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Changes in the structure and distribution of inbound tourist flow in Bulgaria during the COVID-19 pandemic
 
PIIS221979310025389-0-1
DOI10.37490/S221979310025389-0
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Ivan Ivanov 
Occupation: PhD student, Department of Geography
Affiliation: Pskov State University
Address: Russian Federation, Pskov
Viliyan Krastev
Occupation: Associate Professor of the Department of Economics and Organization of Tourism
Affiliation: Economic University of Varna
Address: Bulgaria, Varna
Andrei Manakov
Occupation: Professor, Department of Geography
Affiliation: Pskov State University
Address: Russian Federation, Pskov
Journal namePskov Journal of Regional Studies
EditionVolume 19. No2/2023
Pages78-89
Abstract

Bulgaria is a major center of tourism on the Black Sea. The aim of the study is to identify changes in the structure of the inbound tourist flow and the geographical features of its distribution in Bulgaria due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the study, groups of countries were identified that occupy a different place in the structure of the inbound tourist flow to Bulgaria: neighboring countries, the G7 states, other countries of Western Europe, the post-socialist states of Europe and other countries. The pandemic has led to a redistribution of the inbound tourist flow to Bulgaria, primarily in favor of neighboring countries. In 2019, the Black Sea regions of Bulgaria, as well as the capital of the country, Sofia, were most visited by foreign tourists. In some border areas there was a relatively higher proportion of foreign tourists compared to the interior regions of the country, but in terms of the volume of tourist flow they were significantly inferior to the Black Sea ones. In 2021, the volume of inbound tourist flow decreased markedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Black Sea regions, the share of foreign tourists, as in 2019, remained at a high level, with the exception of the Burgas region, where the effect of substitution by domestic tourists was clearly manifested. The country's capital Sofia also retained a high proportion of inbound tourist flow.

KeywordsBulgaria, tourism geography, inbound tourist flow, COVID-19 pandemic, seaside tourism
Received28.06.2023
Publication date29.06.2023
Number of characters13006
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1 Введение. Пандемия COVID-19 привела к значительному уменьшению международного туризма в странах Европу. Во многих европейских странах величина въездного турпотока сократилась многократно. Болгария традиционно выступает в качестве центра притяжения туристов, ориентированных на рекреацию на побережье Чёрного моря. В силу своего географического положения, а также социалистического прошлого, значительная часть иностранных туристов по-прежнему приходится на страны Восточной Европы, в т. ч. на Россию и Украину. Однако пандемия COVID-19 привела к заметному изменению структуры въездного туристского потока.
2 Целью исследования является выявление изменений в структуре въездного туристского потока и географических особенностей его распределения в Болгарии вследствие пандемии COVID-19.
3 Степень изученности проблемы. Въездному туризму Болгарии посвящено достаточно много исследований, однако большинство из них рассматривает его с позиции развития туристской индустрии (например, [3; 14; 25] и др.). Вторую большую группу работ составляют исследования по оценке современного состояния и перспектив развития различных видов туризма в стране, например, культурно-познавательного [7], сельского [11], медицинского [19], СПА и велнес-туризма [22], и др., а также работы по изучению культурно-исторического наследия Болгарии как туристского ресурса [5]. Третью категорию исследований представляют работы, посвящённые созданию позитивного имиджа страны как туристского направления (например, [23; 24] и др.). В нескольких публикациях Болгария рассматривается как одно из перспективных направлений выездного туризма из России [4; 16; 21], причём учитывается и советский опыт тесного сотрудничества с Болгарией в туристской сфере [15].
4 На этом фоне достаточно редко встречаются работы, где изучается динамика и структура международного туристского потока в Болгарию. Так, нужно отметить статью, где представлены результаты анализа структуры въездного турпотока в страну в период с 2007 по 2016 гг. [28]. В этой работе сделан вывод, что около половины туристов приезжает из соседних стран, и эти потоки имеют характер «диффузии», их объём зависит от протяжённости сухопутной границы, но имеет слабый сезонный характер. Второй крупной категорией зарубежных гостей являются прибывающие в летний период для отдыха на море.
5 Кроме того, с точки зрения изучения особенностей распределения турпотока в стране особое внимание нужно обратить на публикации, касающиеся теоретических и практических вопросов туристского районирования Болгарии [2; 12; 13]. В этих работах отмечено, что туристское районирование создаёт важную основу улучшения территориальной организации туризма, и оно должно стать эффективным инструментом для реализации туристского потенциала всех регионов Болгарии с учётом потребностей туристов из разных стран.

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Fig. 1. Structure of inbound tourist flow in Bulgaria in 2019–2021. (07_Ivanov_Рис._1.png, 10 Kb) [Download]

Fig. 2. The volume of inbound tourist flow and the share of foreign tourists by regions of Bulgaria in 2019 (07_Ivanov_Рис_2.png, 562 Kb) [Download]

Fig. 3. The volume of inbound tourist flow and the share of foreign tourists by regions of Bulgaria in 2021 (07_Ivanov_Рис.3.png, 560 Kb) [Download]

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