In December 2017, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 459.2 thousand (Annex, Table 1) or by 15.6% above the registered in December 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: Turkey - by 18.6%, Serbia - by 17.3%, Greece - by 14.7%, Romania - by 10.8%, Austria - by 10.4%, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - by 10.0%, Germany - by 8.5%, Italy - by 6.3%, and etc. At the same time decreased the number of the trips of Bulgarians to: Russian Federation - by 32.5%, Ukraine - by 22.3%, Switzerland - by 20.0%. This was stated by the National Statistical Institute (NS).
In comparison with December 2016, an increase was registered in the trips with all observed purposes: with holiday and recreation purpose - by 42.2%, with professional purpose - by 11.4%, and with other purposes - by 6.3%. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in December 2017 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 49.1%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 27.6%, and with professional purpose - 23.3%.
In December 2017 most trips of Bulgarian citizens were made to: Turkey - 103.4 thousand, Greece - 86.7 thousand, Germany - 39.2 thousand, Serbia - 32.8 thousand, Romania - 32.2 thousand, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - 30.5 thousand, Italy - 17.1 thousand, Austria - 15.2 thousand, Spain - 11.1 thousand, the United Kingdom - 10.2 thousand.
In December 2017, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 596.1 thousand or by 12.2% more in comparison with December 2016. An increase was registered in the trips by all observed purposes: with other purposes (including as guest and passing transit) - by 13.3%, with holiday and recreation purpose - by 12.3%, and with professional purpose - by 9.7%. Transit passes through the country were 23.3% (138.9 thousand) of all visits of foreigners to Bulgaria.
The share of visits of ЕU citizens was 55.8% of the total number of foreigners’ visits to Bulgaria in December 2017 or by 13.0% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. An increase was registered in the visits of citizens from Italy - by 32.7%, Germany - by 18.7%, the United Kingdom - by 15.4%, Greece - by 15.1%, Romania - by 4.2%, and etc. At the same time decreased the visits from Croatia - by 21.2%, Spain - by 12.7%, Czech Republic - by 0.6%, and etc. The visits of foreigners in the group ‘Other European countries’1 increased by 10.0%, as the highest growth was observed in the visits of citizens of Turkey - by 13.5%. In December 2017, the predominant share of the visits with other purposes was 46.4%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 35.1%, and with professional purpose - 18.5%.
In December 2017 the most visits to Bulgaria were from: Romania - 126.1 thousand, Greece - 108.3 thousand, Turkey - 94.8 thousand, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - 45.1 thousand, Serbia - 43.9 thousand, Germany - 20.5 thousand, Ukraine - 15.5 thousand, Israel - 10.9 thousand, the United Kingdom - 10.4 thousand, Italy - 10.3 thousand
