In May 2017, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 653.3 thousand or by 15.7% above the registered in May 2016. In comparison with the same month of the previous year an increase was observed in the total number of the trips of Bulgarians to: Spain - by 39.6%, the United Kingdom - by 34.4%, Germany - by 25.9%, Italy - by 21.5%, Serbia - by 18.4%, France - by 15.6%, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - by 12.5%, Austria - by 11.4%, Turkey - by 10.9%, Greece - by 6.4%, Romania - by 1.6%, and etc. At the same time decreased the number of the trips of Bulgarians to: Israel - by 21.8%, Hungary - by 10.2%, and etc, according to the National Statistical Institute’s data.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in May 2017 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 38.2%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 36.0%, and with professional purpose - 25.8%.

In comparison with May 2016, an increase was registered in the trips with all observed purposes: with holiday and recreation purpose - by 30.3%, with professional purpose - by 23.1%, and with other purposes - by 0.9%. In May 2017, the trips with other purposes formed 70.0% of all trips to Turkey.

The trips with professional purpose to Russian Federation were 53.5%, as these to France and Greece with holiday and recreation purpose were 58.3% and 49.5% respectively of all trips of Bulgarian residents to these countries.

In May 2017, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 866.3 thousand or by 7.2% more in comparison with May 2016. An increase was registered in the trips by all observed purposes: with professional purpose - by 22.4%, with holiday and recreation purpose - by 5.3%, and with other purposes - by 3.9%.

The share of visits of ЕU citizens was 63.8% of the total number of foreigners’ visits to Bulgaria in May 2017 or by 9.1% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. An increase was registered in the visits of the citizens of France - by 38.3%, Poland - by 20.8%, Italy - by 14.5%, Germany - by 10.2%, Romania - by 9.8%, the United Kingdom - by 5.9%, and etc. At the same time decreased the visits from Slovakia - by 24.3%, Hungary - 5.9%, Greece - by 0.3%, and etc.

The visits of foreigners in the group ‘Other European countries’1 increased by 2.1%, as the highest growth was observed in the visits of citizens of Serbia - by 11.3%. In May 2017, the predominant share of the visits with other purposes (including as guest and passing transit) was 46.0%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 36.8%, and with professional purpose - 17.2%. The visits with holiday and recreation purpose formed 96.8% of the arrivals from Israel. The visits with professional purpose were 49.6% of the arrivals from Poland, as with other purposes were 77.1% of all arrivals from Romania.