Bulgarians Travel Abroad More Often, Spending an Average of €379 per Trip

At the close of 2025, Bulgarian citizens showed a slight increase in travel activity, with approximately 1.1 million individuals aged 15 and above undertaking tourism trips in the fourth quarter, according to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). This marks a 1.5% rise compared to the same period in 2024.

Domestic tourism remains the preferred choice for most Bulgarians, with 67.2% of travelers opting to stay within the country. Trips abroad accounted for 28.2% of travel, while 4.6% combined both domestic and international destinations.

The age group 25-44 proved the most active, representing 424.1 thousand travelers, or 38.7% of the total. Domestic trips dominate across all age categories, peaking among those over 65, where 78.2% traveled solely within Bulgaria. Conversely, the 25-44 age group accounted for the largest proportion of international trips, with 31.2% venturing abroad.

Leisure and excursion purposes were the primary motivation for travel, representing 51.1% of domestic trips and 66.3% of international journeys.

Self-organized trips remain the overwhelming choice, with 86.8% of all travel arranged independently. Among these, 94.7% of domestic trips and 62.1% of foreign travel were conducted without tour operator assistance.

Financially, the average cost per person for domestic travel reached 315.17 BGN (€161), while trips abroad were significantly higher, averaging 741.21 BGN (€378). Business-related travel displayed an even greater disparity, costing 268.52 BGN (€137) per person domestically compared to 1,241.67 BGN (€633) for international trips.

Food expenses accounted for the largest share of travelers’ budgets, taking up 35.2% domestically and 32.3% abroad.