Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP was 4.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in Bulgaria, 1995–2024
Source: UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Bulgaria is 4.2%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.2% on the previous year and down 47.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Bulgaria peaked at 10.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2020.
That places Bulgaria 73rd out of 191 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 3.5% | — |
| 1996 | 4.4% | +26.2% |
| 1997 | 4.6% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 7.7% | +67.5% |
| 1999 | 8.7% | +13.5% |
| 2000 | 10.3% | +18.6% |
| 2001 | 8.9% | -13.6% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 9.7% | +14.3% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | +10.2% |
| 2005 | 10.3% | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 8.2% | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 7.5% | -8.6% |
| 2011 | 7.4% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 7.9% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | -11.2% |
| 2016 | 7.7% | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -62.9% |
| 2021 | 3.2% | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | +30.0% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | +6.3% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.8% | 3.5% | 8.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 9.4% | 8.2% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 7.0% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 2.6% | 4.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More economy & growth data for Bulgaria
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.58 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 22.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2172 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 4,415 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 17.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.1927 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 3,916 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1117 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Bulgaria?
- Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in Bulgaria was 4.2% in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2020.
- How does Bulgaria rank for spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp?
- Bulgaria ranks 73rd out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Money received by the destination country from foreign visitors, including spending on accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, shopping, and fares paid to the country’s own airlines, as a share of, as a share of GDP.