Bulgaria Reports Double Increase in Tourist Numbers Ahead of Summer Season

There has been double increase in the number of tourists visiting Bulgaria before the official start of the summer season.

Formally, the summer season on Bulgaria's southern Black Sea coast begins on June 1, but most hotels have opened to visitors in April. The lower prices are expected to remain until the middle of next month.

At present, the tourists are mainly families with children in non-school age, who are not dependent on school holidays, as well as older people.

Around a hundred flights are landing daily at the airport of Burgas. The director of the airport said for private bTV station on Sunday that there has been 40 % increase in the number of arriving passengers in May.

The tourists are coming mainly from Russia, the UK, Germany and Israel. A lot of flights are scheduled to arrive from Poland and the Czech Republic starting from June 1.

According to hoteliers, the forecast for 30 % increase in the number of Russian tourists this summer will not be fulfilled, but they hope this will be compensated by western visitors.

Meanwhile, private NOVA TV station informed on Sunday that parasols and sunloungers in Bulgaria's largest Black Sea resort, Sunny Beach, will become more expensive starting from June 1 due to the short season. There will be no changes to the prices in Burgas.

The control will be conducted by the tourism ministry, which starting from this year is responsible for the beach strip. Tax authorities will monitor whether receipts are issued for parasols and sunloungers.

Starting from June 1, police officers will be posted to Sunny Beach to ensure the safety of tourists. New security cameras have also been fitted in the resort.

In the meantime, officials of the Commission for Protection of...