Varna’s Summer Boost: German Tourists lead 29% Growth in Arrivals

Varna has kicked off the 2025 summer season on a strong note, with a notable increase in tourist arrivals and overnight stays during the first half of the year, according to data from the Unified Tourist Information System (USTI) of the Ministry of Tourism. Between January 1 and June 20, the city welcomed 284,703 visitors, who collectively spent over 1.16 million nights across the city and surrounding resorts.

German tourists led this growth, with their overnight stays rising by 29%, from 113,928 to 146,684, reflecting a parallel 29% increase in the number of visitors from Germany. This surge is complemented by rising numbers from Israel and Turkey, where both visitor counts and lengths of stay have grown, signaling enhanced satisfaction with the quality of accommodations offered.

Scandinavian interest is also on the rise, particularly from Denmark, where overnight stays jumped by 53% and visitor numbers by 51%, underscoring expanding appeal in this region. Visitors from the United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, and the United States also contributed to positive trends, increasing their overnight stays by 27%, 14%, 19%, and 25%, respectively.

Among neighboring countries, Romania remains the leading external market, with more than 63,000 overnight stays, marking a 14% increase. Serbia too showed growth, with a 16% rise in tourists. Despite these changes, the average length of stay in Varna remains steady at approximately four nights.

Domestic tourism continues to hold strong, representing the largest share of overnight stays with 118,590 Bulgarian visitors recorded for the period, reflecting stable local interest and support for the city’s tourism sector. Municipal experts highlight these figures as promising indicators for a robust summer ahead in Varna.