Rest in solar and hospitable Bulgaria always was treasured dream for the fellow citizens of the former Union had of few opportunities for foreign voyages. Names " Solar Coast " and " Gold Sand " excited imagination, and the beauty Sofia was represented by city-fairy tale. Today the country in the center of Balkan peninsula is accessible and close, however and the competition in the tourist market every year all becomes more rigid. Therefore tourism as one of priority branches of a national economy - in the center of attention of the Bulgarian government. Intensive construction of new hotel and entertaining complexes, attraction of internal and foreign investors, stimulation of fine and average business of the branch, new normativno-legal base and the new law on the tourism, unified with the legislation of the EU countries - the rate on development of tourist sphere of modern Bulgaria is those. For last 5 years of the investment into tourist branch of the country have made almost 2,5 billion US dollars.

About that, the direction is how much truly chosen, figures evidently testify. Last 2-3 years Bulgaria shows steady growth of entrance tourism. Incomes of the international and internal tourism make 12,5 % of gross national product, thus of 9 % - a share of the international tourism. 4 837 150 foreign citizens have visited Bulgaria in 2005, it on 4,5 % more than last year. On preliminary data, incomes of the international tourism for 2005 have made 1 888,2 million euro - on 18 % more, than in 2004. In branch of tourism it is borrowed 170 thousand person, in accompanying branches - about 300 thousand.

Our compatriots and today willingly visit Bulgaria. In 2005 the country was visited by 83 746 Ukrainian tourists - on 12,1 % more, than in previous to year. Incomes of the Ukrainian tourists for 2004 have made 48 million euro, for 2005 - more than 54 million euro.

Under forecast Agencii on tourism of Bulgaria, in 2006, under condition of preservation of an existing visa mode and absence of sharp changes in the prices for energy carriers, it is possible to count 15-18 % of a gain turpotokov. For January-February of current year growth of number of tourists has made 8,74 %, the Ukrainian tourists - 88,67 %.

Number of the foreign tourists who have visited Bulgaria per 1999-2005
Year the General number of tourists From them citizens of EU
1999 2084746 672338
2000 2354052 797687
2001 2755717 1008219
2002 2992590 1243450
2003 3531587 1558077
2004 4010326 2272519
2005 4090421 2374772

- We count on the further growth of entrance tourism from Ukraine, - the head of Trade and economic service of embassy of Republic Bulgaria in Ukraine Maria Aleksandrova who prosecutes also organizational subjects during carrying out of various tourist actions with participation of Bulgaria speaks. - To promote it the increase in number of charter flights and opening regular which for the first time begin work with April, 28th, 2006 should, in particular. Usually regular flights open on May, 10th, but in it to year we have decided to give an opportunity to the Ukrainian tourists to have a rest in Bulgaria during May holidays.

Today the tourist branch of Bulgaria is conditionally divided into some sectors: medical-improving and bal'neoturizm, cognitive, ecological, rural, business and kongressnyi, wine, hunting. Traditional and the most mass in Bulgaria - beach rest. A fine climate (120 days in a year the temperature of air exceeds 18 degrees) and 376 km of beaches promote that the most part of a tourist stream (70-75 %) is concentrated to coast. Owners of the international certificate of quality in the field of tourism " the Blue flag " are seven beaches at southern coast - in Sozopole, Pomorie and Nesebre and four beaches at northern coast - in resorts Albena, Gold Sand, Riviera and Solar Coast. All resorts offer ample opportunities for employment by productive leisure: surfing, diving, a water ski, yachting, underwater fishing and even underwater archeology. Routes for foot, velo-and horse tourism are developed also.

- Today our country represents in the tourist market the present phenomenon - practically on 100 % the updated hotel base, - director on marketing Republic Bulgaria Agentsii on tourism Katya Zhekova speaks. - Besides the set of modern sports and entertaining constructions is constructed. I can tell with confidence, that for last 3-4 years any of the states-competitors of Bulgaria in the tourist market has not reached such successes in creation of an infrastructure. Actions of large tourist complexes of Bulgaria highly are quoted at stock exchange.

The largest and widely known resort on Black sea - Solar Coast. The scale investment company has transformed it in " Bulgarian Marbeiu " as has noted in it to year the prestigious British edition. Located near to the city of Nesebra, the resort offers a unique combination of the sea and the mountains, two natural reserves Irakli and Kalinata, beaches with fine sand and a flat bottom, over 200 thousand places, greater sports base. The municipality of the city of Nesebra per 2001-2004 invested in development of tourism more than 600 million euro, for what to mayor of city was prisuzzden a prize of the Ministry of Economics of Bulgaria " For municipality with the greatest volume of investments in tourism ". Besides in 1983 Nesebr has been included in the list of the World cultural heritage of UNESCO.

Number of Ukrainian tourists,
Visited Bulgaria
Per 1999-2005
1999g. 81355
2000 92568
2001 108241
2002 77828
2003 86856
2004 74730
2005 83746

Bulgaria - one of the most ancient countries in the Europe, storing numerous monuments of the Greek, Roman and Byzantian history of times of antiquity and the early Middle Ages. About 40 thousand historical monuments, 7 from which are included in the list of UNESCO, 36 cultural reserves, 160 monasteries, 330 museums and the galleries, rich traditions - the cultural heritage-historical of Bulgaria and a basis for development of cognitive tourism is those. The Thracian gold found at excavation in different regions of Bulgaria, for the first time is collected in the general exposition which will be presented in Varna with 15maia on 15sentiabria. Earlier these finds were exhibited at Madrid, Frankfurt and Rome and became the present sensation.

Growth of number of the Ukrainian tourists
Month Percent of growth in comparison with the similar period 2004/2005
November of 4,39 %
December of 67,48 %
January of 96,76 %
February of 62,69 %

New to Bulgaria, a developing branch - business tourism. A push for its development became large investments into a hotel facilities. In the summer of 2005 session of 75-th session of the World organization of tourism took place in Bulgaria, and in the middle of May here will pass the summit of chapters of the states of the Europe. There is all the bases to believe, that Bulgaria has serious chance to become a popular place of carrying out business international meetings and " the gold triangle " Sofia-Athenes-Istanbul will organically be entered in so-called.

Numerous mineral sources in a combination to a curative dirt give ample opportunities for development balneological, SPA and velness-tourism the year round. Traditional medical resorts - Hisaria, Velingrad, Bankia, Sandamski; today there the new balneological centers are constructed and reconstructed old. Treatment-and-prophylactic institutions intensively are under construction at the Black Sea coast and on mountain resorts Bansko, Pamporovo, Devin and Troian. Today the ᯠ-CENTERS offer the services practically in all hotels of Bulgaria.

The leading countries - suppliers of tourists to Bulgaria

The state Number of tourists 2004/2005
General number 4837150 + 4,48 %
1. Greece 665849 - 11,34 %
2. Germany 582315 - 2,43 %
3. Macedonia 581 139 - 14,79 %
4. Serbia and Montenegro 534474 - 10,53 %
5. The Great Britain 374494 + 36,11 %
6. Turkey 271 160 + 36,73 %
7. Romania 187311 + 46,78 %
8. Russia 175295 + 17,38 %
9. Czechia 126666 + 13,46 %
10. Poland 113544 + 4,37 %
1 1. Israel 103523 + 23,85 %
12. Sweden 101332 + 2,42 %
13. Slovakia 89226 + 7,69 %
14. Ukraine 83746 + 12,06 %
15. Finland 83056 + 39,35 %


Mountain resorts are a rest at any time year: bicycle routes, mountaneering, rafting, paraglaiding, mountain skiing, the hunting tourism. Bulgaria was always well-known for the Black Sea resorts, and since 2003 intensively develops winter rest in mountains. Agenciia on tourism of Bulgaria it is measured to advertise widely winter rest to make its more popular.

Leading Balkan ski center Bansko is considered one of the best in the East Europe. Only for last months investments into an infrastructure of a resort have exceeded 50 million euro. Under forecasts of experts, during a winter season of current year a resort will visit about 600 thousand tourists - on 20 % more, than in the past to year. Bansko - one of the most quickly developing winter complexes in the Europe; in opinion of experts, it can make a worthy competition to ski resorts of Austria and Italy. Large investments are put also in resorts Pamporovo and Borovec. By the way, Borovec - the oldest winter resort of the country, to it more than 100 years. Bulgaria has a serious stimulus for creation of an infrastructure of winter kinds of sports: the country is the applicant for the organization of winter Olympic games in 2014.
The investment capital in
Tourist branch of Bulgaria
za2001-2005
2001 390 million dollars
2002 395 million dollars
2003 440 million dollars
2004 550 million dollars
2005 650 million dollars

Popular directions all over the world become ecological and rural tourism. And Bulgaria has all conditions for their development: natural beauty, a temperate climate, rich national traditions, an ethnographic heritage, picturesque rural architecture - all this involves fans of rest on the nature, far from mad rhythms of a city life.
Practically in all rounds additional services - trips to 2-3 neighbouring countries are offered.