site.btaSofia Sees 77% Rise in Tourists in Jan-June 2022 Y/Y

The number of tourists who visited the Bulgarian capital in the first half of 2022 has increased by 77% year-on-year, City Hall said on Wednesday.

The latest data of the Tourism Ministry’s Standard National Tourist System (ESTI) show a 139% rise of foreign and a 37% rise of Bulgarian tourists in Sofia over that period. The number of foreign tourists exceeds those of Bulgarians, leading foreign markets being Germany, Romania, Israel, Italy, the United States and neighbouring Romania and Greece.

Citizens of Great Britain have been showing an increasing interest in Sofia, spending and average 2-3 days and registering an 86% spike in overnights. Foreigners also lead Bulgarian tourists in overnights at 62% against 38%, an about turn from 2021 when Bulgarians registered 51% overnights and foreigners – 49%.

As the number of tourists coming to Sofia continues to approach pre-pandemic levels, the city also offers new tourist  products, including Sofia Wine Map, Know Sofia’s Birds and a Street Art Sofia map, City Hall said.