Decline in International Travel by Bulgarian Citizens
According to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI), travel by Bulgarian citizens abroad in March 2026 reached 707,200. This represents a decrease of 4.4 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.
A decrease of 9.5 percent was registered in travel for other purposes and 0.1 percent for leisure and excursions, while those for business purposes increased by 2.3 percent.
What are the Leading Destinations for Bulgarians?
Despite the overall decline, certain countries remain extremely popular among Bulgarian tourists. The largest number of trips were made to the following countries:
- Turkey: 199,400 trips
- Greece: 133,400 trips
- Romania: 80,400 trips
- Serbia: 48,500 trips
- Germany: 35,500 trips
It is interesting that in February 2026 an increase in travel was observed for all observed purposes, which indicates dynamism in tourism processes.
Foreign Citizens in Bulgaria: Slight Increase
On the other hand, visits by foreign citizens to Bulgaria in March 2026 were 771,200, which is an increase of 0.5 percent compared to March 2025. A significant part of these visits are transit – they represent 31.8% (245,000) of the total number.
Most Visitors to the Country
Turkish and Romanian citizens remain the main visitors to Bulgarian territory. Here is the top list by number of visits:
- Turkey: 174,700
- Romania: 161,600
- Greece: 135,700
- Serbia: 48,600
- Germany: 33,300