Bulgaria reports significant increase in summer tourists from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine

“There is a serious increase in the number of tourists from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine in Bulgaria over the last months,” Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Delyan Dobrev said, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
In Dobrev’s words, there is a slight decrease in the number of tourists from the European Union (EU), or around 1%, but it is compensated with tourists from third counties.
“As a whole, we expect a successful season,” Dobrev remarked.

Bulgaria Sees 7.4% Increase in Foreign Tourists June 2012 Y/Y

A 7.4% year on year increase was registered in the number of tourists who visited Bulgaria in June 2012, according to the country’s National Statistical Institute.

In June 2012, the total number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 1 116.6 thousand which was by 84.3% more compared to May 2012 and by 5.5% more than June 2011.

Tourists accounted for 60.4% of the total number of people who visited the country in June.

Tourist visits formed 81.0% of all arrivals from Russia, 79.6% of all arrivals from Ukraine, and 78.3% of those from the United Kingdom.

In June 2012 the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 361.3 thousand or by 3.7% more than in May 2012 and by 9.9% above the registered in June 2011.

Bulgaria Increasingly Popular as Pilgrimage Destination

Bulgaria is expecting a 7% increase of pilgrimage tourist trips in 2012, according to the Director of the Institute for Tourism Analyses and Assessments, Rumen Draganov.

Draganov says the percentage would have been even higher, but the economic crisis and the parliamentary elections in neighboring Greece have reduced the number of Greek visitors at Easter time.

The number one tourist attraction is the Rila Monastery, with 780 000 visits a year, including from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Italy, France, Spain and Russia.

The renovated St. St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in the historic coastal town of Sozopol, housing what are believed to be the relics of St; John the Baptist, has been visited by 250 000 people and is seen as Bulgaria’s newest pilgrimage tourist attraction.

Draganov says the trend of a stable 7% yearly increase in pilgrimage tourism has been noted since Bulgaria’s joining of the EU in 2007. There is an increased interest of tourists from Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. The pilgrims are only 1.8% of all foreign guests, but their expenses are 70% higher, compared to those of common holidaymakers.

Bulgaria Invites Israeli Journalists in Bid to Boost Tourism

Bulgaria will organize trips for Israeli journalists as part of its tourism advertisement campaign in the country, it was made clear during a Bulgarian official’s visit to Israel.

Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Delyan Dobrev is currently on a two-day visit to Israel in an attempt to soften the blow on the country’s tourism and lessen the decline of Israeli visits in the aftermath of the terror attack at the airport of the resort city of Burgas, which killed five Israelis and the Bulgarian bus driver.

On Tuesday, Dobrev met with Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov. Dobrev told his counterpart that Bulgaria has imposed stricter security measures in its resorts.

Misezhnikov said he believed that Bulgaria will remained a popular tourist destination for Israeli tourists even after the July 18 terror attack.

A New Infrastructure Project for Bansko

The Bulgarian Minister of environment and water Nona Karadjova and the mayor of Bansko municipality will sign a contract for financing an integrated water and wastewater infrastructure project for 89.5 million BGN under Operational program Environment 2007-2013.

The signing of the document took place on August 1, 2012, and it includes a new wastewater treatment plant for 30 thousand citizens of Bansko. A total of 27 km of wastewater grid and 14 km of water supply grid will be built.