Statistical data

In May 2024, 2 613 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation, with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 105.6 thousand rooms and 233.5 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the accommodation establishments increased by 4.9% and the bed-places in them - by 4.4%.

The total number of nights spent was 1 426.9 thousand, or by 14.4% more in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 15.9% and reached 611.1 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 115.9 million BGN, or by 32.2% more compared to the same month of the previous year.

In the period January - April 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 6.4% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 17 680.1 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 2.4% and amounted to 19 019.1 million BGN.

In April 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU grew by 11.5% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 4 770.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 11.9% and amounted to 5 111.1 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same month of 2023 was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (30.7%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (32.2%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (82.5%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (15.0%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 7.3% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 11 969.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 4.0% and added up to 16 488.4 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the sections ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (10.7%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Food and live animals’ (24.7%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (42.8%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (6.2%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 34 145.7 million BGN in the period January - May 2024, which is 6.6% less than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 39 735.9 million BGN and dropped by 1.4%.

In May 2024, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices decreased by 0.8% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A decrease was reported in ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 9.7% and in ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 3.4%, while ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ kept the level of the previous month.

The calendar-adjusted data show that the turnover rose by 1.6% compared to May 2023.

In May 2024, compared to the same month of 2023, an increase in turnover was registered in the ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 9.4% and in the ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 1.0%. А decrease was reported in the ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 13.5%.

The total production index in Services of the business economy in April 2024 increased by 1.7% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to April 2023, an increase of 6.0% was registered in the calendar-adjusted index according to preliminary data.

In 2023, the average price of arable land transactions in Bulgaria reached BGN 1 607 per decare, and the average price of arable land rents - BGN 62 per decare. Compared to the previous year, the price of arable land increased by 12.5%, and the rent payments decreased by 1.6%.

In 2023, compared to the previous year, there was an increase in the price of arable land transactions in Severozapaden, Severen tsentralen, Severoiztochen, Yugoiztochen and Yugozapaden regions and there was a decrease in Yuzhen tsentralen region. Compared to 2022, an increase was observed in the price paid for rent/lease of one decare arable land in Severozapaden and Yugozapaden regions, a decrease was registered in Severoiztochen, Yugoiztochen and Yuzhen tsentralen regions. The price paid for rent/lease of one decare in Severen tsentralen region does not change.

In 2023, the number of first residence permits issued to third-country nationals with a validity of at least three months was 19 375, which is with 22.3% more than in 2022.

The highest was the number of permissions to stay for reasons related to remunerated activities - 6 466, followed by the permissions for reasons related to family formation and reunification - 6 160.

The ‘EU Blue Card’ residence permits were 924, which is with 195 less than the previous year. 4 299 permits for residence and work type ‘Single Permit’ were issued.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Residence permits for foreigners'.

In the first quarter of 2024, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.8% compared to the first quarter of 2023.

In April 2024, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 1.5 percentage points compared to its January 2024 level.

During the first quarter of 2024, 70.9% of GDP was spent on individual consumption.

The relative share of gross fixed capital formation in GDP in the first quarter of 2024 was 14.2%.

The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 52.8%.

The unemployment rate was 5.0% (compared to 4.4% in the first quarter of 2023), and it was the same for men and women.

In the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023 the total hourly labour cost rose by 15.8% (preliminary data).

In the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023, housing prices rose by 16.0%.

For May 2024, revenues of subsector ‘Central Government’ were reported in the amount of BGN 4 072.26 million and expenditures - BGN 4 361.90 million, and for the subsector ‘Social Security Funds’, the revenues amounted to BGN 2 253.19 million, and the expenditures were BGN 2 376.99 million.

The data for the ‘Central Government’ subsector are formed on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the budget units, as well as on estimates of the state enterprises reclassified in the subsector, and the data for the ‘Social Security Funds’ subsector - on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the National Insurance Institute and the National Health Insurance Fund.

The information is published on the basis of Article 3 (2) of Directive 2011/85 of the EU.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Government Finance Statistics'.

In June 2024, the total business climate indicator decreases by 0.9 percentage points in comparison with May, which is due to the unfavourable business climate in the retail trade and in the service sector.

The most serious difficulties for the activity of the enterprises in the sectors remain connected with the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch, costs of materials and insufficient demand.