NSI: Bulgarians Traveled Abroad More in June than in the Same Month Last Year

Bulgarians traveled more in June than in the same month last year, show data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). The total travels are 717.1 thousand, or 5.9% more than last June. The largest travel increase is to Turkey - 15.4%, Romania - by 7.8%, Greece - by 6.2%, Germany by 5.1%, Austria by 3%, Northern Macedonia by 2.9%, Italy by 2.7% , Spain - by 1.8%, and others.

At the same time, the travels of Bulgarian citizens are decreasing to the following countries: to Belgium - by 7.9%, Serbia - by 1.9%, Russia - by 0.8%.

The largest share of the total number of trips is formed by travel with other purposes (for visiting, training, cultural and sporting events) - 41.6%, followed by recreation and excursion - 35.6%, and 22.8%

In June, the visits by foreigners to Bulgaria were 1.537 million, or 0.9% less than in June 2018. There was also a decrease in the business trips - by 4.5%, and in the “rest and tourism" trips - by 2.5%, whereas those with the purpose of "others" increased by 3%. Transit passages across the country are 22.6% of all visits by foreigners to Bulgaria.

The share of the European Union citizens ff the total number of foreigners who visited Bulgaria in June 2019 was 55.9%, or 5.4% less than in the same month of the previous year. Visits by citizens from Ireland increased by 11.1%, Spain by 5.1%, the United Kingdom by 4.3%, Hungary by 0.7%, and others.

At the same time, visits of citizens from Poland (by 13.6%), Germany (by 8.9%), France (by 7%), Romania (by 3.7%), Greece (by 3.2%) are decreasing.

The visits of citizens of the group "Other European countries" increased by 4.6%, with the largest increase of the visits of citizens from Ukraine - by 33.2%.

In June 2019 the share of the excursion visits was 50.1%, followed by visits for other purposes - 36.0%, and for official purposes - 13.9%.

The largest number of visits to Bulgaria in June 2019 came from: Romania - 252.0 thousand, Greece - 161.2 thousand, Turkey - 140.8 thousand, Germany - 123.1 thousand, Ukraine - 123.1 thousand, Russian Federation - 108.5 thousand, the United Kingdom - 70.6 thousand, Poland - 64.7 thousand, Serbia - 59.5 thousand, the Republic of Northern Macedonia - 43.1 thousand.