With 10.7 million foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria between January and September 2024, the country has achieved a 2.5% growth compared to the pre-pandemic peak year of 2019. Bulgaria is on track to reach its ambitious target of 13 million visitors by year-end and generate 14 billion BGN in tourism revenue.

According to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), 2024 is shaping up to be the most successful year in the history of Bulgarian tourism.

Romanian tourists continue to lead in numbers, but Bulgaria is increasingly attracting visitors from the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and France.

From January to September 2024, 7.5 million tourists stayed in categorized accommodations, marking a 3.9% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and a 9.4% rise compared to 2019.

Revenues from overnight stays reached 2.1 billion BGN in the first nine months of the year, up 15.4% from 2023.

Forecasts predict that Bulgaria will exceed its goal, welcoming 13.1 million tourists by the end of 2024—surpassing the 12.6 million visitors recorded in 2023 and securing 2024 as its best tourism year yet.