Greece Sees Q1 2019 Travel Receipts Rise by 34.8%

Herod Atticus Odeon, Athens

Greece travel receipts for the January-March 2019 period increased by 34.8 percent to 747 million euros, the Bank of Greece said on Monday, with inbound traveler traffic up by 7.0 percent against the same quarter in 2018. 

More specifically, central bank analysts attribute the 34.8 percent rise in tourism-related revenue to a 23.2 percent increase in receipts from EU residents to 402 million euros  – or 53.8 percent of total travel receipts – and to a 50.6 percent rise in receipts from non-EU travelers at 333 million euros.

Acropolis Museum

Broken down, central bank data indicates a 15.9 percent year-on-year rise in the number of receipts from euro area residents to 251 million euros, and a 37.7 percent increase to 150 million euros from non-euro area residents.

Leading spenders in Greece boosting receipts were from Germany, marking a rise of 4.9 percent to 82 million euros, France up by 53.1 percent to 27 million euros, and the UK increased by 70.7 percent to 71 million euros.

In terms of non-EU travelers, expenditure increased by Russians up by 74.5 percent to 16 million euros and by US vacationers up by 113.5 percent to 74 million euros. 

According to final central bank data released this week, travel receipts (cruises excluded) from January to March 2019 came to 735 million euros  – 80.8 percent of which was generated in four Greek regions: Attica (393 million euros), Central Macedonia (127 million euros), the South Aegean (41 million euros) and East Macedonia and Thrace (33 million euros).

Crete, Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Epirus, Thessaly, the Ionian Islands, Western Macedonia and the Northern Aegean accounted for 141 million euros.

The Venetian Castle of Koules in Herakleion, Crete. Photo Source: @Incredible Crete

Personal trips accounted for 78.4 percent of Q1 2019 expenditure, up from 74.7 percent in the same period of 2018 with relevant receipts up by 41.4 percent.

Leisure accounted for the largest share of total January-March 2019 expenditure at 50.3 percent against 44.0 percent last year, with receipts rising by 54.3 percent to 376 million euros.

Receipts generated from travelers visiting Greece for health purposes increased by 45.0 percent to 13 million euros.