Bulgarian Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova stated in a speech delivered at the International Congress on World Civilizations and Modern Tourism, held in Sofia, that tourism revenues increased by 14.7% in the January-October 2016 period, exceeding 5.5 billion leva.
“Bulgaria’s tourism sector is recording an unprecedented evolution this year. In the January-October 2016 period, the number of foreign tourists reached a record level. We are talking about nearly 7.5 million people. We expect to have over 8 million foreign visitors by the end of the year and, therefore, 2016 will be the first year in which we will have more tourists coming to Bulgaria than the country’s population,” stated Nikolina Angelkova.
According to data from the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism, in recent years, the number of Romanian tourists in Bulgaria has reached 1 million per year, while the number of Bulgarians who visited Romania is approximately 300,000 per year.
According to official data, at the end of last year, Bulgaria had a population of 7.15 million people.
The official drew attention to the lack of qualified personnel in the hotel industry and gave assurances that labor legislation will be modified to facilitate the hiring of seasonal workers from outside the country.
Source: Capital
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tourists visited Bulgaria in 2016?
Bulgaria expected over 8 million foreign tourists in 2016, surpassing the country’s population of 7.15 million for the first time.
What was the growth in Bulgarian tourism revenue?
Tourism revenue increased by 14.7% between January and October 2016, exceeding 5.5 billion leva.
How many Romanian tourists visit Bulgaria annually?
Approximately 1 million Romanian tourists visit Bulgaria every year, while about 300,000 Bulgarians visit Romania.