The growth in tourism is expected to continue in 2026

Tourism is quite stable in the country as an economy and continues to develop. We expect growth in 2026 as well, said to the Bulgarian National Radio, the director of the Institute for Analysis and Evaluation in Tourism, Prof. Rumen Draganov. In an assessment for 2025, he added that the main market is the domestic one and the main tourists are Bulgarians.

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"The number of Bulgarians who will travel to Bulgaria will exceed 27 million," says the expert. In 2025, Bulgaria will be visited by about 13.5 million foreigners, which is nearly 1 million more than in 2019.

"There will be a little over 3 million visitors from abroad this winter season, or a growth of 2-3%. We expect to reach 14 million foreign guests next year. The increase in guests is at the expense of cultural tourism and other types of tourism. Sea tourism continues to stagnate - it still cannot achieve the results of 2019," Draganov also commented.

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Edited by Ivo Ivanov
English version: R. Petkova