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Photo by BGNES.
Bulgaria expects a significant tourist influx in the summer season, Deputy Economy Minister Branimir Botev announced at a tour operators meeting in Plovdiv, Thursday.
According to Botev, the number of visas issued for Belarusians only has increased by 12% this year.
The Deputy Minister of Economy expects an increase of Ukrainian tourists as well, due to the current situation in Crimea.
"The closest resorts for Ukrainians apart from Crimea, are those on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast," Botev said, as cited by BGNES.
According to him, there will be no decline in the numbers of Russian visitors, because holiday packages are negotiated several months in advance.
Over 60 organizations participate in the ongoing international tour operators meeting in the city of Plovdiv. The focus of this year's meeting is mainly on the cultural and wine tourism.
The new political season in Bulgaria began with a striking and controversial proposal from the leader of the pro-Russian anti-EU party "Revival," Kostadin Kostadinov.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities have reportedly served Yuliia Tymoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchyna parliamentary faction, with a notice of suspicion, according to sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda
European governments are pressing the European Union leadership to appoint a dedicated representative to lead negotiations with Russia aimed at resolving the ongoing war in Ukraine
Russian forces carried out a large-scale combined missile and drone attack across several regions of Ukraine on the night of January 12–13, with Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts among the hardest hit, while emergency power outages were introduced in Kyi
Former Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba does not see any realistic prospect for an end to the war with Russia in 2026, although he believes a temporary ceasefire could still be achievable during that period
The United Kingdom is moving ahead with plans to develop a new long-range ballistic missile system for Ukraine, intended to strengthen Kyiv’s ability to strike deep behind Russian lines
Wizz Air has announced the opening of three new direct air routes from Bulgaria for the summer season of 2026, strengthening its presence on the local market and expanding travel options from Sofia and Varna
Hotels in Bulgaria are transitioning to the euro without major issues, according to Georgi Duchev, executive director of the Bulgarian Association of Hotel Management Professionals
The U.S. State Department has rated Bulgaria as one of the safest destinations for travelers in Europe, assigning it a Level 1 status, the lowest risk category
Sofia’s Vitosha Boulevard continues to hold its status as Bulgaria’s most expensive shopping street, with average rents reaching 726 euros per square meter per year,
Bulgaria has officially introduced a visa programme for digital nomads, allowing foreigners to live and work in the country for extended periods
Wizz Air has announced a new direct connection between Varna and Budapest, set to begin on June 8, 2026. The flights will operate twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays, and tickets are already available on the airline’s website and mobile app, starting at
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