In March 2019, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 478.3 thousand (Annex, Table 1) or by 3.5% above the registered in March 2018, according to data of the National Statistical Institute.

In comparison with the same month of the previous year, an increase was observed in the total number of the trips of Bulgarians to: Germany - by 10.2%, Greece - by 8.9%, Turkey - by 7.1%, Romania - by 2.8%, Serbia - by 2.6%, and etc. At the same time decreased the tripsto: Russian federation - by 12.7%, Poland - by 5.0%, Republic of North Macedonia - by 2.3%, and etc.

In comparison with March 2018, an increase was registered in the trips with all observed purposes: “holiday and recreation” - by 3.7%, “professional” - by 3.7%, and “others” - by 3.3%. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in March 2019 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 44.2%, followed by those with professional purpose - 30.4%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - 25.4%.

In March 2019 most trips of Bulgarian citizens were made to: Turkey - 129.0 thousand, Greece - 72.1 thousand, Serbia - 43.2 thousand, Romania - 35.7 thousand, Republic of North Macedonia - 27.3 thousand, Germany - 24.5 thousand, France - 16.1 thousand, Austria - 14.4 thousand, the United Kingdom - 14.0 thousand, Italy - 13.0 thousand.

In March 2019, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 555.6 thousand (Annex, Table 2) or by 6.0% more in comparison with March 2018. An increase was registered in the trips with all observed purposes: “others” (including as guest and passing transit) - by 7.8%, “holiday and recreation” - by 4.8%, and “professional” - by 4.5%. Transit passes through the country were 26.4% (146.9 thousand) of all visits of foreigners to Bulgaria.

The share of visits of ЕU citizens was 48.3% of the total number of foreigners’ visits to Bulgaria in March 2019 or by 5.0% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. An increase was registered in the visits of citizens from the United Kingdom - by 51.2%, Hungary - by 17.9%, Romania - by 8.0%, Greece - by 7.0%, and etc. At the same time decreased the visits from Germany - by 15.5%, the Netherlands - by 7.4%, France - by 2.9%, Poland - by 2.7%, and etc. The visits of foreigners in the group ‘Other European countries’1 increased by 7.1%, as the highest increase was observed in the visits of citizens of Serbia - by 18.1%. In March 2019, the predominant share of the visits with other purposes was 41.1%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 38.8%, and with professional purpose - 20.1% 

In March 2019 the most visits to Bulgaria were from: Turkey - 93.6 thousand, Romania - 83.3 thousand, Greece - 77.7 thousand, Serbia - 50.2 thousand, Republic of North Macedonia - 49.2 thousand, the United Kingdom - 28.0 thousand, Ukraine - 16.5 thousand, Germany - 16.0 thousand, Israel - 14.5 thousand, Russian federation - 10.7 thousand.