site.bta2025 Marks Turning Point for Bulgarian Tourism Industry, Deputy Minister Says

This year Bulgaria has had the most successful summer tourist season since the pandemic, and the forecasts for the winter at this point are also optimistic, as the stable positive trend is expected to continue, Deputy Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva said on Tuesday. She was speaking at a conference in Sofia titled "Destination Bulgaria: In Focus in 2026", organized by the National Board of Tourism with the institutional support of the Tourism Ministry.

The conference was aimed to present the events of greatest importance for establishing Bulgaria as a tourist destination, which will attract a large number of visitors from Bulgaria and abroad next year and will have a direct economic contribution. The conference was attended by mayors, representatives of ministries, the National Culture Fund, the Trend Research Centre, the Institute for Market Economics, the Bulgarian Festival Association, the Bulgarian Convention Bureau, the National Palace of Culture, the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, the Institute for Analyses and Assessment in Tourism, and other related institutions.

Deputy Minister Georgieva said the sustainable development of the sector in Bulgaria is not just words but a fact, and the country is strengthening its position as a competitive European tourist destination attracting an ever-growing number of tourists from various foreign markets. She cited Eurostat data showing that for the period June to August 2025 Bulgaria is among the top 10 countries in the European Union in terms of overnight stays by foreign tourists, placing the country among the destinations with the highest activity from international tourists and ahead of a number of other well-known tourist destinations in Europe. Georgieva also referred to data from the National Statistical Institute, according to which for the period January to September 2025 Bulgaria recorded a 14.9% increase in tourist registrations compared with 2019 (the last pre-pandemic year) and a 5.1% increase compared with 2024.

She said: "We believe that 2025 is a turning-point year not only because of the statistical data but also because it realizes a new vision for the development of the tourism industry, a vision authored by Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh." She stressed that this vision stands out for its specific focus and direct work with the sector and with municipalities, adding that 2026 is in the focus of the Tourism Ministry as the year of cultural tourism.

According to Georgieva, the work of the Tourism Ministry will be focused on developing and promoting new thematic tourism routes: historical, cultural, festival, and culinary. The work will be done in partnership with municipalities, museums, cultural centres, and the tourism industry to diversify tourism products and boost interest in our country as a year-round tourist destination. "We will support events that present authentic Bulgarian culture to the world. We will establish Bulgaria as a destination for sustainable experiences with an emphasis on authenticity and heritage protection," Georgieva said.

She stressed, however, that the success of 2026 will not be achieved by the ministry's efforts alone, and said that a united sector is needed: the state, business, municipalities represented by local authorities, cultural institutions, academia, and civil organizations.