site.btaBulgarians Travelling for Tourism Up 31.7% in Q3 of 2022, Y/Y

In July-September 2022, a total of 1,748,800 Bulgarians aged 15 and over made tourist trips of which 78.5% in Bulgaria, 16.3% abroad, and 5,2% both in and outside this country. Compared to the third quarter of 2021, the number of Bulgarian tourists grew by 31.7%, show preliminary data released by the National Statistical Institute on Tuesday.   

The most tourist trips were made by Bulgarians aged between 25 and 44 (42.7%). Domestic trips accounted for 80.9% of the tourist trips of Bulgarians aged 65 and over, and for 80.8% in the 45-64 age group. The largest share of tourist trips abroad, 17.5%, were made by people aged between 25 and 44.

The largest share of tourist trips of Bulgarians aged 15 and over both in the country (69.5%) and abroad (81.4%) were for holiday and recreation purposes. 

In the third quarter of this year, 86.8% of all private tourist trips were registered as independent. The relative share of independent trips without booking was 91.6% in the country and 63.4% abroad.

The biggest relative share of travel expenses both in Bulgaria (40.9%) and abroad (33.2%) was for food. 

The average cost per person when traveling for personal reasons was BGN 407.23 in Bulgaria and BGN 822.68 abroad, while for a professional trip the expenses stood at BGN 205.38 and BGN 1,194.67, respectively.