More than 7 million tourists visit Bulgaria since start of year

More than 7 million tourists visited Bulgaria between the beginning of the year and September, Deputy Tourism Minister Mariela Modeva said. Between May and September alone, the country welcomed 5.7 million tourists, more than 3.5 million of them from abroad.

“Bulgaria has the potential to be a year-round tourist destination. Our efforts should focus not only on increasing visitor numbers, but also on improving the quality of what we offer,” Modeva said at the opening of the International Cultural Tourism Fair in Veliko Tarnovo.

She said interest in cultural and historical tourism was growing, with 21 municipalities reporting a 1% increase in visitors travelling for this purpose.

Bulgaria has around 40,000 immovable cultural heritage sites, placing it third in Europe after Italy and Greece by this measure, Modeva said.

She added that the aim was to improve the quality of Bulgaria’s tourism offer and move away from its image as a cheap seasonal destination. Bulgaria has the potential to attract visitors throughout the year, she said, with the way its history, culture and traditions are presented playing a key role.

Editor: Diana Tsankova