Bulgaria is seen as attractive tourist destination, polls

Bulgaria is perceived as an attractive tourist destination and is well positioned in its tourism-rich region, according to the results of a survey by polling agency Gallup International, conducted in five key countries for the development of the tourism in Bulgaria: Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Romania and Serbia. The results are a good starting point before the end of the summer season and before the start of the winter season.

The survey was conducted between June and July 2018 as part of Gallup International Regional Research Programme.

Bulgaria is an attractive tourist destination for 57% of the adults in the five countries. 27% respond negatively.

Compared to the other tourist countries in the region, Bulgaria is ranked very closely to a number of long-established destinations such as Croatia (62% responded that it was an attractive destination) and Turkey (63%). Greece remains number one in the region (81% positive answers), while Romania and Serbia, with 46% and 43%, respectively, are far behind Turkey, Croatia and Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is most attractive for Romanians (71% positive answers) and the citizens of Russia (66%), but is also positively rated by respondents from Germany, England and Serbia. Most hezitant about the attractiveness of Bulgaria arethe Serbs - only 48% say that Bulgaria is attractive and 42% are of the opposite opinion.

On average, Bulgaria has been visited by about 22% of the respondents in the five countries, mostly by Romanians (47% of the polled, or nearly 10 million people).

24% of the surveyed in Serbia visited Bulgaria, as well as 19% of the surveyed Germans and 18% of the British. 9% of the Surveyed Russian citizens said they visited Bulgaria.

Overall, 85% of those who have visited Bulgaria say that the main goal or one of the main goals of their visit or visits was tourism and recreation.

80% of the surveyd in the five countries gave a positive answer to the question "How would you describe your general impressions of Bulgaria?"

Russians, Romanians and UK citizens were most pleased with their visits. The Germans are a bit more reserved, but the percentage of those responding positively (67%) shows complete satisfaction with the visit to Bulgaria.