Bulgarian businessmen prefer China for business trips: Survey

SOFIA - As many as 54 percent of businessmen with Bulgarian companies prefer China for their business trips, a survey conducted by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) showed on Tuesday.

Germany ranked the second as a business travel destination, followed by Italy, Serbia, Romania, Macedonia and Russia, the survey showed.

More than three-quarters of those polled make travels abroad to increase the export of products and 36 percent sought to import goods, while 28 percent needed a partner to jointly invest in Bulgaria, and 12 percent to invest abroad, said the BCCI.

During their trips abroad, 39 percent of Bulgarian businessmen wanted to meet with companies in the machine building industry, 28 percent in the food and beverage industry, 19 percent in the textiles and clothing industry, and 19 percent in the electronics industry, according to the survey.

However, 2 percent of Bulgarian business travelers admitted that they were not familiar with the commercial conditions in the countries they intended to visit, 63 percent were partially aware, while 35 percent were confident that they knew how to do business there, the BCCI added.

According to Bulgaria's National Statistical Institute, China was Bulgaria's third largest export and import partner outside the European Union in the first 11 months of last year, with export and import figures reaching 1.129 billion BGN ($0.711 billion) and 1.999 billion BGN ($1.259 billion), respectively.