Pan-European cinema admissions will reach 1 billion in 2005, rising from 910 million in 2002 - 20% over the three year period - according to a new report by research house, Screen Digest.

Box office revenues will rise at an even faster rate over the same period - by 33% - due to a steep rise in forecasted ticket prices.

Growth in average cinema ticket prices over the past decade has far outstripped the growth seen in cinema admissions. This increase in prices has been most extreme in central European countries - the average cost of a cinema ticket in Poland has increased by more than 600% in ten years.

Average ticket prices (Euros)

Country/1992/ 2002/ Growth

Switz/ 5.25/ 9.49/ 81%
Sweden/ 7.17/ 7.96/ 11%
Norway/ 4.61/ 7.81/ 69%
Denmk/ 3.77/ 6.87/ 82%
UK/ 4.17/ 6.85/ 64%
Neth/ 5.31/ 6.47/ 22%
France /4.99/ 5.57/ 12%
Italy/ 4.97/ 5.89/ 18%
Ger/ 4.17 / 5.86/ 41%
Aust/ 4.47/ 5.75 / 29%
Belg / 3.60 / 5.40 / 50%
Ire / 3.27 / 5.22 / 60%
Gr/ 2.63/ 4.95 / 88%
Spain/ 3.29 / 4.45 / 35%
Port/ 2.36 / 3.76 / 59%
Pol/ 0.96 / 3.19 / 231%
Czech/ 0.42 / 2.99 / 614%
Hung/ 0.55 / 2.61 / 371%

Source: Screen Digest

Among the territories that Screen Digest surveys, Ireland was the country with the most avid cinema-goers last year, visiting the cinema an average of 4.4 per head during 2002. (Data from other sources suggests that the average Icelander goes to the cinema more than six time per year.)

Encouragingly for the industry though, cinema visits have increased throughout the whole of Europe over the past decade. The strongest growth has been in Austria, the UK, Spain and France, with slower growth in the Nordic markets.

Average annual admissions per head

Country/1992/ 2002 / Growth

Ireland / 2.32 / 4.37 / 88%
Spain / 2.13 / 3.43 / 61%
France / 2.01 / 3.07 / 53%
UK / 1.77 / 2.92 / 65%
Norway / 2.23 / 2.65 / 19%
Switz / 2.34 / 2.57 / 10%
Denmk / 1.66 / 2.41 / 45%
Austria / 1.17 / 2.36 / 102%
Belgium / 1.65 / 2.21 / 34%
Sweden / 1.81 / 2.06 / 14%

Source: Screen Digest

The key driver behind admissions growth has been the massive growth of multiplexes over the past decade. By the end of 2002, multiplexes accounted for nearly half (47%) of all European cinema screens.

Another consequence of this is that the average number of screens per site has risen - to an average of 2.5 across Europe. Ireland has the most screens per site with an average of 4.5.

Leading the growth in multiplexes have been British and French cinema chains which accounted for over 40% of European screens.

Of the top ten leading circuits, the top seven are all of UK or French origin.

European cinema admissions (000s) ranked in size (2002)

Country / 1992 / 2002 / Growth

France / 115,400 / 184,460 / 60%
UK / 103,200 / 175,902 / 70%
Ger / 105,920 / 163,900 / 55%
Spain / 83,300 / 140,716 / 69%
Italy / 83,600 / 89,175 / 7%
Pol / 10,790 / 25,500 / 136%
Neth / 13,700 / 24,100 / 76%
Belg / 16,600 / 22,800 / 37%
Port / 12,000 / 19,480 / 62%
Austria / 9,300 / 19,245 / 107%

Source: Screen Digest