6.4% more foreigners’ visits to Bulgaria in December 2019

In December 2019, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 673.4 thousand or by 8.6% more in comparison with December 2018. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered: ‘others’ (including as guest and passing transit) - by 9.9%, ‘professional’ - by 8.0% and ‘holiday and recreation’ - by 7.3%. Transit passes through the country were 28.8% (194.1 thousand) of all visits of foreigners to Bulgaria.

The share of visits of ЕU citizens was 55.4% of the total number of foreigners’ visits to Bulgaria in December 2019 or by 6.4% 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 37.3%, Italy - by 13.9%, Austria - by 11.5%, Greece - by 5.7%, Romania - by 4.9%, etc. At the same time a decrease was registered in the visits from the Czech Republic - by 14.4%, Slovakia - by 10.5%, Belgium - by 6.1%, Germany - by 2.1%, etc. The visits of foreigners in the group ‘Other European countries’ increased by 11.9%, as the highest increase was observed in the visits of citizens of Turkey - by 19.3%. In December 2019, the predominant share of the visits with other purposes was 46.9%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 34.9%, and with professional purpose - 18.2%.

In December 2019 the most visits to Bulgaria were from: Romania - 143.5 thousand, Turkey - 112.6 thousand, Greece - 111.0 thousand, Serbia - 48.4 thousand, Republic of North Macedonia - 47.4 thousand, Germany - 22.9 thousand, the United Kingdom - 20.9 thousand, Ukraine - 18.9 thousand, Italy - 13.0 thousand, Israel - 11.1 thousand.