Bulgarian Tourism Sees Strong Start, Faces Staffing Challenges
Coastal hoteliers are increasing employee wages by at least 20% to address the staff shortage
Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Burgas has been ranked 74th in the Top 100 Cities Destination ranking of global market research company Euromonitor International.
Burgas thus beats its Bulgarian Black Sea neighbor Varna, which is ranked 79th.
According to Euromonitor Internationa's ranking Top 100 Cities Destination ranking, a list of the world's top cities in terms of international tourist arrivals in 2011, Bulgaria's capital Sofia is lagging behind Burgas and Varna making it to the 96th spot.
The 2011 international tourist arrivals in Burgas are estimated at 1.860 million people, in Varna – at 1.814 million, and in Sofia – 1.468 million.
"Тhe rebound in global economic growth in 2011 contributed to stronger tourism demand, positively impacting results for the top 100 cities, with arrivals increasing 7%. Emerging city destinations located in Asia Pacific performed well thanks to a strong economic environment and intra-regional demand," Euromonitor said.
Hong Kong topped the ranking with more than 20 million arrivals in 2011, a nine percent increase over 2010. Hong Kong remains largely dependent on arrivals from China, but new themed events organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board helped draw in visitors from other Asian countries this year. Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand all registered double-digit growth in the number of trips to Hong Kong.
Singapore and London kept their 2010 positions as number two and three on the list, recording nearly 20 million arrivals and 15 million arrivals, respectively.
Singapore's growth was driven primarily by large events like the Great Singapore Sales, Formula One Grand Prix and TravelRave, while London benefited from a wide mix of entertainment options and its position as Europe's best connected city.
"While many cities maintained their previous rankings, Vietnam showed a particularly strong performance with Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi experiencing over 40% growth for the second consecutive year," explains Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel and Tourism Research at Euromonitor International. "Although Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will continue to be top tourist attractions in Vietnam, future demand is likely to be driven by other Vietnamese cities including Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc emerging as international tourists look to discover more new places."
Euromonitor International foresees an even stronger growth for arrivals in 2012. Because uncertainty in the global economy still exists, especially in the US and Europe, future growth will be driven by Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Less visa restrictions will further encourage tourism flows over 2012-2016.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Coastal hoteliers are increasing employee wages by at least 20% to address the staff shortage
The Simeonovo lift, located on Vitosha Mountain, has ceased operations permanently due to unavailability of necessary parts
French President Emmanuel Macron has designated Varna as one of his favored travel destination
"Wizz Air" has unveiled a fresh route from Varna to London Gatwick Airport, marking an expansion in its flight offerings
The "Blue Flag" program's international jury has recognized the excellence of 23 Bulgarian beaches and the Marina "Dinevi" by awarding them with the prestigious certificate
The seaside resorts of Bulgaria are facing an urgent shortage of lifeguards and medical personnel, exacerbated by new regulations mandating a higher presence of medical specialists at rescue stations
Sofia Airport's Terminal 3 Construction Set to Begin in Early 2026
COVID-19 Impact: Bulgaria's Grim Milestone as Highest Death Rate in EU