site.btaVisits by Foreigners to Bulgaria Up by 6.1% in October Y/Y

In October 2023, the number of trips by Bulgarian residents abroad and arrivals of visitors to this country surpassed the figures recorded in the pre-pandemic 2019, according to National Statistical Institute data released on Monday. The number of trips by Bulgarians has increased by 15.8% and the visits by foreigners to Bulgaria by 6.1% year-on-year.

The number of trips by Bulgarian residents abroad in October 2023 was 694,000. An increase was registered for all monitored purposes. In October 2019, the trips made by Bulgarians were 473,300, up by 4.1% from October 2018.

In October 2023, the number of visits by foreign citizens to Bulgaria was 898,900. In October 2019, it was 766,400, which is an increase of 3.7% year-on-year.

The largest number of trips by Bulgarian residents in October 2023 were made to Turkiye (183,800), Greece (165,100), Serbia (59,500), Romania (57,600), Germany (49,500), Republic of North Macedonia (22,500), Italy (20,900), the UK (19,200), Austria (18,600), Spain (12,100). The largest relative share of the total number of trips by Bulgarian residents abroad is accounted for by those for other purposes (visiting, studying, visiting cultural and sporting events) 42.2%, followed by trips for holidays 37.8%, and for business purposes 20%.

In October 2023, an increase in foreign visits to Bulgaria was recorded for all monitored destinations. Transit crossings through the country accounted for 36% (323,500) of all foreign visits to Bulgaria. The share of EU citizens who visited this country in October 2023 was 47.9% of the total number of foreign citizens and amounted to 430,500, with the highest number of visits by citizens from Romania 37.5%, Greece 22.5%, and Germany 12.7%. Visits by citizens from other European countries amounted to 380,100, or 42.3% of all visits to Bulgaria, with the largest number, 175,700, registered from Turkiye, or 46.2% of the total visits from non-EU states.