According to provisional data, the travel services balance recorded a surplus of 4,381.2 million euros in August 2026, compared with a surplus of 4,248.1 million euros in the same month of 2025.
In particular, travel receipts rose by 6.5% in August 2026 to 4,867.3 million euros, from 4,568.7 million euros in the same month of 2025, while travel payments also increased by 51.6% (August 2026: 486.0 million euros; August 2025: 320.6 million euros).
The increase in travel receipts was driven by a 13.4% rise in inbound travel, as average spending per trip fell by 6.5% to 552 euros from 590 euros. Net receipts from travel services more than offset the goods balance deficit, by 187%, and accounted for 96.2% of total net receipts from services.
In the period from January to August 2026, the travel services balance recorded a surplus of 15,420.3 million euros, compared with a surplus of 14,335.2 million euros in the same period of 2025. Travel receipts rose by 1,558.1 million euros, or 9.4%, to 18,197.5 million euros, while travel payments also increased by 473.0 million euros, or 20.5%, to 2,777.2 million euros.
The increase in travel receipts was driven by a 10.0% rise in inbound travel, while average spending per trip was almost unchanged from the same period a year earlier, at 613 euros. Net receipts from travel services offset 71.5% of the goods balance deficit and accounted for 92.3% of total net receipts from services.
Travel receipts
As noted above, travel receipts rose by 6.5% in August 2026 compared with the same month of 2025, to 4,867.3 million euros. Receipts from residents of EU-27 countries increased by 19.2% to 3,003.6 million euros, while those from residents of other countries fell by 11.5% (August 2026: 1,673.2 million euros; August 2025: 1,890.9 million euros).
Higher receipts from residents of EU-27 countries reflected increases in receipts from residents of euro area countries, up 22.2% (August 2026: 2,432.4 million euros; August 2025: 1,991.0 million euros), and from residents of EU-27 countries outside the euro area, up 8.2% to 571.2 million euros.
Among the main countries of origin in the euro area, receipts from Germany rose by 24.2% to 835.5 million euros, while those from France increased by 16.2% to 307.5 million euros.
Receipts from Italy also rose, by 31.3% to 428.2 million euros. Among other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom fell by 32.8% to 564.9 million euros, while those from the US increased by 52.3% to 346.3 million euros.
In the period from January to August 2026, travel receipts rose by 9.4% compared with the same period of 2025, to 18,197.5 million euros. This reflected increases in receipts from residents of EU-27 countries, up 10.3% to 10,097.9 million euros, and from residents of other countries, up 8.9% to 7,383.1 million euros.
More specifically, receipts from residents of euro area countries totalled 8,390.1 million euros, up 15.3%, while receipts from residents of EU-27 countries outside the euro area fell by 8.5% to 1,717.8 million euros.
Receipts from Germany rose by 7.2% to 2,858.8 million euros, while those from France fell by 8.1% to 931.9 million euros. Receipts from Italy increased by 31.7% to 1,258.1 million euros.
Among other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 5.0% to 2,665.2 million euros, while those from the US increased by 21.0% to 1,466.9 million euros.
Inbound travel
Inbound travel in August 2026 totalled 8,466.0 thousand travellers, up 13.4% from the same month of 2025. Travel by air rose by 4.9% compared with August 2025, while arrivals through road border crossings increased by 32.2%.
The rise in inbound travel reflected increases in arrivals from both EU-27 countries, up 16.7%, and other countries, up 8.0%.
More specifically, arrivals from euro area countries totalled 4,281.9 thousand travellers, up 18.4%, while arrivals from EU-27 countries outside the euro area also increased, by 10.6%, to 1,128.1 thousand travellers.
Arrivals from Germany rose by 9.2% to 1,180.9 thousand travellers, while those from France fell by 6.1% to 423.3 thousand. Arrivals from Italy increased by 17.5% to 652.2 thousand travellers.
Among other countries, arrivals from the United Kingdom fell by 15.9% to 822.8 thousand travellers, while arrivals from the US rose by 33.4% to 232.4 thousand travellers.
In the period from January to August 2026, inbound travel increased by 10.0% to 28,509.3 thousand travellers, from 25,920.7 thousand in the same period of 2025. Travel by air rose by 5.7%, while arrivals through road border crossings increased by 22.6%.
Over the period under review, arrivals from EU-27 countries totalled 16,971.3 thousand, up 11.0% from the same period of 2025, while arrivals from other countries increased by 8.5% to 11,538.0 thousand. Arrivals from euro area countries rose by 14.7%, while those from EU-27 countries outside the euro area fell by 2.7%.
Arrivals from Germany rose by 8.1% to 4,210.4 thousand travellers, while those from France fell by 5.4% to 1,346.5 thousand. Arrivals from Italy increased by 22.1% to 1,924.8 thousand travellers. Among other countries, arrivals from the United Kingdom rose by 3.9% to 3,404.0 thousand travellers, while those from the US fell by 1.5% to 1,062.4 thousand travellers.
* See the accompanying material column for full details.