Bulgaria- top winter destination in the Balkans

Tourists in the Bulgarian winter resorts will increase by 3 % this year, forecasts the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism. The Russian tourists are expected to account for some 30% of the visitors, Deputy-Minister of Tourism Ivo Marinov said. The number of British tourists is also growing. “A 2% growth is totally feasible”, Mr Marinov commented.

Statistics show that over 5.5 million foreign tourists have chosen Bulgaria as a tourist destination this year, and some 2 million Bulgarians have rested in Bulgarian resorts. The tourist sector reports a very successful summer season. On the one hand, the lifting of visa restrictions for Serbia and Macedonia has increased the number of tourist by 25%. On the other, the crisis and rallies in Greece brought the Greeks to Bulgarian resorts. Romanian tourists, perhaps satisfied with Bulgaria’s resort conditions, also increased in number along the coast. More and more tourists from Israel and Turkey are coming to Bulgaria for their holidays.

“Destinations in neighbouring countries have marked a 30% drop, so Bulgaria’s 3% growth in times of crisis is more than successful”,


Blagoy Ragin, Chair of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, commented. “At the same time we have oversupply and it is hard to achieve higher results. In my view, there is a sunny weather coming for Bulgarian tourism. For 20 years now we dream of doing away with the Achilles’ heel of Bulgarian tourism, namely bad infrastructure. The construction of new motorways will solve the problem and in a few years Bulgarian tourism will be even better”


Bulgaria’s sea and ski resorts are well-known to foreigners. Bulgarian spa and wellness hotels, which have marked the highest average occupancy rate this year, evidence high interest in this type of tourism. Which will be the focus of the tourist sector?

“Cultural tourism is a new attraction, which is developing dramatically, while also outlining the trends in the tourist business”, Blagoy Ragin went on to say. “I can give as an example the Tzarevetz Fortress in the old capital of Veliko Tarnovo, the ethnographic settlement in the town of Zlatograd, the rock town of the Thracian kings in the archaeological complex of Perperikon, and many others. Hunting tourism is also developing rapidly. Our latest attraction, which is gathering speed with already 10 golf courses, is golf tourism. This way we close the circle of services, making money on various travel-related services, while offering everything on the domestic and external markets”

Under the operational programme “Regional Development” some 3.3 million Euro has been earmarked for advertising Bulgaria as a tourist destination. Thus, Bulgaria will be more active at the international tourist markets, while promoting various forms of tourism. Advertisements about the country will be broadcast on leading European and world TV channels.

“This is EU money, and only time will show whether it was invested properly”, “I think we should focus more on domestic advertising, since in developed countries local tourists account for 70%, while foreign visitors are barely 30%. It is vice versa in Bulgaria. Bulgarian tourists are welcome and solvent, and we want to attract them to Bulgarian resorts”, Mr Ragin said "
The tourist business will make a turnover of 3 billion Euro this year, forecasts Chair of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association"
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“For us this is a successful season in times of crisis”, Mr Ragin said. “Nothing, however, comes by chance. We did our best and achieved positive results. Now we are very well prepared for the winter season. Our Balkan colleagues recognized Bulgaria as a top winter destination in the Balkans. The town of Bansko was declared a winter capital. The country is generating interest in more and more tourist agencies, as well as in Greek, Macedonian, Serbian and Turkish tourists. Balkan business and tourism are now paving the way for politics”.