Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria decreased by 4.1% year-on-year to 1,251.9 thousand in September 2026, widening from a 2.1% decline in August and marking the fourth consecutive month of annual contraction. Leisure travel remained the dominant purpose of visit, representing 47.4% of all arrivals, followed by other purposes at 42.2% and business travel at 10.4%.
Arrivals from European Union member states reached 684.2 thousand, or 54.7% of total visitors. Romania accounted for the largest share of EU tourists (29.4%), followed by Greece (14.8%) and Germany (13.5%). At the opposite end, Malta and Cyprus contributed the smallest shares, at 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively.
Tourists from other European countries totaled 462.7 thousand, or 37% of all arrivals. Within this group, Turkey was the leading source market, accounting for 44.8%, followed by Ukraine (22.5%) and Serbia (14.1%). Norway recorded the smallest share, at 0.9%.
Transit travelers merely passing through Bulgaria numbered 390.3 thousand, representing 31.2% of all visits by foreign nationals to the country.