Tourism satellite accounts – an information basis for the analysis of tourism expenditure

In order to develop management decisions promoting sustainable tourism development, strengthening its competitiveness and increasing the efficiency of the activities it covers, there must be timely statistical information available ensuring data comparability, completeness and detailing. This paper presents the methodological foundations of tourism satellite accounts. The emphasis is placed on their significance as a source of reliable and comparable statistical information on the importance of tourism for the economy in terms of expenditure, employment and gross domestic product. The contents of the tables containing data on tourism by activity and products are discussed and the theoretical aspects are illustrated through the empirical study of tourism expenditure (resident and non-resident visitors) in Bulgaria. Statistical methods of analysis are used to study the changes in their size and structure for the period 2008-2014.