The foreign tourist visas in Bulgaria for 2018 are over 9.273 million

Record number of visits has been reached and the sustainable rate of growth is preserved for a third year in succession

The foreign tourist visas in Bulgaria for 2018 are over 9.273 million. The reported growth is 4.4% as compared to the previous year. This is according to the data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) published today.

Market number one for the inbound tourism for the previous year is Romania. The visits from our northern neighbour are over 1.377 million and show an increase of 20.9% in comparison with 2017. Greece and Germany are respectively at second and third position among the top markets. The visits from Greece exceed 1.116 million, and from Germany are more than 850k.

“For the first time the foreign tourist visits surpass 9 million and build on the record levels from the previous two years. The data acts as a stimulus and starting point for an even more active policy to popularize, together with the business,  the destination of Bulgaria,” commented the minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova.

The foreign visits from Turkey are more than 625k and the country comes fourth among the leading markets for inbound tourism in Bulgaria. Macedonia is on 5^th position with almost 560k visits and directly after it comes Russia with more than 511 k visits.

In 2018 the visits from Poland surpassed 425k which is a 7.9% rise. The market of Serbia is on the 8^th position, having reached 421k visits and a 7% increase. The visits from Great Britain are almost 390k which is a 15.2% rise in comparison to the previous year. Ukraine comes 10th last year with more than 379k visits and a rise of 24.4% compared to the previous year. The visits from many other countries also show an increase. The visits from Israel rise with 17.3%, from Moldova – with 11.3%, from the Check Republic – with 6% and from France with 3.3%.