Economy of Plovdiv from different countries. The city also has a duty-free zone since 1987. It has a customs terminal handling cargo from trucks and trains. Economy of Plovdiv Plovdiv is the second only to Bulgaria's capital Sofia in economic importance and output. It is a major industrial, commercial, financial and shopping centre. Recently, Plovdiv has one of the country's fastest growing economies with average GDP growth of 12-13%. As of 2005 the total revenues are 9.4 billion leva (approximately 4.8 billion euro), which is with 88% more than in 2001. The profits for the same period rose 4.5 times. The unemployment is
Plovdiv Airport and a tie-up between Hainan and Plovdiv Airport Invest. On 28 March 2018, Bulgarian Government awarded the consortium of HNA Group and Plovdiv Airport Invest a 35-year-long concession on Plovdiv airport in return for investments reaching €79 million, including a new cargo and passenger terminal. On 19 of July the consortium of HNA Group and Plovdiv Airport Invest have declared that it won't sign the concession contract which opens the road for the classified on the second place to take the concession. On the west side of the airport is located 24th Helicopter Air Base of the Bulgarian Air Force,