ABSTRACT
The widespread distribution of COVID-19 has had serious negative impacts on the tourism industries of many European countries and particularly those EU Member States where tourism is one of the most important contributors to local and national economies. As a response to the negative implications of the pandemic, most EU states have introduced a number of job retention schemes and other financial instruments to support tourism businesses. This chapter explores the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic on the tourism industry in Bulgaria and examines the measures undertaken to sustain one of the most hardly hit sectors nationwide. The analysis concludes that in addition to the EU-wide initiatives and funding schemes, Bulgaria has also introduced distinctive local mechanisms to support its tourism businesses. However, more research is needed to study the effectiveness of those measures and more specifically, the stakeholders' perceptions about the extent to which they have been successful in supporting small and medium enterprises. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.