Bulgaria: 5% Increase In Tourists Since The Beginning Of The Winter Season

For the first two months of the winter season, the tourism sector in Bulgaria reports a growth of over 5% compared to the same period last year. There is a significant increase in visits from Italy, while tourists from Israel are about 70% fewer. Bulgarian tourists have increased by 8% during the same period. The most popular ski destination is the municipality of Bansko with a total of 86,772 registrations, according to information from the Ministry of Tourism provided in response to an inquiry from the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

According to the latest data from the Unified Tourism Information System (UTIS) for the period from December 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024, the total number of tourist registrations in Bulgaria is 937,527. This figure has increased by just over 5% compared to the period from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, according to information provided by the Ministry of Tourism.

The primary markets in the current winter season are the following: Bulgaria leads with 683,477 registrations, Greece (33,281), Romania with (30,619), Turkey (31,955), the Republic of North Macedonia (20,842), the UK (19,008), and Italy with 17,118 registrations.

During the period from December 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024, the number of Bulgarian tourists increased by 8%, tourists from the Republic of North Macedonia increased by over 15%, and British tourists increased by 6%. The highest growth was observed among Italian tourists, with an increase of over 30%. The situation is most challenging in Israel, with registrations of Israeli tourists at 7191, representing a decrease of 69% compared to the same period in the previous winter season.