site.btaBulgarian Tourism Attache in Berlin Sees Enormous Potential in German Market

Some 65,000 to 70,000 tourists from Germany will come to Bulgaria in August, which translates into 400,000 overnights, Tihomir Patarinski, Bulgaria's Tourism Attache in Berlin said in an interview for BTA. German tourists are interested in combining the seaside with other forms of active tourism, and this trend will become increasingly visible, he added. 

According to Patarinski, the German market has the potential to to balance the employment in the country in the wings of the season - April-May and September-October, and thus to realize the so-called expansion of the season. For years, it is Germans who open and close the seasons in Bulgaria, he recalled and therefore, according to him, its presence on this market is important and strategic in terms of employment. He expects that this this year Bulgaria will have a comparable summer season compared to last year's, as the potential for growth and recovery of the German market is huge.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Q: Mr. Patarinsky, what do the figures for the beginning of August show about the interest of German tourists in a holiday in Bulgaria? 

A: For Bulgaria, Germany is one of the main tourist markets and we are actively working towards its recovery and upgrading. Our country's image is mainly one of a lucrative seaside destination offering a rich variety of culture, nature, spa, wine, cuisine, and so on. All these additional elements we try to emphasize and highlight to keep our destination competitive with others.

In August, the booking season is clear, it remains to see in late September and October their realization against the forecasts. Negotiations between tour operators and hoteliers for the next 2024 summer season are currently underway. In October, the catalogues will be released and early bookings for next year will start. This applies to seaside tourism, as well as thematic products and health tourism. 

Q: How many people are expected to arrive in August for a holiday by the sea and how many have requested one inland?

A: According to the data that I have, in August there will be about 65-70 thousand tourists from Germany, who will make about 400 thousand overnight stays. 

It is difficult to distinguish between the coast and the interior, and I would not like to do so. It is good to look at the destination in its entirety. There is interest in combining seaside with other forms of active tourism and this trend will become more pronounced. 

In peak season, of course, occupancy at hotels is good from other markets. But the German market has the potential to balance occupancy precisely in the wings of the season, April-May and September-October, and thus to realise the so-called season expansion. For years it has been the Germans who have been opening and closing the seasons in this country.

Our active presence on this market is therefore important and strategic in terms of employment. 

Q: What are the last-minute bookings figures from this market?

A: Early bookings went relatively well this year. In June, there was a slowdown and a holding back in the pace of bookings, which may have been due to media publications related to the dam on the river Dnieper in Ukraine, but no cancellations occurred. This slowdown had a significant impact on last minute booking dynamics. Hotels and tour operators are providing ample discounts and attractive offers, but the short season and flights to Bulgaria are emerging as a major challenge.

I would like to point out that this year in Germany, one of the main topics discussed in terms of tourism is inflation. Although the prices of basic products and services have risen in this country, other destinations have also seen rises - particularly in the prices of transport and on-site services. It is therefore very important that price increases go hand in hand with improvements in product quality. This will play an increasingly decisive role in the future when choosing a destination, product or accommodation.

Q: What are your expectations for the whole summer season for the German market?

A: We are now at the peak of the summer season and we have two more strong months ahead which will prove decisive for the final result. However, we should not lose focus on the remaining months when many independent tourists come for urban tourism, cultural events and so on. My expectation is that this year we will have a comparable season to last year, as the potential for growth and recovery in the German market is huge.