Minister Angelkova: Bulgaria will host the second edition of the International Congress of the World Civilizations and Ancient Routes in 2018

In 2018 Bulgaria will host the International Congress of the World Civilizations and Ancient Routes under the initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). This was announced by Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova in a working meeting with the president of the Chinese National Tourist Administration (CNTA) Li Dzindzao held within the framework of the 22^nd General Assembly of UNWTO in the Chinese city of Chengtu. This will be the second edition of the International Congress of the World Civilizations and Modern Tourism. The first congress was again hosted by Bulgaria in 2016. The large-scale event will be held at the end of 2018 and will be organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the specialized organization of the UN. “Bulgaria attaches great importance to the development of the Bulgarian-Chinese relations in the field of tourism and will rely on active participation from your side in the forthcoming event”, added Minister Angelkova.

“I am impressed that nearly 85 mln Chinese tourists were traveling throughout the world in 2016, and over 10 mln of them have chosen Europe for their vacation abroad”, the minister said. She stressed that the tourist product offered by our country may attract an even greater number of Chinese tourists.

“We are working actively for the promotion of the tourist advertising on the Chinese market. Since we want to make our tourist product even more recognizable and present Bulgaria as an all-year tourist destination, an advertising campaign will be implemented on the Chinese market in 2018. Journalistic tours will be organized in order to attract more tourists and they will include representatives of the Chinese media”, said the minister. She recalled the upcoming opening of the Bulgarian tourist information center in Shanghai on the grounds of a signed agreement between the Ministry of Tourism and ACN Worldwide Ltd Shanghai.

In the meeting Minister Angelkova talked with one of the most significant investors in tourism in China Chen Feng, chairman of the board of the HNA Group Co. Ltd, which unites hotel services and business organizations. He also expressed his interest in investment in Bulgaria and wanted to learn more about suitable opportunities and locations. The Bulgarian minister emphasized that our country has a strong potential for investment in tourism and underlined the possibility for investing in 5-star hotels.

In the past 20 years HNA Group Co. Ltd has been recognized as one of the giant investors in China, which means it invests in dozens of industries. The company owns shares in some of the big airlines outside China. Among them are: Africa World Airlines, Aigle Azur, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Comair, MyCargo Airlines, TAP Portugal, and it operates over 13 airports and over 1200 airplanes on the territory of China. There are a number of investments in the tourism sector among which the Hilton hotel chain.