Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria rose by 2.4% year-on-year to an eight-month high of 1,021.8 thousand in May 2026, rebounding from a 1.4% decline in the previous month. Holiday and leisure travel accounted for the largest share of arrivals at 41.8%, followed by visits for other purposes (43.9%), while business and professional trips represented 14.2%. Visitors from European Union countries totaled 618.7 thousand, or 60.5% of all arrivals, with Romania (41.2%), Greece (23.7%), and Germany (10.4%) remaining the leading source markets. Tourists from other European countries accounted for 33.5% of arrivals, led by Turkey (55.8%) and Serbia (13.9%). Elsewhere, visitors from other countries made up 1.5% of the total, with Israel contributing 68.3% of that segment. Transit travelers passing through Bulgaria reached 307.9 thousand, representing 30.1% of all non-resident visits during the month. source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria

Tourist Arrivals in Bulgaria increased to 1021842 in May from 786526 in April of 2026. Tourist Arrivals in Bulgaria averaged 863393.79 from 1991 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 3531567.00 in December of 2003 and a record low of 81153.00 in April of 2020. This page provides - Bulgaria Tourist Arrivals - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Bulgaria Tourist Arrivals - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-29 08:00 AM
Tourist Arrivals YoY
Apr -1.4% 0.5% 3.6%
2026-06-29 08:00 AM
Tourist Arrivals YoY
May 2.4% -1.4% 4.5%
2026-07-29 08:00 AM
Tourist Arrivals YoY
Jun 2.4%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade -1292.20 -1426.20 EUR Million Apr 2026
Capital Flows -863.20 -1816.20 EUR Million Apr 2026
Current Account -1209.30 -1446.40 EUR Million Apr 2026
Current Account to GDP -5.70 -0.50 percent of GDP Dec 2025
Exports 3959.10 4107.90 EUR Million Apr 2026
Exports by Category
Exports by Country
External Debt 66718.30 69264.50 EUR Million Apr 2026
Foreign Direct Investment 206.80 658.10 EUR Million Apr 2026
Gold Reserves 41.04 42.93 Tonnes Mar 2026
Imports 5251.30 5530.50 EUR Million Apr 2026
Imports by Category
Imports by Country
Natural Gas Imports 0.00 54139.32 Terajoule May 2026
Remittances 128.60 127.00 EUR Million Apr 2026
Terrorism Index 0.00 0.00 Points Dec 2025
Tourist Arrivals YoY 1021842.00 786526.00 May 2026
Weapons Sales 14.00 19.00 SIPRI TIV Million Dec 2024


Bulgaria Tourist Arrivals
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
1021842.00 786526.00 3531567.00 81153.00 1991 - 2026 Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Bulgaria Tourist Arrivals Rebound in May
Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria rose by 2.4% year-on-year to an eight-month high of 1,021.8 thousand in May 2026, rebounding from a 1.4% decline in the previous month. Holiday and leisure travel accounted for the largest share of arrivals at 41.8%, followed by visits for other purposes (43.9%), while business and professional trips represented 14.2%. Visitors from European Union countries totaled 618.7 thousand, or 60.5% of all arrivals, with Romania (41.2%), Greece (23.7%), and Germany (10.4%) remaining the leading source markets. Tourists from other European countries accounted for 33.5% of arrivals, led by Turkey (55.8%) and Serbia (13.9%). Elsewhere, visitors from other countries made up 1.5% of the total, with Israel contributing 68.3% of that segment. Transit travelers passing through Bulgaria reached 307.9 thousand, representing 30.1% of all non-resident visits during the month.
2026-06-29
Bulgaria Tourist Arrivals Fall 1.4% in April
Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria fell by 1.4% year-on-year to 786.5 thousand in April 2026, reversing a 0.5% increase in the previous month. This marked the first annual contraction in tourist arrivals since June 2025, as trips for other purposes declined by 4.8%, while professional visits fell by 1.3%, whereas holiday and recreation travel increased by 3.2%. EU citizens accounted for 55.4% of total arrivals, or 435.6 thousand, with the largest shares coming from Romania (41.2%) and Greece (30.8%). Meanwhile, visitors from other European countries made up 38.5%, or 303 thousand, led by Turkey at 60.2% of that group, or 182.5 thousand. In addition, transit passes accounted for 30.8% of all non-resident visits to Bulgaria, or 242.6 thousand.
2026-05-29
Bulgaria Tourist Arrivals Up Just 0.5% in March
Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria rose by 0.5% year-on-year to 771.2 thousand in March 2026, slowing from a 2% increase in the previous month. An increase of 5.5% was registered in the trips with professional purposes and of 1.1% in those with holiday and recreation purposes, while those with other purposes decreased by 1.3%. EU citizens made up 56.7% of total arrivals, or 437.5 thousand, the largest being by visitors from Romania (36.9%) and Greece (31.0%). Visitors from other European countries accounted for 38.3% of arrivals, totaling 295.6 thousand, with the highest registered number of visits from Turkey, representing 59.1% of this group, or 174.7 thousand. The transit passes through the country were 31.8% or 245.0 thousand of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.
2026-04-29