BULGARIA. Fraport Bulgaria has invited experienced operators for Expressions of Interest (EOI) in running VIP and business lounges at Varna and Burgas airports, ahead of an upcoming tender.
The company is offering four locations, with operators chosen to go forward able to bid for one or more of the opportunities.
The proposed operating term is five years, with an option for a further three.
At Varna Airport, the opportunity encompasses a 225sq m Business/VIP Lounge in Terminal 2 Departures and a 306sq m VIP Lounge in Terminal 1.
At Burgas Airport, operators can express interest in an 86sq m Business Lounge in Terminal 2 and a Terminal 1 VIP Lounge featuring 290sq m of indoor space plus a 515sq m outdoor area.
Fraport Bulgaria Director Commercial Activities & Customer Experience Svetlana Simeonova told The Moodie Davitt Report that the opportunity forms part of a broader evolution of the passenger experience at both airports.
She said: “We’ve made quite a few changes at both airports, and we feel it’s the right time to take a fresh look at our lounge and VIP services too.
“We’d like to bring in specialists who can help us make more of these spaces and give passengers a good reason to choose them.
“For us, that means a warm welcome, good food and drink, comfortable surroundings and staff who pay attention to the small things.
“We’d also like the lounges to have something of the local character.
“The four locations are quite different, so we’re keen to hear how operators would approach each one.”
Simeonova noted that prospective partners should bring experience in airport lounge or VIP services, a strong team and a realistic business proposal.
An understanding of seasonality will be important to managing summer peaks while maintaining service standards throughout the year.
Relationships with airlines and lounge access programmes would also be valuable, she suggested.
“Above all, we want a partner who brings ideas and works with us to put them into practice,” she added.
Simeonova pointed to the flexibility offered by the four spaces, including the substantial outdoor area at the Burgas VIP lounge, and the time available to develop the business.
“With a five-year term and an option for a further three, there’s time to build the service, develop partnerships and grow with us,” Simeonova concluded.
Interested operators should email their expressions of interest to FTSAM.Commercial@fraport-bulgaria.com by 15 November 2026, inclusive.
Following review of the expressions of interest, Fraport will issue documentation containing the information required to prepare bids.
The published announcement is available on the company’s open tenders page. ✈
 The Moodie Davitt Report also publishes Airport Hospitality World, the latest edition to our wide-ranging, market-leading travel retail and airport non-aeronautical revenues publishing and event portfolio. Airport Hospitality World covers all forms of airport lounges across international and domestic terminals, including various definitions as follows:
Plus other hospitality-related platforms:
Excitingly, the long-established Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards will embrace Airport Hospitality World from the 2026 edition – the event’s 15th anniversary. |
