Early bookings for the summer season are going well, and Bulgaria could prove to be a profitable destination against the backdrop of uncertainty in the Middle East. This was commented on bTV by Prof. Rumen Draganov, director of the Institute for Analysis and Evaluation in Tourism.
According to him, the crisis creates anxiety among tourists, but at the same time directs some of them to safer and closer destinations.
„There is anxiety and worries, but the crisis has a good effect on Bulgarian tourism, because our country stands stable as a safe destination“, said Prof. Rumen Draganov.
According to him, bookings to Bulgaria are growing, while other markets are stagnating.
„Cyprus has stopped bookings, Southern Turkey is also slowing down, the Greek islands are suffering. We are seeing an increase“, he explained.
Is growth expected?
Draganov predicts that Bulgaria will surpass last year's results: „We will surpass last year's levels. We have an increase in demand and a strong presence of low-cost airlines.“
According to him, charter flights are no longer a leading factor for tourism.
“20 years ago charters were 80%, now they are about 6%. Today everything is digitalization, individual reservations and low-cost airlines“, Draganov explained.
According to the expert, Bulgarians can hardly find a cheaper vacation than the one in our country.
He explained that some hotels are already offering promotions, especially if they initially set higher prices.
According to him, the season will be marked by flexible prices, discounts and competition for tourists.
Prof. Draganov stressed that when choosing a vacation, price continues to be the first factor.
„Price is the leading factor. Then comes the product. The hotels that are able to use digital channels, search engines and artificial intelligence to reach tourists will be the ones that will be profitable,“ he explained.
According to Draganov, the key word is decentralization – more power to municipalities and local tourism products.
„It is very important for municipalities to have power – financially and organizationally. The local tourism genius must come forward“, he said.
Draganov explained that Bulgaria should focus more on local production, culture, festivals and regional identity.
According to him, tourism should work more closely with culture in order to promote the country through international events, festivals and cultural heritage.