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Sat, Feb 11 2012
Foreign tourist numbers decline
Slunchev Bryag (Sunny Beach), on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, July 2009.
Photo: Anelia Nikolova
The number of foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria in the first five months of 2009 was 7.6 per cent lower than the same period last year – and revenue from foreign tourism fell by the same percentage.
This is according to State Agency for Tourism head Anelia Kroushkova, who told a news conference on July 21 that the number of visitors to Bulgaria from European Union member states had fallen by 5.2 per cent.
The figures emerged amid gloomy prognostications for Bulgaria’s summer season, while various reports suggesting that significant numbers of hotels along the country’s Black Sea coastline were close to empty or had decided not to bother opening their doors this summer.
Kroushkova said that there had been an increase in the number of tourists from Romania, 20 per cent, the Czech Republic 21 per cent, Slovakia 33 per cent, Hungary 35 per cent and Poland 30 per cent.
But some major markets were showing a decline – Germany by 20 per cent, the UK by 21 per cent, Russia – the country where previous trends had suggested that visitors would replace the losses from the UK – 7.3 per cent.
On July 19, Bulgarian National Radio reported Kroushkova as expressing concern about the drop in the number of tourists from the EU, given that previously this segment had made up 70 per cent of all visitors to Bulgaria.
In turn, Bulgarians are travelling abroad less, with foreign visits by Bulgarians down 14 per cent.
"Greece remains number one destination for Bulgarians abroad – 32 per cent of them have gone there. There is an increase in travel to Turkey by two per cent," Kroushkova said.
This is according to State Agency for Tourism head Anelia Kroushkova, who told a news conference on July 21 that the number of visitors to Bulgaria from European Union member states had fallen by 5.2 per cent.
The figures emerged amid gloomy prognostications for Bulgaria’s summer season, while various reports suggesting that significant numbers of hotels along the country’s Black Sea coastline were close to empty or had decided not to bother opening their doors this summer.
Kroushkova said that there had been an increase in the number of tourists from Romania, 20 per cent, the Czech Republic 21 per cent, Slovakia 33 per cent, Hungary 35 per cent and Poland 30 per cent.
But some major markets were showing a decline – Germany by 20 per cent, the UK by 21 per cent, Russia – the country where previous trends had suggested that visitors would replace the losses from the UK – 7.3 per cent.
On July 19, Bulgarian National Radio reported Kroushkova as expressing concern about the drop in the number of tourists from the EU, given that previously this segment had made up 70 per cent of all visitors to Bulgaria.
In turn, Bulgarians are travelling abroad less, with foreign visits by Bulgarians down 14 per cent.
"Greece remains number one destination for Bulgarians abroad – 32 per cent of them have gone there. There is an increase in travel to Turkey by two per cent," Kroushkova said.
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Number of foreign visits to Bulgaria dropped in September
Bulgarian visits abroad matched the trend, with the exception of Macedonia where there was a 15.7 per cent increase.
Bulgaria’s tourism market shrivels up to 30 per cent in summer 2009
As the peak season draws to an end, hoteliers and tour operators are putting the finishing touches on summer 2010 deals, when most companies will slash the number of hotels they work with but do their best to keep tourist numbers unchanged. In addition, they will seek ways to encourage early bookings through juicier offers and special extras to packages.
Foreign visits to Bulgaria in July 2009 dropped 5.8 per cent year-on-year
Meanwhile, July 2009 saw the number of visits abroad by Bulgaria increase, with a huge increase in travel to Greece, according to the National Statistics Institute
Tourist numbers in Greece decrease – industry body
Tourism in Greece, a vital part of the country’s economy, saw a steady decline according to January to July 2009 figures, according to the country’s Association of Tourism Enterprises.
Bulgarians idle away summer on foreign beaches again
The industry blamed the trend on lucrative offers available in neighbouring Turkey combined with poor infrastructure and bad service at home.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea hotels laying off staff mid-season – report
Hotelier paints grim picture of some hotels on the southern Black Sea coast of Bulgaria closing down in the midsummer season, and even hotels that have guests are letting staff go.
Legal Alien: Sozopol sketches
It is Sunday night, the sky paling from azure, toes in the sand, drinks on the camping table.
Almost a fifth of hotels closed, tourism revenue falling
Sixty per cent of beds in Bulgaria’s hotels are not booked, according to a report on tourism, while revenue from foreign tourism will drop by a quarter – the result of fewer visitors, inefficiency, bad service and resistance to high prices.
More than 70 hotels in Varna up for sale - report
All hotels are priced in euro, from 14.2 million down to 210 000 euro. Price for a sq m varies from 350 to 2321 euro, but in the majority of cases, the prices are below 100 euro a sq m.
More in this category
Cautionary tales as tour groups caught in the middle of money rows
Foreign and Bulgarian tourists victim of debt row at a Pamporovo hotel, Foreign Ministry intervenes after another tour group delayed in Morocco, and Bulgarian arrested in Serbia for forging receipts for payment for tour group.
Bulgaria to spend 4.2M leva on tourism fairs in 2012
The country will withdraw from participation in some international tourist expos but will join others to promote itself as a tourist destination.
Ski runs on Vitosha Mountain to shut down
Management company says current legislation makes it impossible to run the ski lifts legally.
Varna ranks second by overnight stays in Q3 2011
The municipality accounted for 26.8 per cent of the total number of overnights in the quarter and generated 30.5 per cent of the country's revenue from accommodation services.
Bulgarians' trips abroad rise 20.9% Y/Y in Q3 2011
In July-September, a total of 1.522 million Bulgarians travelled abroad or in the country.
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i guess the usa visitor right the middle who countered the other bulgarian. And we support this american visitor, for he or she was very exact in describing our country and his or her country! For a foreigner so deeply about the villages of BG and respective primative vehicles is amazing, espeically when they are more than 10,000 km away. The american's comment is sharp with scrutinzing details. Its a shame some jealous BG had to remove it! You see this is what our country is like, just communism. Tell the truth, try to erase or lie about the truth! [...]
Read the full comment These scandalous perpetrators!
Startling wondering, indeed, pun unintended.
Bulgaria used to be great value with great service sadley i seems those that run the business wish to charge crazy prices for flights and accomodation. food and beer which was much cheaper is now on par in the resorts to the prices paid in spain and elsewhere when will the idiots who run the tourist industry that in order to attract the people they need to charge realistic prices and not rip people off as they will only rip someone off once look to the long term!!
USA - blimey. you wonder sometimes dont u??
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained
how is it that only foreigners can own modern flats and most importantly residential homes and not simple BULGARIANS citizens! This shows how corrupt the bulgarian country officials are; the people and state tourism agency is. There must be a balance in economics! A normal decent life should be a main objective for a every citizen. And raising price is not going to help. Just with 300 million people the USA "CITIZENS" fights aggresively towards inflation compared to the euro-zones near 500 million! The USA is one of the top best countries to live and work. period! Plus it has [...]
Read the full comment alot of land. And with the current administration in the white house over the course of 8 years the world can expect more immigration allowance to america!
But a government and citizens cannot inject ideaology and economics in a few years in what took USA a few hundred years! USA did not create itself for monetary reasons but the country was founded on democracy and hope for where dreams can come true regardless of your cultural background. And these are some of the distinctions that significantly seperates BG in the balkans and also from the rest of the "euro-zones" and not europe(politically)! A constitution cannot and should not be created just to create a stronger unified currency! This will lead ulitmately to chaos and destabilization of monetary policies in the euro-zones. The irish is correct to withhold from signing the lisbon treaty and likewise, hungary and poland.