Bank of Greece: 36.9% rise in travel receipts in January–April 2026

According to data from the Bank of Greece, travel receipts amounted to €2.79 billion, up by 36.9% compared with the corresponding four-month period of the previous year.

In particular, during the January–April 2026 period, travel receipts increased by 36.9% compared with the same period in 2025, reaching €2,790.7 million. This development is attributed to an increase in receipts from residents of EU-27 countries by 38.7%, which amounted to €1,370.2 million, as well as to an increase in receipts from residents of non-EU countries by 37.5%, which stood at €1,336.7 million. More specifically, receipts from euro area residents reached €1,183.8 million, up by 38.8%, while receipts from EU-27 residents outside the euro area increased by 37.7% to €186.3 million.

By country of origin, receipts from Germany decreased by 10.5% to €263.0 million, while receipts from France increased by 12.6% to €123.8 million. Receipts from Italy recorded a strong increase of 57.5%, reaching €159.0 million. Among non-EU countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose significantly to €331.7 million, whereas receipts from the United States declined by 0.8% to €327.3 million.

Incoming Travel Traffic

During January–April 2026, inbound travel traffic increased by 27.1%, reaching 5,240.4 thousand travellers, compared with 4,122.2 thousand in the same period of 2025. In particular, traffic via airports increased by 12.8%, while traffic via land border crossings rose by 67.8%.

During the period under review, travel traffic from EU-27 countries amounted to 2,777.9 thousand travellers, up by 36.1% compared with the same period in 2025, while arrivals from non-EU countries increased by 18.3% to 2,462.5 thousand travellers. Traffic from euro area countries rose by 31.4%, while arrivals from EU-27 countries outside the euro area increased by 64.3%.

By country of origin, arrivals from Germany increased by 12.4% to 534.5 thousand travellers, while arrivals from France rose by 14.1% to 187.9 thousand. Arrivals from Italy increased by 21.6% to 241.2 thousand travellers. Among non-EU countries, arrivals from the United Kingdom rose by 51.0% to 445.0 thousand travellers, while arrivals from the United States declined by 3.4% to 327.8 thousand.

Travel Balance

During January–April 2026, the travel balance recorded a surplus of €1,664.3 million, compared with a surplus of €1,049.9 million in the same period of 2025. Travel receipts increased by €752.9 million (36.9%), reaching €2,790.7 million, while travel payments rose by €138.5 million (14.0%) to €1,126.4 million.

The increase in travel receipts is attributed both to the rise in inbound travel traffic by 27.1% and to the increase in average expenditure per trip by 8.6%. Net receipts from travel services offset 15.8% of the goods balance deficit and accounted for 78.6% of total net receipts from services.

In April 2026 alone, the travel balance recorded a surplus of €735.9 million, compared with €697.3 million in April 2025. Travel receipts increased by 9.5% to €1,114.6 million, while travel payments rose by 18.2% to €378.8 million. The increase in receipts was driven by a 10.6% rise in inbound travel traffic, as average expenditure per trip declined by 1.0%. Net receipts from travel services offset 31.5% of the goods balance deficit and accounted for 80.5% of total net receipts from services.