Bulgarian tourism sector faces challenges as airport traffic lags behind 2019 levels

Bulgarian Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov has acknowledged a difficult tourism season for 2026, noting that the country ranked last in Eurostat data for the first quarter of the year. He specifically highlighted that the airports in Varna and Burgas have yet to return to their 2019 traffic levels.

To address this, the Ministry is negotiating with major airlines to establish and maintain new flight routes, particularly following the Eurovision Song Contest. Dimitrov stated that Bulgaria intends to avoid the mistake made by Vienna by hosting Eurovision-related events across multiple cities, including Plovdiv, Varna, Sofia, and Burgas, to maximize regional development.

Additionally, the Minister discussed a new regulation for an attraction registry, currently under public discussion. Once finalized, this will allow consumers to verify the documentation of various attractions. However, Dimitrov emphasized that while regulation is necessary, it cannot replace the personal responsibility of attraction operators.