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Official product, corporate and partner news from ISKA.
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Google AI Mode: how it affects reservations in Bulgaria
Google AI Mode can now book hotels directly in the US; for Bulgarian venues this means checking that your partners and data are up to date and ready for the new booking paths.
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NSI: prices in “Restaurants and hotels” in September 2026 were 9.5% higher than a year earlier
According to the NSI, prices in the “Restaurant and hotel services” group were 9.5% higher in September 2026 than in September 2025. Overall annual inflation was 5.7%. This is an average for the whole country and the whole group, not a yardstick for your menu. It is useful as a reference point when you review your prices and costs.
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Independent hotels are more often “unknown” to AI: what a Stiplo study says
According to a study by the company Stiplo (public since the start of August 2026), as covered by Skift on 11 October 2026, independent hotels are unknown to AI systems about eight times as often as chains are. The strongest factor is Google reviews. The result is reported by the provider and does not guarantee anything for an individual property.
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NSI: visits by foreigners to Bulgaria down 1.2% in July and 2.1% in August
According to preliminary NSI data, foreigners visited Bulgaria 1,979,743 times in July (−1.2% compared with July 2025) and 2,221,194 times in August (−2.1%). About half of the visits are for holidays and excursions. Most come from Romania, Turkey, Germany and Ukraine, so guests speak many different languages.
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NSI, July 2026: fewer overnight stays, but higher revenue from them
According to NSI data, in July 2026 accommodation establishments report 5.4% fewer overnight stays than a year earlier, but 11.4% more revenue from overnight stays, a total of €346.4 million. In June overnight stays are 3.6% lower and revenue 13.6% higher. Bed occupancy in July is 53.3%.
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Google: booking a hotel directly in AI Mode — launching in the US, in English
On 27 August 2026 Google announced that in AI Mode you can find and book a hotel in a single conversation. The rollout starts in the US, in English only, with selected partners. Google announces nothing for Bulgaria. For a small venue, the practical conclusion is to have clear, up-to-date information on its own website.
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From 2 August 2026, chatbots must be labelled as AI — what Article 50 of the AI Act requires
Under Article 50 of the AI Act, from 2 August 2026 a system that talks directly to a person must tell that person it is an AI, unless this is obvious. Responsibility lies with the provider of the system. If you have a chatbot on your website, check how it is labelled. This is not legal advice.
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