Tourism direct GDP | Tourism direct employment | Travel exports (2024) |
|---|---|---|
- | - | 26.0% of total service exports (up 0.7 percentage points since 2023) |
OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026
National tourism strategy: National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014- 2030
Responsible government agency: Ministry of Tourism
National tourism budget: EUR 14.7 million (2026)
Key tourism policy priorities and actions:
Creating favourable conditions for sustainable tourism development – Strengthening actions on environmental awareness, climate change adaptation and resource efficiency for the tourism sector.
Developing a competitive tourism sector – Optimising the regulatory framework to improve tourism sector support while improving the quality of products, human resources and digitalisation.
Successfully positioning Bulgaria on the global market – Implementing targeted marketing while promoting specialised tourism products and cultural tourism.
Tourism is an important source of employment and foreign exchange earnings in Bulgaria. Tourism contributed to over 227 000 jobs in the country in 2023, while travel accounted for 26.0% of all service exports in 2024.
In 2025, Bulgaria recorded over 4.1 million international tourists in accommodation establishments, an increase of 9.8% compared to 2024. The top three inbound tourism markets were Romania (23.8%), Ukraine (8.1%) and Germany (7.4%).
Domestic tourism continues to grow, maintaining record levels. In 2025 Bulgaria recorded nearly 5.4 million domestic overnight visitors in accommodation establishments, an increase of 2.9% compared to 2024. Domestic travel receipts in 2024 reached BGN 2.2 billion.
The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for implementing tourism policy at the national level. This includes the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014-2030, along with an Action plan and the regulation of the tourism sector. The Ministry is also in charge of international marketing, co-ordinating the implementation of national marketing programmes, overseeing regional marketing strategies, and co-ordinating the implementation of tourism activities from other ministries and institutions. National tourism policy is formulated by the Council of Ministers.
The National Tourism Council is a consultative body operating under the authority of the Ministry of Tourism. Its members include representatives from tourism-related ministries, national, regional and local tourism associations as well as branch and product associations, transport operators and consumer organisations.
Regional (district) authorities oversee the implementation of the national tourism policy at the regional level. Nine Tourism Regions Management Organisations have been established to co-ordinate tourism activities. These organisations comprise tourism associations, municipal and regional representatives, scientific organisations, tourism schools and institutes, consumer associations and other stakeholders. Their main goal is to reduce regional disparities by creating strong regional brands and specialised tourism products based on local resources.
At the local level, municipal administrations are responsible for tourism development. The Municipal Council adopts a tourism development programme for the municipality aligned with the regional strategy, develops a marketing strategy and follows the local tourism resources and needs.
Source: OECD, adapted from the Ministry of Tourism, 2026.
The National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014-2030 guides national tourism policy in Bulgaria. The Strategy sets key goals to create favourable environmental and business conditions for the development of sustainable tourism. Other goals focus on developing competitiveness, positioning the destination successfully in the international market and creating balance development across tourism regions. Tourism is also supported by regional strategies and programmes across Bulgaria’s 28 regions, and is integrated as a sector in the NUTS2 regional development plans. Nine marketing strategies for the Tourism Regions Management Organisations have also been prepared.
Tourism development in Bulgaria’s regions is considered a core priority. Tourism is increasingly seen as a mechanism to mitigate the impacts of demographic decline and help to retain population in local communities. The Government supported over 40 regional festivals, events and thematic conferences in 2025, to boost visibility and stimulate local economic activity. Co-ordination with regional administrations is being reinforced to ensure effective implementation of regional tourism development strategies and to promote balanced, sustainable territorial development.
The development of tourism is directly dependent on environmental factors and the quality of natural resources, so efforts are being made by all stakeholders in Bulgaria to adapt to natural processes and reduce harmful impacts on the environment. This includes efforts to prepare the sector for adaptation to climate change through campaigns, training and awareness-raising events; to provide opportunities for financing measures for energy and resource efficiency of enterprises; and to introduce innovations and digitalisation in the sector.
To stimulate the development of tourism businesses and to increase competitiveness, there are efforts to improve the quality of tourism products and the presentation of Bulgaria as a tourist destination. Bulgaria is advancing a broad agenda to improve the regulatory framework governing the tourism sector, and support a more resilient, trustworthy and competitive tourism environment. In 2024, the government introduced planned amendments to the Tourism Act, including the following:
Establishment of a Tourist Guarantee Fund, aimed at protecting consumer rights and ensuring the safety of travellers in the event of operator insolvency.
Improved administrative regulation to simplify procedures and increase transparency in service provision.
Enhanced supervisory powers for the Ministry of Tourism, enabling more effective control over tourism-related economic activities and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
Introduction of formal requirements for short-term rental accommodations, addressing issues related to safety, standards, taxation and market transparency.
Additional efforts to improve competitiveness in the tourism sector include initiatives supporting its digital transformation, strengthening the digital presence and marketing capabilities of Bulgarian destinations, and the improving the tourism workforce. Initiatives for the tourism workforce include: developing State Educational Standards and National Examination Programmes for the professions from the new List of Professions for Vocational Education and Training; improving dual training in the tourism sector; raising the prestige of the professions among students and attracting Bulgarians working abroad; facilitating access for third-country nationals to the Bulgarian labour market; and providing 100 scholarships for Bulgarian students to study at the UN Tourism Online Academy.
Niche tourism markets continue to offer opportunities for high value tourism (see box below). Recognising the growing importance of health and wellness tourism globally, Bulgaria is preparing a Roadmap for the Development of Medical Tourism. This initiative seeks to capitalise on the country’s medical expertise, natural resources and favourable pricing, while ensuring robust standards and international credibility. The Roadmap will outline investment priorities, quality assurance mechanisms and market development strategies. Cultural tourism also remains a priority area due to its potential to support regional development, reduce seasonality and enhance international recognition. Bulgaria is implementing a series of initiatives to promote cultural, festival, culinary, wine and pilgrimage tourism including organising an international conference on cultural tourism and participating in thematic international tourism exhibitions.
To support evidence-based policymaking, Bulgaria is developing new partnerships for more effective analysis of tourist flows. Improved data collection and analytical tools will enable policymakers to respond more rapidly to market shifts, identify growth opportunities and design targeted promotional activities.
Bulgaria will continue to advance a results-oriented policy framework for the development of specialised and high-value niche forms of tourism in 2026, working in close co-operation with municipalities and regional authorities. The focus in 2025 was on wine tourism, with the highlight being Bulgaria’s hosting of the 9th Global Wine Conference in Plovdiv and its accession to the European Federation Iter Vitis. Building on this strong momentum, strategic focus will shift toward cultural tourism in 2026. Cultural tourism is seen as a key driver of economic diversification, regional competitiveness, and year-round visitor demand.
From an economic standpoint, the Ministry’s policy agenda for 2026 will prioritise:
Enhancing the competitiveness of niche tourism products by improving infrastructure, service quality, and destination management at the municipal and regional level;
Strengthening the value chain of local economies through partnerships with cultural institutions, SMEs, craftspeople, wineries, and local producers;
Extending the tourism season by promoting experiences in off-peak periods that attract higher-spending visitor segments and stimulate repeat visitation;
Encouraging investment through targeted promotion of regional assets and support for new product development in cultural, wine, rural, wellness, and adventure tourism.
A dedicated calendar of cultural-tourism events planned for 2026 will reinforce Bulgaria’s positioning as an attractive international destination for sustainable and authentic cultural experiences. These initiatives will stimulate local economies, drive demand for hospitality and related services, and generate long-term economic impacts by strengthening Bulgaria’s tourism portfolio with high-value niche products.