Press releases

In July 2016, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 577.2 thousand or by 9.2% above the registered in July 2015. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in July 2016 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 46.6%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 37.0%, and with professional purpose - 16.4%.

In July 2016, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 1 872.4 thousand or by 14.7% more in comparison with July 2015. An increase was registered in the trips by all observed purposes: with professional purpose - by 25.6%, with holiday and recreation purpose - by 20.6%, and with other purposes - by 4.6%.

In August 2016 the total business climate indicator remains approximately to its July level. An improvement of the business conjuncture is registered in industry and service sector, while a reduction of the indicator is observed in construction and retail trade.

According to preliminary data during the second quarter of 2016 in comparison with the same period of 2015 there was a decrease both in transported goods and transport performance from the freight land and water transport - by 14.7% and 6.2%, respectively.

Тhe number of transported passengers by passenger transport (land, water and urban electrical transport) compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year rose by 6.7%. The transport performance also registered a 4.1% growth compared to second quarter of 2015.

According to the preliminary data for the second quarter of 2016 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 1.5% compared to the first quarter of 2016, while in section ‘Information and communication’ - by 2.3%.

The producer price index in agriculture in the second quarter of 2016 decreased by 0.8% in comparison with the same quarter of 2015. The crop output index increased by 0.6%, while the animal output index decreased by 2.2%. In comparison with previous year the prices of agricultural output went down by 1.9%. The crop output index increased by 3.5%, while the animal output index decreased by 7.3%.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the second quarter of 2016 was 4.8% below the level in the same quarter of previous year and by 3.8% compared to 2015.

In the second quarter of 2016, 909.1 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (80.6%) of them travelled only within the country, 15.7% - only abroad and 3.6% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2015 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 10.3%, as an increase was observed in the number of the Bulgarian residents travelled both in the country and abroad by 112.4%, only in the country - by 19.1%, while the number of persons travelled only abroad decreased by 20.2%. 

The total income average per household member during the second quarter of 2016 is 1 239 BGN and increases by 3.0% compared to the same quarter of 2015.

The total expenditure average per household member during the second quarter of 2016 is 1 076 BGN and decreases by 1.5% in comparison with the same quarter of 2015.

The consumption of main food products average per household member does not change considerable during the second quarter of 2016 compared to the same quarter of 2015.

In the second quarter of 2016 the unemployment rate was 8.0% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 68.0%.

The consumer price index in July 2016 compared to June 2016 was 101.0%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 1.0%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the second quarter of 2016 is 3.0% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.