site.btaTourism Ministry Seeks Easier Visas to Attract More Turkish Tourists

Bulgaria is working to ease visa issuance and attract more Turkish tourists, Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov said, the Tourism Ministry press service said on Friday. Dimitrov spoke after meeting Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Sait Uyanık.

Dimitrov said steps were being taken to increase the capacity of consular services. Options were also being considered for a simplified procedure for Turkish citizens who had previously been issued visas. “Turkiye is among the countries with the best connections to Bulgaria. The proximity of the two countries makes travel by car easy, and easing the visa process could significantly increase tourist exchanges,” Dimitrov said.

Uyanık described tourism as one of the strongest bridges between the two peoples. He said around 3 million Bulgarians visited Turkiye in 2025, placing Bulgaria among the five leading markets for Turkish tourism. Since the beginning of 2026, Bulgarian citizens have made around 1.2 million trips to Turkiye. “Bulgaria has enormous potential. Spa tourism is an area in which the country is exceptionally strong, while Bansko and Borovets are already very popular with Turkish tourists,” Uyanık said. He added that greater flexibility in visa issuance would encourage Turkish citizens to visit Bulgaria more often and discover its winter, balneological and spa destinations.

The Ministry of Tourism plans to organize a visit by Turkish tour operators during the winter season so they can see first-hand what Bansko and Borovets have to offer. Dimitrov also invited Uyanık to take part in the initiative.

Bulgaria introduced a more flexible visa system for Turkish citizens in July 2025, allowing eligible applicants with a compliant visa history to receive one-, three- or five-year visas. Turkish tourist registrations exceeded 110,000 in January-May 2025, up 61.6% year on year.

The Tourism Ministry has also promoted Bulgaria’s spa, wellness and balneological tourism in Turkiye. More than 295,000 Turkish tourists were registered at Bulgarian accommodation establishments in 2025, an increase of 61%, while the figure exceeded 95,000 at the start of 2026.