Bulgaria invests in tourism: It aspires to become a competitive destination in Europe

Bulgaria is attempting a bold opening on the European tourism map, capitalizing on strategic advantages, upgrading its infrastructure and enhancing its visibility, with the aim of establishing itself as an attractive and economically competitive alternative to established destinations such as Turkey, Spain, and Greece. The “Experience Bulgaria” conference was an important milestone in this process, bringing together 170 tourism experts from Germany and presenting a new image of the country.

Upgraded infrastructure and new hotels

At the heart of the effort is the hospitality infrastructure. During the conference, tourism professionals were shown new and fully renovated hotels in the Golden Sands, Albena, and Sveti Konstantin & Helena areas, noting the clear improvement in the country’s hotel image. The owner of the TUI Travel Star travel agency, André Belwan, pointed out that the Bulgarian hotel market “has done an excellent job” and that it now needs to be further promoted.

Air connections and extension of the tourist season

A decisive role in increasing demand is played by the new direct flights from Germany and Austria to the two main airports on the Black Sea – Varna in the north and Burgas in the south. Sun Express, in cooperation with Bulgarian Electra Airways, now offers 16 weekly flights from seven German airports, while Fly Lili plans to serve eight cities in Germany and Austria. By 2025, Varna Airport will be connected to 14 German airports, and Burgas to 11.

The aim of this strategy is, among other things, to extend the tourist season. As Maureen Kontny of TUI stated, flights from Hanover to the Bulgarian coast continue until September, thus supporting the extension of the season.

Attractive price-quality ratio and competition with Turkey

Bulgaria is being presented as a destination with an excellent price-quality ratio, which is a key competitive advantage, especially compared to countries such as Turkey, which is facing price increases. Thomas Esser of Alltours stressed that the country needs to keep its pricing policy stable, especially for families, in order to remain competitive. “We must not destroy what has been built in recent years,” stressed Lars Ludwig of LMX, warning of the risk of sharp price increases, especially in the wake of the country’s entry into the eurozone.

The forecast for 2024 shows positive trends: while Turkey records a 10% drop in bookings from Germany, Bulgaria shows a 25% increase, albeit from a lower base, with around 300,000 German tourists.

Promotion, branding, and the need for a new identity

Despite improvements, Bulgaria’s image abroad remains limited or outdated. Many travel agents who participated in “Experience Bulgaria” said they were surprised by the progress they had seen after years. The need to strengthen promotion is urgent. “We need more advertising so that customers learn about us,” noted Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotchev. Hotelplan’s Victoria Studer, meanwhile, pointed out that Bulgaria’s image is even weaker in Switzerland, calling for a stronger communication strategy.

Next steps: themed tourism and diversification

The extension of the season cannot be based solely on sun and sea. As Dertour’s Joachim Seip noted, Bulgaria needs to gain independence from weather conditions. In this direction, new forms of tourism were proposed, such as golf and city breaks, but also themed wellness, cultural, and shopping tourism, following the example of Mallorca.

“Experience Bulgaria” as a springboard for tourism growth

The “Experience Bulgaria 2025” conference, supported by major institutional and private bodies (Ministry of Tourism, Fraport, Electra Airways, Grifid Hotels, Bulgarian Black Sea Alliance, etc.), served as a lever for informing and strengthening the confidence of the international market. The presence of representatives from leading tour operators such as TUI, Dertour, Alltours, and Bentour confirms the dynamic shift towards the Bulgarian destination.

Bulgaria is at a critical juncture in its tourism development. With investments in infrastructure, an increase in flights, a focus on competitiveness, and an effort to reposition itself to the international audience, the country is attempting to transform itself from a “rising star” into a stable player in the European tourism market. The question now is whether it can capitalize on the positive momentum while maintaining the characteristics that make it attractive: affordable prices, authenticity, and variety of experiences.

(*) With information from fvw.de