The tourism branch expects a steady number of foreign visitors in Bulgaria for 2009. The supposed number is around last year’s levels – nearly 6,5 million people.

“If the numbers actually drop, it wouldn’t be by over 3-5%”, predicted the director of the Institute for analysis and evaluation of tourism Rumen Draganov. According to him, a significant drop of Greek tourists is the only negative occurence in sight.

Branch representatives are convinced that there will bea a growth in the recreational vacations and the weekend vacations. “It is possible,” adds Draganov, “for Bulgarians to lower their expenses, but keep the number of travels. Last year, Bulgarians spent an average of 670 leva for a vacation.”

Up to now, the crisis predictions remain unjustified. The winter resorts were filled to the brim by both foreign and Bulgarian tourists during the holidays. Experts comment, that reservations have been made during the summer, when the market was still unscathed by the global financial breakdown.