Travel Receipts In Greece Up By 27.8% In January-April 2014

Tourist arrivals were up by 21.1 percent in the January-April 2014 period.

Greece’s travel balance showed a surplus of 252 million euros during the first quarter of 2014, compared with a surplus of 194 million euros in the corresponding period of 2013, according to temporary data by the Bank of Greece.

This development is attributed to a 27.8 percent increase (196 million euros) in travel receipts and a 26.9 percent rise (138 million euros) in travel payments in the four-month period. Tourist arrivals were up by 21.1 percent in the January-April period, while average spending per trip rose by 6.2 percent or 26 euros in the same period.

In regards to April 2014, the travel balance showed a surplus of 179 million euros against 151 million euros during the same month in 2013.

In particular, travel receipts (which now include revenue from cruise journeys) increased by 35.8 percent (108 million euros) to 411 million euros against 303 million euros in the same month of 2013. Moreover, travel payments increased by 81 million euros or 53.1 percent (April 2014: 232 million euros, April 2013: 152 million euros).

The increase in travel receipts in April was due to the increase in both arrivals and average spending per trip by 30.6 percent and 5.3 percent respectively.