Minister Angelkova: We are working jointly with Turkey on joint tourism products for remote markets

Nearly 600 000 visitors from our southern neighbour during the January-December period                                                              

We are working jointly with Turkey on joint tourism products for remote and prospective markets, as well as on the holding of information days of Turkey in Bulgaria and of Bulgaria in Turkey. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, who held a work meeting with His Excellency Hasan Ulusoy, ambassador of Republic of Turkey in our country. The Minister indicated further that get-to-know tours are being planned in our country for Turkish media and tour operators. The purpose of those tours is to introduce the guests to the opportunities for medical and spa tourism, wine-gastronomy tourism, and culture tourism.

We are working purposefully to transform Turkey into a year-round tourism market for us, stated the Minister. Turkey ranks 4th in terms of leading tourism markets for Bulgaria. During the January-November period of 2017 nearly 600 000 Turkish tourists came to our country, their number growing by 12,4 per cent, compared to the same period of last year.

The Minister also presented to HE Ulusoy the events organized by the Ministry during the presidency of the EU Council. In mid-February there will be a meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism, which is themed Tourism and Economic Growth. HE Ulusoy indicated that the meeting will also be attended by the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Numan Kurtulmuş.

The meeting’s topics also included the preparation of the 2nd edition of the International Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes, which will be held in mid-November in Sofia. The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the World Tourism Organization. Minister Angelkova extended an invitation to her Turkish counterpart to attend the forum as well.

HE Ulusoy emphasized that Bulgaria has wonderful opportunities to market a diverse tourism product, this enable attraction of investments by Turkish companies in Bulgarian summer and winter resorts. HE Ulusoy his preparedness for cooperation and support in the implementation of joint initiatives going forward and stated hope that partnership between the two countries would develop ever more successfully, which would support tourism in the two neighbouring countries.