Right: Miroslav Borshosh with Sirkis. Photo: Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism A 48-hour visit to Sofia by Uri Sirkis, the CEO of Israir, turned into a significant opportunity to advance economic and tourism relations between Israel and Bulgaria.
Sirkis met with Bulgaria's Minister of Tourism, Miroslav Borshosh, in the minister's office, where they agreed on initiatives to expand activities between the two countries.
The Israir CEO also visited the Bulgarian Parliament building and held a meeting attended by the Chairman of the Bulgarian Parliament's Tourism Development Committee, Dr. Desislav Taskov, and other officials.
Israir CEO in the Bulgarian Parliament building with Dr. Desislav Taskov.The discussions focused on a clear and ambitious target: reaching 260,000 passengers from Israel by 2026, a goal deemed achievable by both parties.
During the talks, strategic development plans based on precise audience segmentation and interests were discussed.
The audiences targeted include families, sports and leisure enthusiasts, winter travelers, and ski vacationers.
The primary destinations currently attracting Israeli interest include Sofia, Bansko, Plovdiv, Burgas, and Varna.
It was also agreed that Israir will seek to expand its operations in Bulgaria to include Plovdiv Airport, adding it to the list of active airports alongside Sofia, Varna, and Burgas.
Uri Sirkis, CEO of Israir, who also met with the CEO of Sofia Airport, Jesus Caballero Pinto, emphasized that the company is working to synchronize infrastructures, partnerships, and marketing needs with the aim of realizing Bulgaria's full potential as a sought-after destination for the Israeli public. According to him, the new arrangements will improve connections between the countries, increase air traffic, and provide real responses to the growing demands of Israeli tourists, both in winter and in summer. The CEO of the Bulgarian airport noted that the airport management in the city will make every effort to cooperate with Israir to expand activities between Tel Aviv and Sofia.
Minister Borshosh noted that Bulgaria aims to establish an image of a welcoming, safe, and accessible country, highlighting his ministry's efforts to strengthen the country's visibility in target markets such as Israel. He mentioned that building a positive image is considered a key factor in the recovery of the market after a temporary slowdown caused by the security situation in the Middle East.
According to data presented at the meeting, from January to May 2025, over 71,000 Israeli tourists were recorded in Bulgaria's accommodation facilities. This reflects a leap of more than 76 percent over the same period in 2024, and an increase of nearly 33 percent compared to 2019, considered the peak year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Israir, which flew over two million passengers last year, currently operates charter flights to Varna and continues to explore options for developing new routes.
The CEO of Israir indicated the company's intention to expand marketing activities and invest in dedicated campaigns to attract more audiences from Israel, through collaborations with authorities, tourism bodies, and regional partners.
At the end of the meeting, both sides expressed their commitment to continue working together to expand tourism activities, strengthen the air connection, expand the offering, and develop tailored solutions to meet Israeli demand, which varies according to seasons and audience interests.
Sofia. Photo: Shutterstock