National Statistical Institute

Revenues from overnight stays in Bulgaria witnessed a robust recovery in November 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and marking a positive trend for the nation's tourism industry. According to the latest data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI), November 2023 revenues reached BGN 69.1 million, exceeding the pre-pandemic figures of BGN 42.8 million in November 2019.

The latest data from the National Statistical Institute reveals a positive upswing in Bulgaria's retail sector for November 2023. Retail turnover experienced a 0.5% increase from the previous month and a substantial 3.2% rise compared to the same period last year.

Yearly Highlights

Georgi claims the title of the most popular male name in Bulgaria for the year 2023, with a staggering count of 143,185 individuals bearing the name. Following closely, Ivan ranks second in popularity, being embraced by 130,551 people, while Dimitar secures the third spot with 104,856 Bulgarians adopting the name.

Bulgaria faces a challenging turn in its business climate as December reports unveil a decline in the total business climate indicator by 1.8 percentage points (pps), dropping to 19.8% from November's 21.6%. The National Statistical Institute highlighted a downturn primarily impacting construction, retail trade, and services sectors.

Industry Holds Steady but Faces Hurdles

The latest report from the National Statistical Institute sheds light on Bulgaria's inflation trends for November 2023. The month witnessed a modest 0.3% increase in inflation, while the year-on-year comparison revealed a 5.4% surge in prices from November 2022.

Bulgaria has witnessed the export of fuels amounting to approximately BGN 2.2 billion from January to August, as reported by "Capital," citing the National Statistical Institute. The primary exports consist of A95 gasoline, diesel shipments to Ukraine, and fuel oil, not on the prohibited list.

Bulgaria grapples with a notable decline in its trade sector, as preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) reveals a significant downturn in exports and imports during the initial ten months of 2023.

In October 2023, the National Statistical Institute revealed a notable surge in accommodation stays, totaling 1,066,600 nights—a 4.4% rise compared to the previous year. Among these, Bulgarian residents accounted for 701,900 nights, while non-residents contributed 364,700 nights to accommodation establishments across the country.

In 2023, 88.5% of households in Bulgaria have access to the Internet in their homes, according to a study by the National Statistical Institute (NSI). From there, they report a growth of 31.8% for the last 10 years. However, just over 10% of Bulgarians have never accessed the Internet.

A total of 3.6% of enterprises in Bulgaria use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, according to data from a study by the National Statistical Institute.