Bulgaria Attracts the Equivalent of 150% of its Population in Tourists Every Year
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Once a lesser known getaway destination in Eastern Bloc, Bulgaria has become a European tourist hotpot in recent years.
In 2016, Bulgarian tourism achieved double-digit growth, as the country welcomed over 10.5 million foreigners, or 150% of it’s 7 million population, across its borders throughout the year. German tourists seem to have taken a liking to Bulgaria, with almost 600,000 visitors from Germany visiting the country in 2016. Guests from Russia and Macedonia are in second and third place, respectively, both with around half a million visitors entering Bulgaria that same year, followed closely by tourists from Turkey, Romania, and Serbia.
Bulgaria has a rich, multi-cultural history and has been blessed with a varied geographical landscape that includes prime locations for both beach resorts and winter sports resorts. Tourism has been deemed a primary industry for decades and now accounts for about 15% of the country’s growing economy.
Feature image source credit: Soghomon Matevosyan [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
