Rumen Draganov: Charter flights are becoming a thing of the past

“Charter flights are a thing of the past; everyone has a phone now and makes their own bookings”, said Prof. Rumen Draganov, Director of the Institute of Analysis and Assessment of Tourism, in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio.

“Charters are becoming a thing of the past. In Europe, all flights are now becoming charter flights in the sense that low-cost airlines are completely replacing the traditional model. Every German now has a phone in their pocket and can buy a plane ticket, book a hotel, and rent a car. They can change dates, buy whatever they want, even a restaurant menu is something you search on your phone”, said Rumen Draganov.

Rumen Draganov cited data from the airport operator showing that Varna Airport expects around 10% growth in 2026. Prof. Draganov also pointed to the problem of parking for cars used by tourists arriving from nearby destinations, especially Romania. “This problem has been mostly overcome, but we still need to pay attention to the service and the attitude towards tourists”, the expert said.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov