Press releases

In April 2019, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 620.8 thousand or by 2.4% above the registered in April 2018. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in April 2019 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 42.1%, followed by those with professional purpose - 29.5%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - 28.4%.

In April 2019, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 731.5 thousand or by 4.2% more in comparison with April 2018. In April 2019, the predominant share of the visits with other purposes was 40.4%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 39.0%, and with professional purpose - 20.6%.

According to the preliminary data for the first quarter of 2019 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 6.3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. In section ‘Information and communication’ the turnover index grew by 7.5%.

In the first quarter of 2019, 929.0 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (78.4%) of them travelled only within the country, 17.7% - only abroad and 3.9% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2018 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over decreased by 7.3%.

The total income average per household member during the first quarter of 2019 is 1 519 BGN and increases by 8.0% compared to the same quarter of 2018.

The total expenditure average per household member during the first quarter of 2019 is 1 403 BGN and increases by 11.0% in comparison to the same quarter of 2018.

The consumption of main food products average per household member does not change considerable during the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same quarter of 2018.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2019 increased by 0.5% in the EU-28 compared to the previous quarter by seasonally adjusted data. For the same period, GDP in Bulgaria increased by 1.1%.

The producer price index in agriculture in the first quarter of 2019 increased by 5.4% in comparison with the same quarter of 2018. The crop output index increased by 7.1%, as well the animal output index - by 2.0%. In comparison with previous year the prices of agricultural output went up by 5.3% due to the increase in crop output price index - by 5.8% and in animal output price index - by 4.2%.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2019 was by 1.8% higher compared to the same quarter of previous year and by 0.6% higher compared to 2018.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2019 is 3.4% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2019 the unemployment rate was 5.0%, by 0.7 percentage points lower in comparison with the first quarter or 2018.

The consumer price index in April 2019 compared to March 2019 was 100.5%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.5%.