According to the preliminary data for the fourth quarter of 2017 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 1.0% compared to the third quarter of 2017. In section ‘Information and communication’ the turnover index grew by 2.6%.
In the fourth quarter of 2017, 1 329.7 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (85.2%) of them travelled only within the country, 11.1% - only abroad and 3.7% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2016 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 59.5%.
The total income average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2017 is 1 449 BGN and increases by 9.3% compared to the same quarter of 2016.
The total expenditure average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2017 is 1 368 BGN and increases by 13.2% in comparison to the same quarter of 2016.
The consumption of main food products average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2017 changes compared to the same quarter of 2016.
According to the preliminary data of the NSI, the consumer price index in January 2018 compared to December 2017 was 100.3%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.3%.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2017 increased by 0.6% in the EU-28 compared to the previous quarter by seasonally adjusted data. For the same period GDP in Bulgaria increased by 0.8%.
In the fourth quarter of 2017 the unemployment rate was 5.6% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 72.1%.
According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2017 is 3.6% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of December 2017 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 1.5% as compared to the end of September 2017 and reached 2.28 million.
In the fourth quarter of 2017 in comparison with the third quarter of 2017 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 5.6% getting 1 095BGN.
In December 2017, 1 946 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places were functioned in the country. The total number of the rooms in them was 57.5 thousand and the bed-places were 116.6 thousand. In comparison with December 2016, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 0.4%, and the bed-places in them decreased - by 0.1%.
The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in December 2017 was 833.3 thousand, or by 3.1% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.
The total revenues from nights spent in December 2017 reached 44.3 million BGN or by 6.6% more compared to December 2016.
In the period January - November 2017 the Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 11.4% compared to the same period of 2016 and amounted to 31 979.9 Million BGN. The imports from the EU also grew by 11.4% and added up to 34 436.6 Million BGN.
In November 2017 the exports to the EU increased by 15.3% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 3 210.6 Million BGN while the imports grew by 15.4% and added up to 3 597.9 Million BGN.