,758 million euros. This development is due to the increase of receipts from residents of EU-27 countries by 140.5%, which amounted to 5,813 million euros, as well as receipts from residents of non-EU-27 countries by 124.0%, which amounted to EUR 2,773 million. More specifically, receipts from residents of euro area countries amounted to 4,574 million euros, increased by 127.9%, while receipts from residents of EU-27 countries outside the euro area increased by 202.0% and amounted to at 1,239 million euros. In particular, receipts from Germany increased by 103.2% compared to the corresponding period of 2020 and amounted to 1,781 million euros, while receipts from France increased by 189.3% and amounted to 908 million euros. From outside the EU-27, receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 85.7% to € 1,185 million. Receipts from the US increased by 538.7% and amounted to 487 million euros, while those from Russia increased by 465.1% and amounted to 68 million euros.

Incoming travel traffic

Incoming travel traffic in September 2021 amounted to 2,995 thousand travelers, an increase of 124.4% compared to the corresponding month of 2020. In particular, travel through airports increased by 104.4% compared to September 2020 and this through road border stations by 450.3%. The increase in incoming travel traffic was a result of the increase in travel traffic from both EU-27 countries by 114.9% and from non-EU-27 countries by 147.4%. More specifically, travel traffic from the euro area countries amounted to 1,509 thousand travelers, increased by 96.6%. Travel traffic from EU-27 countries outside the euro area also increased by 193.4%, reaching 525 thousand travelers.

In particular, travel traffic from Germany increased by 80.4% to 680 thousand travelers, while that from France increased by 105.7% to 231 thousand travelers. Regarding non-EU-27 countries, travel from the United Kingdom increased by 50.8% to 452 thousand travelers and from the USA by 2,068.9% to 85 thousand travelers. Finally, travel traffic from Russia also increased by 1,474.4% and amounted to 13 thousand travelers.

In the period January-September 2021, the incoming travel traffic increased by 89.0% and amounted to 11,619 thousand travelers, compared to 6,147 thousand travelers in the corresponding period of 2020. In particular, travel traffic through airports increased by 100.0%, while through road border stations it increased by 57.4%. During the period under review, travel traffic from EU-27 countries amounted to 8,235 thousand travelers, showing an increase of 101.4% compared to the corresponding period of 2020. Travel traffic from non-EU-27 countries came to 3,384 thousand travelers, increased by 64.4%. Travel traffic from euro area countries increased by 107.8% and that from EU-27 countries outside the euro area by 87.9%. In particular, travel traffic from Germany increased by 100.6% and amounted to 2,213 thousand travelers, while that from France increased by 161.6% to 1,006 thousand travelers. Regarding non-EU-27 countries, travel traffic from the United Kingdom increased by 42.0% to 1,175 thousand travelers, while that from the United States increased by 206.2% to 296 thousand travelers. Finally, travel traffic from Russia increased by 188.6% and amounted to 67 thousand travelers.

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