Bulgaria welcomes record number of tourists and marks stable growth in 2025

13.10.2025 | Analysis

Tourism in Bulgaria reports historic successes with over 13 million foreign visitors, market expansion and development of regional, mountain and sea tourism.

Снимка от www.bdmundo.com, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The tourism industry in Bulgaria continues to develop at a record pace. According to the National Statistical Institute, in 2025 the country recorded over 2,269,900 visits by foreigners in August alone, which is 6.3% more than last year. The largest share is held by tourists from the EU - more than 59% of all visits, and Romania, Germany, Poland and Greece stand out among the main markets. Visits from Turkey dominate from the other European countries.

During the first four months of the year, over 2 million tourists were registered in accommodation facilities with over 10 beds, realizing almost 4.5 million overnight stays. The data show an increase of 6.4% of tourists and 4.5% more overnight stays compared to the same period in 2024.

The winter season is particularly successful, which for the first time recorded over 2 million tourists - 6.4% more compared to the previous year. Domestic tourism is also gaining momentum, with Bulgarian citizens realizing over 1.1 million more trips compared to the previous period.

Bulgaria maintains its competitive position on the European tourist map thanks to sustainable growth, increased average length of stay to 10 days, diverse destinations and a serious presence in both summer and winter tourism. The digitalization of services, the introduction of new infrastructure solutions and the high quality of the offer are among the leading factors for success.