In August, 733,000 Bulgarians stayed at hotels, motels, and campsites within the country, while another 500,000 traveled abroad during the same period, according to the National Statistical Institute's (NSI) report on tourism and accommodation revenues for the peak holiday month of the year.

The number of domestic tourists this August was higher compared to the same month in 2023, but the total number of their overnight stays and the average duration of stays slightly declined.

Despite the high activity in August, Bulgarian hoteliers' overall performance did not fully meet the summer expectations. The NSI recorded a modest rise in the number of foreign tourists' overnight stays and a drop among Bulgarians, along with a minimal increase in overall nights spent. However, the sector saw a stable growth in revenue, mainly driven by higher service prices.

The total number of nights spent in August remained at 6.3 million, consistent with the previous year. Foreign tourists accounted for 4 million of these, a 1.3% increase, while Bulgarians spent 2.3 million nights, marking a 2.2% decrease from August 2023.

Foreign tourists chose 4- and 5-star accommodations for 75.9% of their nights, and Bulgarians preferred them for 40.1% of their stays. In contrast, 3-star hotels hosted 17.8% of the foreign tourists' nights and 24.2% of Bulgarian stays. Low-tier 1- and 2-star accommodations saw 6.3% of nights by foreign guests and 35.7% by local tourists.

Overall, the number of overnight stays in the busiest month rose by 4.1% year-on-year, reaching 1.6 million. There was a 4.3% increase for foreign guests and a 3.9% rise for Bulgarians. The average stay was 3.1 nights for Bulgarians, with 733,000 citizens staying overnight, while 870,000 foreign tourists stayed an average of 4.6 nights.

Revenue from overnight stays in August saw an 11.3% growth compared to the previous year, totaling BGN 582 million. Foreign tourists contributed BGN 407 million, while Bulgarian guests accounted for BGN 175 million.

The overall bed occupancy rate stood at 60.7%, a slight drop of 0.3 percentage points from the previous year. The highest occupancy was in 4- and 5-star accommodations at 77.6%, followed by 3-star establishments at 54.2%, and 1- and 2-star accommodations at 36.4%.

In total, 3,720 establishments with 10 or more beds, including hotels, motels, campsites, and lodges, were operational in the country during August, offering 147,000 rooms and 338,000 beds. This marked a 0.5% increase in the number of available accommodation places and a 0.3% rise in the number of beds compared to the same month in the previous year.