site.btaMore Bulgarians Travel Abroad in September 2023 Compared to Same Month of 2019

More Bulgarians traveled abroad in September 2023 compared to the same month of 2019, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI) data published on Friday. In the number of visits by foreigners to Bulgaria, figures show a lag behind the numbers in September 2019.

In September of the pre-pandemic 2019, trips of Bulgarian citizens abroad were 656,600 or 3.2% higher than in September 2018. Visits from foreigners numbered 1,286,400 in September 2019, 2.9% lower year-on-year. 

Bulgarian citizens' trips abroad in September 2023 were 816,500 or 26.8% higher than September 2022. Foreigners' visits year-on-year were up by 8.4% (1,206,000). 

Bulgarians' travel increase in September 2023 was registered in all monitored destinations. The largest number of trips were made to Greece (243,900), followed by Turkiye (208,900), Serbia (61,000), Romania (57,400), Germany (51,000), Italy (23,100), Austria (19,700), North Macedonia (19,500), United Kingdom (19,000), and Spain (12,300). The largest relative share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian citizens abroad is accounted for by those for other purposes (visiting, studying, visiting cultural and sport events) - 42.5%, followed by trips for holidays and excursions - 41.7%, and for business purposes - 15.8%.

In September 2023, the number of visits by foreigners to Bulgaria increased by 20.6% for holidays and excursions and by 4.5% for other purposes, visits for business purposes decreased by 17%. Transit crossings through the country accounted for 33.9% (408,500) of all foreign visits to Bulgaria. The share of EU citizens who visited Bulgaria was 47.8% of the total number of foreign citizens and amounted to 576,600, with the highest number of visits by citizens from Romania - 30.6%, Germany - 17.7% and Greece - 14.3%. Visits by citizens from other European countries amounted to 492,900, or 40.9% of all visits to Bulgaria, with the largest number registered from Turkiye - 206,500, or 41.9% of the total visits from other European countries, followed by Romania (176,500), Ukraine (125,400), Germany (102,200), Greece (82,400), Poland (65,000), Serbia (60,100), United Kingdom (48,100), North Macedonia (35,300), and Israel (21,300).