Sofia continues to draw an increasing number of visitors globally, thanks to its rich blend of cultural and historical landmarks, natural surroundings, strong transport links, and vibrant urban lifestyle.

In the first half of 2025, the Bulgarian capital saw a notable 11% rise in tourist arrivals compared to the same period in 2024, welcoming over 647,000 tourists from January through June. Data from the Municipal Enterprise “Tourism” (Visit Sofia) reveals that foreign tourists made up 61% of the total visitors, while Bulgarians accounted for the remaining 39%.

Overnight stays in the city also grew by 8%, reaching approximately 1.45 million nights spent, predominantly in four-star hotels which accounted for 35%, followed by 21% in both three-star and five-star accommodations.

Revenue generated from these overnight stays approached 174 million leva, marking an almost 9% increase compared to the first half of the previous year.

Among international visitors, markets such as Israel, China, Turkey, Greece, and Poland showed considerable interest. The sharpest growth in arrivals was recorded from Israel at 81%, followed by China with 24%. Greek tourists increased by 22%, a rise attributed both to growing interest and easier travel brought by Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen Area. Turkey and Poland saw respective increases of 21% and 20%.

Some of the more unusual origins of tourists included Bhutan, the Falkland Islands, New Caledonia, Lesotho, the Cocos Islands, and Tonga, reflecting Sofia’s expanding global reach.

Tourism tax revenues displayed an even more dramatic surge, rising by 174% from 1.147 million leva in 2024 to 3.143 million leva in 2025, boosted by higher tax rates implemented since 2024.

Anton Penev, Director of the “Tourism” Municipal Enterprise (Visit Sofia), highlighted that the latest figures from the Unified Tourist Information System (USTI) confirm a significant upward trend in tourist numbers. He views this as a clear indicator of Sofia’s strengthening tourist identity and growing recognition on the world stage.