Cultural tourism accounts for nearly 20% of the country’s tourism product, according to data from a survey by the Ministry of Tourism. While Bulgaria's image was previously associated mainly with maritime tourism, which made up 70% of the tourism market, the country can now boast a relatively diversified tourism product. The study of the Ministry of Tourism also shows that health tourism accounts for approximately 16% of the national tourism product. Health and cultural tourism are practised all year round and throughout the country. Cultural tourism is one of the five most commonly practiced types of tourism by Bulgarians.

In Plovdiv, the number of visitors has increased by over 17%, in Veliko Tarnovo by over 13%, in Ruse by more than 18%. Kazanlak has seen a three-digit growth of more than 124% over the year. The data also indicates that more than 1.9 million adult Bulgarians (nearly 36% of the adult population in the country) engaged in cultural tourism between June 2022 and May 2024.

• Veliko Tarnovo – a town both ancient and young