Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria increased by 2.4% year-on-year in May 2026, reaching an eight-month high of 1,021.8 thousand visitors and reversing a 1.4% decline in the previous month. Holiday and leisure trips accounted for the largest share of visits at 41.8%, followed by trips for other purposes at 43.9%, while business and professional travel represented 14.2% of all arrivals.
Visitors from European Union member states numbered 618.7 thousand, or 60.5% of total arrivals, with Romania (41.2%), Greece (23.7%), and Germany (10.4%) remaining the top source markets. Tourists from other European countries made up 33.5% of all visitors, mainly from Turkey (55.8%) and Serbia (13.9%).
Arrivals from non-European countries accounted for 1.5% of the total, with Israel representing 68.3% of that segment. In addition, transit travelers passing through Bulgaria reached 307.9 thousand, or 30.1% of all non-resident visits during the month.
