As Bulgaria prepares to join the eurozone on 1 January 2026, effects on travel and tourism are under discussion among economists and industry representatives.
The switch from the lev to the euro will remove currency exchange costs for visitors from the 20 other eurozone countries, including Ireland.
Irish holidaymakers, who numbered 45,000 to Bulgaria in 2025, will benefit from the removal of conversion fees, saving an average of €1.50 per transaction.
Economists at Focus Economics project that trade and tourism flows with eurozone partners will grow by 3pc annually post-adoption, supported by access to European Central Bank facilities. Representatives from the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agencies report that bookings for 2026 show a 7pc increase from eurozone markets compared to the previous year.
Representatives from the hotel sector in Sofia report that payments in euro will simplify transactions for international guests, who spent €5.2bn in Bulgaria during the first 11 months of 2025.
When Croatia adopted the euro in 2023, it led to a 12pc rise in tourist arrivals in the subsequent year partly due to the removal of financial barriers.
Data from the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism show that tourism contributed 8pc of the country’s gross domestic product in 2025, with expectations that the adoption will increase visitor numbers from euro-using nations such as Germany and France.
Bulgarian authorities say they plan to monitor prices in tourist areas like Varna and Burgas to prevent increases beyond the predicted 0.4pc attributable to the currency change, based on experiences in previous euro adoptions.
Officials in Brussels emphasise that the move will integrate Bulgaria further into the European Union economy, and increase investment in coastal resorts that host 60pc of foreign visitors.
Dual pricing in lev and euro, mandatory from October 2025, has prepared businesses in the tourism sector for the transition.
Authorities in Sofia confirm that border checks will remain unchanged for non-Schengen travellers, and use of the euro will facilitate spending in duty-free shops at airports in Plovdiv and Sofia.
