During the first half of 2026 (Q1 + Q2), Sofia continued its positive tourism growth, welcoming nearly 670,000 visitors, a 3% increase compared with the same period in 2025. Overnight stays exceeded 1.5 million, representing a 4% rise year-on-year.
While Bulgaria experienced an overall decline in tourist arrivals during the first six months of the year, Sofia maintained steady growth, with performance levels comparable to those of leading European city destinations.
Visitors Are Staying Longer
The average length of stay in Sofia has now exceeded 2.3 days, confirming the city's growing appeal as a destination in its own right rather than simply a stopover.
Travellers are increasingly choosing Sofia for its unique combination of more than two millennia of history, rich cultural heritage, easy access to nature, vibrant events calendar and growing opportunities for business and international networking. Its strategic location also reinforces Sofia's role as a gateway between Europe, the Balkans and the wider world.
The city's largest international visitor markets are Italy, Türkiye, Germany, Greece, Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Romania, Poland and France. Particularly strong growth was recorded from the United States (+68%) and the United Kingdom (+5%).
Better Connectivity, Greater Opportunities
Vasil Levski Sofia Airport continues to expand its international network, now offering direct connections to 107 destinations, including seasonal and charter routes.
Key aviation indicators for the first half of the year include:
- +7% passenger traffic;
- +6.6% increase in arriving passengers;
- +3% growth in flight operations.
Modern infrastructure, a wide range of accommodation options and Sofia's vibrant cultural environment continue to strengthen the city's position as an attractive destination not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, business events and major cultural gatherings.
Source: Unified Tourism Information System (ESTI), processed by Visit Sofia, Sofia Municipality.
