Nearly 5% Growth of Bulgarians Traveling Abroad, Reported NSI

The trips of Bulgarian citizens abroad in February 2019 were 396.6 thousand or 4.5% above those registered in February 2018, NSI reported.

The increase in the number of trips of Bulgarian citizens compared to the same month of the previous year is reported for: France - by 11.1%, Turkey - by 7.7%, Austria by 6.0%, Greece by 5.6%, Serbia by 4.9% by 4.7%, Romania by 3.2%, and others. At the same time, Bulgarian citizens' trips were reduced to: Spain - by 8.1%, Belgium by 5.1%, the Czech Republic by 3.8% and others.

Compared to February 2018, there was an increase for all monitored purposes: "holidays and excursions" - by 5.5%, "others" - by 4.7%, and "official" by 3.2%. The largest relative share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian citizens abroad in February 2019 formed the trips for other purposes (visiting, training, visiting cultural and sporting events) - 49.8%, followed by the official ones - 27.3% and for recreation and excursion - 22.9%. In February 2019 the largest number of trips of Bulgarian citizens were made to: Turkey - 82.9 thousand, Greece - 65.0 thousand, Romania - 45.3 thousand, Serbia - 38.1 thousand, Republic of Northern Macedonia - 29.3 thousand, Germany - 22.4 thousand, Austria - 15.2 thousand, France - 13.2 thousand, Spain - 12.4 thousand, Italy - 11.9 thousand.

In February 2019, visits of foreigners to Bulgaria were 483.0 thousand or 5.6% more than in February 2018. An increase was registered for all monitored purposes: "other" (including visits and transit) - by 8.1%, "rest and excursion" by 4.6% and "official" by 3.1%. Transit passages across the country are 25.3% (122.3 thousand) of all visits of foreigners to Bulgaria.

Of the total number of foreigners who visited Bulgaria in February 2019, the share of...