Bulgarian Travel Abroad Surges: Turkey, Greece, and Romania Top Destinations

In March, there was a significant uptick in Bulgarians traveling abroad, marking a 19.1% increase from the previous year, amounting to 679.1 thousand trips.

Notably, visits for cultural events, sports, and educational purposes surged by 29.5%, while those for leisure and sightseeing rose by 18.6%. However, services-related trips decreased by 3.6%, as the National Statistical Institute reported.

Turkey emerged as the top destination, welcoming 194.0 thousand Bulgarian travelers, Greece with 117.1 thousand visits, and Romania with 66.6 thousand trips. Other popular destinations included Serbia, North Macedonia, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Conversely, visits to Bulgaria by foreigners also saw growth, albeit at a slower pace of 7.2%, totaling 756.5 thousand visits in March. All observed purposes for visits, including leisure, business, and transit, recorded an uptick. Transit crossings accounted for 33.3% of all foreign visits to Bulgaria, showcasing the country's strategic geographical position.

European Union citizens constituted a significant portion of foreign visitors, representing 49.7% of the total. Notably, Romania and Greece led the pack in terms of EU citizens visiting Bulgaria. Among non-EU countries, Turkey remained the frontrunner, contributing 48.6% of visits within this group.

Top nationalities visiting Bulgaria included Turkey (150.9 thousand), Romania (140.5 K), Greece (115.7 K), Ukraine(56.1 K), Serbia (46.3 K), and Germany (30.2 K). The majority of visits were for purposes beyond tourism, indicating Bulgaria's appeal for various activities and engagements.

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