According to the Russian customs authorities with reference to the news portal Newsbg.ru in the first half of this year the flow of Russian tourists to Bulgaria decreased by 40% compared to the same period last year. During the period of the Bulgarian resorts visited only 22300 tourists from the Russian Federation.
Experts attribute the decline in tourist activity with the following factors: the depreciation of the Russian currency, continuing sanctions, and the active promotion of Russian resorts, including those located in the Crimea. Despite this, the Bulgarian tour operators have high hopes for the holiday season 2015, expecting a substantial increase in visitors from Russia. Reasons for optimism are significant discounts for Russian travel agencies and simplification of procedures for obtaining visas for Russian citizens.
