April 20 (Reuters) - Greece recorded a sharp rise in travel receipts in February, but the country is still awaiting delayed trade data needed to calculate the full current account balance, central
Greece's travel receipts surge but data is incomplete
Travel Receipts and Economic Impact
Significant Increase in Travel Receipts
April 20 (Reuters) - Greece recorded a more than 80% year-on-year rise in travel receipts in February, leading to a slight improvement in the nation's finances but on the basis of incomplete data, the central bank said on Monday.
Data Limitations and Reporting Issues
The national statistics authority postponed trade figures, citing quality issues without giving further explanation, meaning the Bank of Greece could not release data for the balance of goods and therefore the overall current account balance.
Details Behind the Surge
Drivers of Growth
The Bank of Greece said travel receipts jumped 83.2% from a year earlier to 533.4 million euros ($627 million), driven by a 44.5% increase in non-resident arrivals.
Offsetting Factors
A narrower transport surplus and a deterioration in other services, however, almost wiped out the gains.
Income Account Deficits
The primary income account deficit nearly doubled from a year earlier, largely due to lower net receipts from other primary income, while the secondary income account deficit widened on higher net government payments.
Year-to-Date Performance
As travel receipts underpinned the economy for the first two months of the year, arrivals rose by 38.5% and related revenues jumped by 70.7% from the same period in 2025.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8505 euros)
(Reporting by Antonis Pothitos; Editing by Barbara Lewis)
