Record number of foreign tourists in Bulgaria in August 2019 – statistics institute
The number of foreign tourists who visited Bulgaria in August 2019 was 3.8 per cent higher than in August 2018, breaking last year’s record, according to figures released on September 27 by the National Statistical Institute (NSI).
According to the NSI, 2.32 million foreign tourists visited Bulgaria in August 2019, exceeding the previous historical peak of 2.24 million the same month a year before.
The number may go some way to redressing the overall downturn in foreign tourists visits to Bulgaria this year.
The NSI said that the number of holiday trips by foreigners to Bulgaria was 7.6 per cent higher in August on an annual basis.
Citizens of other European Union countries accounted for 62.1 per cent of visits in August, about 3.6 per cent higher than in August 2018.
Visits by Romanians were up by 30.9 per cent, UK citizens 17.8 per cent, Spaniards 15.8 per cent, Austrians 5.45 per cent, Hungarians 4.3 per cent, the NSI said.
There were decreases in visits by Germans by 12.7 per cent, Belgians by 5.8 per cent, Dutch tourists by 5.5 per cent, Czechs by 4.2 per cent and Polish citizens by 3.5 per cent.
Among non-EU countries, the largest increase was in visits by Ukrainians, 23.6 per cent.
Romanians were the largest group of foreign tourists in Bulgaria in August 2019, followed by Turks, Germans, Greeks, Ukrainians, Poles, Brits, Russians, Serbians and citizens of France, according to the NSI.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
