Trips abroad made by Bulgarian citizens in July 2011 runs to 378,300, which is 6.3% more compared to July 2010, shows the data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

There is an increase in the number of trips to Switzerland – 19.5%; the Netherlands – 18.5%; Slovenia – 17.4%; Israel – 17.0%; Italy – 14.7%; Sweden – 13.0%; France – 10.1%; Russia – 10.0%; UK – 9.0%; Belgium – 8.3%; Macedonia – 8.2%; and others.

Meanwhile, there is a decrease in the trips made by Bulgarian to: Ireland – 19.5%; Finland – 18.2%; Cyprus – 15.0%; Canada – 12.5%; Latvia – 11.6%; Malta – 7.8%; Portugal – 7.2%; and others.

Trips made with the purpose of visiting, studying, visits of cultural and sports events and others hold biggest share – 36.9%; followed by business trips – 36.4%, and holiday and excursion – 26.7%.

Meanwhile, there is an increase in the number of visits of foreign citizens to Bulgaria in July 2011, running to 1,609,900, which is 2.6% more compared to the name month in 2010.

The biggest increase goes for trips made with the purpose of holiday and excursion, as well as in the number of business trips – by 4.7% and 3.8%, respectively.

There is 3.0% increase in the number of trips made by citizens of EU countries, as the biggest growth goes for Greece and Spain – 28.3% and 21.6%, respectively; while there is a decrease in the number of trips to Bulgaria made by citizens of Cyprus – 10.8%; Ireland – 9.6%; Estonia – 9.1%; and others.

There is an increase (10.6%) of the visit to Bulgaria made by citizens of ‘other European countries’, as the biggest growth goes for citizens of Ukraine – 33.3%; Russia – 17.7%; and Serbia – 7.2%