Over 100,000 Bulgarians are expected to travel abroad during the upcoming holiday season, according to Prof. Dr. Rumen Draganov, Director of the Institute for Analysis and Forecasts in Tourism at the University of Library Science and Information Technologies. Speaking in an interview with BNR, Draganov provided insight into tourism trends during this period, which spans from December 20 to January 2, and is expected to see significant travel activity.

Draganov predicts that the most common reason for travel will be visits to family and friends, accounting for the majority of the outbound tourism. Following this, visits to winter resorts, guesthouses, and SPA hotels will be popular, especially for those looking to enjoy winter sports or a relaxing holiday atmosphere. Approximately 100,000 Bulgarians are expected to travel abroad, with about 60% of them visiting relatives, while the remainder will choose various tourist destinations.

The extended holiday period this year, lasting more than 10 days, is seen as an opportunity for both family and corporate travel. Many Bulgarians will take advantage of the longer break, with some even traveling multiple times during this period. Draganov also pointed out a notable shift in the festive mood this year, as Christmas trees and bazaars appeared as early as November, helping to boost holiday spirit and encourage early travel planning.

In terms of domestic tourism, a report by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) reveals that in October 2024, Bulgaria had 2,237 short-term accommodation facilities, including hotels, motels, campsites, and chalets, offering a total of 148.5 thousand beds. The number of accommodation places increased by 0.2% compared to the previous year, although the total bed count saw a slight decrease of 1.4%. Over 1 million overnight stays were recorded, reflecting a modest 1.4% increase from the same month in 2023.

Foreign tourists accounted for a significant portion of the overnight stays, with 75.5% of the total number of stays in 4- and 5-star accommodations being from international visitors. Bulgarians made up 43.6% of overnight stays in these higher-end accommodations. For 3-star accommodations, the share of foreign visitors was 16.0%, while 28.0% of the stays were made by Bulgarians.

The total bed occupancy rate for all accommodations in October was 24.5%, marking a small increase from the previous year. The highest occupancy rate was seen in 4- and 5-star accommodations, at 28.4%, followed by 3-star accommodations with a 26.5% occupancy rate. Meanwhile, 1- and 2-star accommodations had the lowest occupancy rate at 17.1%.

Revenue from overnight stays also showed positive growth, increasing by 16.5% compared to October 2023, totaling 97.6 million leva. Of this, 57.3 million leva came from Bulgarian tourists, while foreign visitors contributed 40.3 million leva to the total.

Sources:

• National Statistical Institute (NSI)
• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)