site.btaMore Vacationers from Turkiye Choose Albena Resort for the Summer

Erhan Erten took his family from Tekirdag to spend their summer vacation at the Albena resort in early August. They are a part of a group of Turkish citizens from Tekirdag, Corlu, Istanbul and Ankara, who chose the resort in Northeastern Bulgaria for the summer.

Erten told BTA: "This is the first year we came to spend our summer vacation at Albena resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. We were surprised and delighted by the wonderful, comfortable conditions created for rest, relaxation and sports. We have neighbours in the city of Tekirdag where we live who have been here and told us that Albena is very nice. And although we were prepared for good things, the reality exceeded our expectations many times over. The sea, which is very clean, the beautiful beach, the forest nature, and last but not least, the sports activities in the resort, which are suitable for both adults and children, are things that are difficult to find in one place."

Some members of the group signed up for Albena 2025, an international table tennis festival, which took place for the first time 27 years ago.

Another tourist from Turkiye told BTA: "The sea is clean, the beaches are beautiful. The people working in the resort are kind and friendly. The food is of high quality. It is no secret that [Turkish citizens] are sensitive about food, but a very good solution has been found here. Turkish cuisine evenings and evenings featuring other nations' cuisines are organized, which we liked. There is also plenty of entertainment for children. We are impressed by the peace and security in the resort, which is very important, especially for children."

The prices for holidays in Albena are reasonable, especially against the backdrop of inflation in Turkiye, which has caused prices there to skyrocket.

The Turkish tourists were impressed by the friendly attitude of the officials at the Bulgarian border. One tourist shared: "The officers were polite. They even joked with the children, and we felt a positive attitude right there. Then, as we travelled, we were impressed by the fact that people in Bulgaria obey the traffic rules. We travelled through beautiful countryside and had a wonderful holiday, combining a beach break with sports. We are leaving with a little sadness, but we have decided to come back again next year."

During the summer of 2025, there was a noticeable increase in interest in the resort among Turkish tourists compared to previous years, placing Albena among the preferred destinations for holiday and relaxation among guests from neighbouring Turkiye, said Bircan Sali, the manager overseeing the Turkish market at the resort.

Sali reported that the first group of Turkish tourists opened the season back in April. She added: "In addition to groups, the number of individual tourists arriving by their own transport has also increased, which is new. More and more Turkish tour operators and agencies want to sign cooperation agreements because there is great interest from Turkish tourists. By the end of the season, we expect the number of Turkish tourists in Albena to exceed 1,800." She said that the increased interest of Turkish tourists in Albena in recent times is due to the active promotion of the resort on the Turkish market.

According to Tahsin Ergul, CEO of Istanbul-based EVOQ, a company specializing in sports and tourism events abroad, the increased interest from Turkiye in the Albena resort is also due to sport, which is a key element of the tourism mix. He told BTA that Albena is his company's top priority and added: "First, Bulgaria is the closest destination to us, which is an advantage, especially in a world where transport costs are rising. Second, we prioritize cooperation between Turkiye and Bulgaria in organizing the sports and tourism sector." Ergul praised Albena for having numerous football, basketball and volleyball facilities, tennis courts, and facilities for winter camps.

This year's table tennis festival saw 48 players from Turkiye, one of the largest groups there. Both Murat Eris and Nursema Coklar won gold at the tournament.

During the conversation with the CEO of EVOQ, the matter of visas, which are mandatory for entry into Bulgaria for a large part of Turkish citizens, was also raised. According to Bulgarian and Turkish representatives in the tourism sector, this is an obstacle to increasing tourist flows to Bulgaria, even though holders of service passports and dual citizens are exempt from visa requirements. In this regard, the European Commission's decision, adopted on July 15, 2025, to ease the visa regime for third countries, including Turkiye, was welcomed by the Turkish side.

With this new approach, in addition to three-month and six-month visas, it is now possible to issue one-year, three-year and five-year visas to citizens who have not committed any violations during the issuance of a previous visa. Bulgaria's Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh stated: "This is a fact that will completely ease the visa regime with Turkiye, which is extremely important, especially in the field of tourism."

The tourism industry expects that the implementation of the new approach will increase the number of visits by Turkish citizens to Bulgarian resorts.