Regional Tourists Fuel Bulgaria’s Summer Boom Despite Challenges
The tourism sector in Bulgaria is booming with the number of tourists from countries such as Romania, Greece, Turkey, Serbia, Denmark, UK, and Germany steadily rising. Itineraries like these enable huge numbers of people to visit Bulgaria and to find out for themselves why it is an emerging destination for both beach holidays and cultural explorations of towns and villages in its mountains and towards its beaches.
According to the report, hotel operators had mixed results for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Thirty percent of hoteliers saw year-over-year performance on par with 2024 and another 30% said performance improved. 20% of hoteliers reported a 10% gain in staff levels, while that same percentage reported a 10% decrease, pointing to a labor market volatility influenced by seasonality, price pressure, and ongoing staffing deficits.
Employment in Bulgarian hotels fluctuated widely in the first half of 2025. Around 30% to 50% of properties reported moderate staffing levels, while about one-fifth operated with occupancy below 30%. In contrast, approximately one-third of surveyed hotels reported occupancy rates between 50% and 70%, still below peak seasonal performance.
