site.btaTourist Numbers in Bulgaria Increase by Slightly over 5% in First Two Winter Months Y/Y

Bulgaria saw an increase in tourist numbers by slightly over 5% in the December 2023 - January 2024 period compared with the first two months of the previous winter season. Italian tourists increased the most, while Israeli tourists were fewer by nearly 70%. Bulgarian tourists increased by 8%. With 86,772 registrations, Bansko Municipality was the most visited ski resort, the Tourism Ministry told BTA.

Data from the Unified Tourist Information System (UTIS) show 937,527 tourist registrations between December 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, up by a little over 5% from a year earlier, the Ministry said.

The leading markets

The leading markets this winter are Bulgaria with 683,477 registrations, Greece 33,281, Romania 30,619, Turkiye 31,955, Republic of North Macedonia - 20,842, UK - 19,008 and Italy - 17,118 registrations.

Compared with the previous winter season, between December 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, Bulgarian tourists were 8% more, tourists from the Republic of North Macedonia were over 15% more, British tourists increased by 6%, and Italian tourists increased the most, by over 30%. The situation on the Israeli market is the most complicated, with 7,191 registrations, down by 69% compared with the period between December 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023.

Ski resorts

In the first two months of this winter season, the municipalities with developed ski tourism - Bansko, Samokov, Smolyan and Chepelare - registered 187,201 tourists. Bansko is the leader with 86,772 registrations, followed by Samokov with 55,518 (up by 16.2% from a year earlier). Smolyan and Chepelare registered a total of 44,911 tourists (up by 10.2% from a year earlier).