Bulgarians have not changed their travel habits since their membership in the European Union, despite the visa-free opportunities it granted them, official data shows.

The number of trips Bulgarians made abroad as tourists have even decreased by 55% since 2006, a year before the country's accession to the block, according to data from the country's statistics board NSI. Travels in Bulgaria also marked a drop by 27,5%.

No more than 1,32 million Bulgarians made a total of 3.355 trips abroad and in the country in 2008, data shows.

Expenses per head total BGN 134 during private trips in the country and BGN 505 during trips abroad. The expenses for business trips average BGN 150 in the country and BGN 940 abroad.

The data was collected by contacting Bulgarian households and people over 15 years of age, who traveled in 2008 for holidays or on business trips.

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