Over 3,500 Cancelled Reservations in Bansko for Easter due to the War in the Middle East

The war in the Middle East is affecting Bulgaria’s economy across various sectors, including tourism and transport, with cancelled bookings and difficulties for transport companies due to high fuel prices. In Bansko alone, more than 3,500 Easter reservations have been cancelled.

A hotel in Bansko, which relies mainly on foreign tourists during the spring season, has been hit particularly hard. Due to tensions in the Middle East, a large number of Israeli tourists have cancelled their planned holidays in Bulgaria.

Rumen Vachin, manager of a hotel complex in Bansko, said: “Some bookings were not actually confirmed, but most of them have been cancelled, with guests requesting refunds. We are offering customers the option to use their reservations at a later date, and we are now waiting to see how the situation develops.”

According to the Bansko Tourism Business Association, losses for the sector are significant. Due to the lack of tourists, around 70% of hotels in the resort are already closed, despite favourable skiing conditions. Shops and restaurants have also been affected.

Zorka Tumbaikieva, secretary of the Bansko Tourism Business Association, said: “According to travel agencies, we have around 3,500 cancelled reservations made through agencies, not including individual bookings. This is an extremely large number of tourists.”

Vachin added: “The expected growth for the season simply did not materialise.”

There are concerns that if the conflict escalates, the negative impact could also be felt during the next winter season.

Tumbaikieva: “Attracting Israeli tourists here has not happened overnight—we have been working for a long time to achieve this result. It will take time to attract other markets.”

Despite the challenges, some hoteliers remain optimistic, particularly those who rely mainly on visitors from Bulgaria and neighbouring Balkan countries.

Dimitar Kolev, manager of a hotel complex in Bansko, said: “Greece, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia—people who traditionally celebrate Easter come to us. However, around 90% of our bookings are from Bulgarian guests. So all conditions are in place for a good holiday in Bansko.”

This hotel complex is already fully booked for the Easter holidays.