By the middle of July 2026, Bulgarian tourism continues to develop steadily, but the trend is clear – growth is driven by urban, cultural, and domestic tourism, rather than the traditional summer seaside season. Experts and official data show that cities like Sofia and Plovdiv, as well as mountain and cultural routes, are attracting more guests throughout the year, while seaside resorts have not yet fully recovered their 2019 results.
At the beginning of the year, Prof. Rumen Draganov, Director of the Institute for Analysis and Assessment in Tourism, pointed out that "tourism is standing quite steadily" and that "we expect growth in 2026 as well," with the forecast being that Bulgaria will be visited by at least "14 million foreign visitors" – compared to about "13.5 million" in 2025, which already exceeded 2019 levels. At the same time, he emphasizes that the main market remains the domestic one – Bulgarians who are expected to make over "27 million trips within the country," with active tourists traveling "5–6 times a year."
Before Euronews Bulgaria, Prof. Draganov adds that for the winter season and the first months of 2026, "we expect growth" and revenues of about "170 million euros" for the period, which is "7% more compared to last year." These data show that although the first quarter brings challenges, the overall framework for the year remains positive – especially in domestic tourism and urban travel.
At the same time, an analysis based on data from Eurostat and the NSI shows that the first quarter of 2026 was marked by a "decline in foreign tourists" and a very slight increase in Bulgarians. The total number of overnight stays realized for the period January–March reached "3,385,490," which is a "minimal decline of 0.9% compared to the same period in 2025" (then – "3,416,916"). Overnight stays by foreigners decreased by "4.3%" to "1,250,226," and the physical number of foreign guests who stayed overnight fell by "2.9%" to "455,585." At the same time, overnight stays by Bulgarian tourists increased by "1.1%" – to "2,135,264," which once again confirms the strengthening of the domestic market.
In parallel, the NSI reports that during the first quarter of 2026, "1 million Bulgarian citizens aged 15 and over" made tourist trips, with "78.4%" of them traveling only within the country. Only "17.9%" traveled only abroad, and "3.7%" – both in Bulgaria and abroad. The data show that the main purpose remains "vacation and excursion," and "90.3%" of personal trips were organized independently, without a tour operator. This means that it is precisely independently planned urban and domestic trips that are the engine of the sector at the beginning of 2026.
Against this background, seaside tourism continues to lag behind. As early as the end of 2025, Prof. Draganov and other experts pointed out that "the increase is noted at the expense of cultural and other types of tourism," while "seaside tourism continues to mark stagnation and still cannot reach the results of 2019." The 2026 summer season began with moderate optimism – according to data from the Ministry of Tourism, about "3% growth in advance bookings" and approximately "5% increase in the number of tourists" are expected compared to the previous summer, but the main emphasis again falls on Bulgarian tourists and combined vacations (city + sea, mountain + sea), rather than just the classic "all inclusive" on the coast.
The truth about "undeclared" overnight stays continues to be a sensitive topic in 2026 as well. Official data from the NSI and analytical publications clearly show that the real tourist flow is larger than the registered figures – especially for independent trips, urban weekend tours, and short-term rentals. Platforms for short-term accommodation, small family hotels, rental apartments, and guesthouses do not always submit accurate information to the Unified Tourist Information System, and some overnight stays remain outside official reports – this is precisely what lies behind the concept of "invisible" or "undeclared" overnight stays.
These "invisible" overnight stays are concentrated mostly where urban and alternative tourism are growing – in Sofia, Plovdiv, and other cities, as well as in mountain and rural areas where tourists prefer independent accommodation instead of large hotels. This distorts statistics, leads to an underestimation of tourism benchmarks, and simultaneously means "lost tax and tourism revenues" for the state and municipalities – uncollected VAT, tourist taxes, and "household waste" fees.
The Ministry of Tourism and regulatory bodies are responding with increased control – especially along the seaside and in large cities, where on-site inspections are being carried out and registered properties are obligated to submit current data for every overnight stay. The published interactive statistics for the 2025 summer season and current data for 2026 aim precisely to show a more transparent picture and limit the grey sector, but experts admit that "independent and undeclared overnight stays" remain a significant challenge, especially against the backdrop of the growth in domestic, urban, and alternative tourism.
In summary, by mid-July 2026, the tourism picture in Bulgaria is two-layered: on the one hand, the country is heading towards a record "14 million foreign visitors" for the year and a strong domestic market with over "27 million trips" by Bulgarians; on the other – the seaside season is not yet a leading engine, and the real growth comes from cities, cultural routes, and mountain and rural destinations. At the same time, "undeclared overnight stays" continue to make part of this success invisible to statistics, which puts the task before institutions to balance control, transparency, and incentives for the sustainable development of tourism outside the traditional seaside coast.