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Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz has extended an invitation to Minister Dinkova to visit the country‘As a safe tourist destination, Bulgaria is ready to welcome Israeli tourists. Israel is an important market for our country for both summer and winter tourism,’ Minister Zaritza Dinkova said during her meeting with her Israeli counterpart, Haim Katz, at the FITUR international tourism exhibition in Madrid.The total number of registrations of Israeli tourists for the period from 1 December 2022 to 31 March 2023 was over 51,000. This ranks Israel fourth among Bulgaria's inbound tourism markets after Romania, Greece and the United Kingdom, Minister Dinkova noted.Haim Katz said that the first destination he will visit after the Gaza conflict subsides is Bulgaria and invited Minister Dinkova to visit Israel to learn about the country's rich history and cultural heritage. Minister Dinkova accepted the invitation to visit Israel and stressed that it was crucial to discuss possible ways of increasing cooperation in the field of tourism between the two countries. ‘The situation in Israel does not cancel our plans for cooperation in tourism, but postpones them in time. Israeli tourists are among the most desirable in Bulgaria,’ Minister Zaritza Dinkova added.In May 2023 The Ministry of Tourism in Bulgaria has organised a business forum in Tel Aviv. It was attended by over 50 Israeli tour operators and 12 representatives of the Bulgarian tourism business. During the forum the representatives of the Bulgarian tourism industry presented the opportunities for sea and winter tourism in Bulgaria, as well as for spa, wellness and specialized forms of tourism. ‘This year we can organize a second business forum in Bulgaria, which will support our efforts to increase tourism exchanges between our countries,’ Minister Dinkova said.The Minister of Tourism noted that the cooperation in the tourism sector between the two countries in recent years, has undergone significant development, and proof of this is the signed Agreement between the two countries on cooperation in the field of tourism. ‘Bulgaria attaches great importance to the bilateral relations with Israel, which have historical roots and today are already at a strategic level,’ Minister Dinkova further pointed out.

Minister Dinkova held a meeting with the Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosana Morillo ‘Due to our excellent bilateral cooperation, which Bulgaria and Spain enjoy in many areas, as well as the increasing number of Spanish tourists visiting our country, this year we will open our first national tourist representation in Spain,’ Minister Dinkova said during her meeting with Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism Rosana Morillo. Our tourist attaché in Spain will also cover the markets in France and Italy.‘We need to work together, in close cooperation, to increase tourism between the two countries. The tourism industry has overcome the Covid crisis and this is clearly visible in the number of tourist trips made. What Spanish citizens need to know is that Bulgaria is a country that offers many opportunities and deserves to be visited,’ Rosana Morillo said.The Minister of Tourism and the delegation she leads are visiting the Kingdom of Spain in the framework of the international tourism exhibition FITUR 2024 in Madrid, which will start tomorrow – January 24 and will last until Sunday – January 28. FITUR is one of the largest tourism exhibitions in the world. Minister Dinkova said that this year 17 representatives of the Bulgarian tourism industry — tour operators, travel agents, municipal administrations — will take part in the event and will have the opportunity to present their tourism products. Bulgaria will be presented as a destination for year-round tourism, offering opportunities for winter, cultural, eco, SPA and wellness tourism.The Spanish market is extremely important for Bulgaria, Minister Dinkova further stressed. In the last year, a serious growth of tourists of nearly 42% has been recorded.A series of initiatives aimed at Spanish tourists are planned. Such is the project of the municipality of Shabla, for a flamenco festival, which is funded under the programme for marketing activities of tourist services in the Black Sea municipalities. ‘The municipality of Shabla has contacted a local Spanish tour operator so that as many tourists from the Iberian Peninsula as possible can visit the event,’ the Minister of Tourism added, stressing that an official invitation to visit the festival has also been received by Secretary of State Morillo.For the period January-November 2023, the number of Bulgarians who visited Spain was 175,377. During the same period, 72,591 Spaniards visited Bulgaria for tourism, and the Tourism Minister pointed out that due to our country's entry into Schengen, we expect this number to increase. ‘The Spanish tourists are an indicator that when you have good air connectivity you also have tourist flow. It is for markets like this that our entry into Schengen is extremely positive news because they come mainly by air and for them it is an opportunity to use Sofia as a starting point for other destinations,’ Zaritza Dinkova stressed.

In recent years, it has been continuously said that a strategic goal in the tourism sector is its sustainable development, and that Bulgaria should establish itself as a four-season destination.When I took over as Minister, I found that Bulgaria had lost the confidence of important inbound tourism partners such as Germany, which is our main market, because of a number of promises made but not kept by previous governments. Trust is hard to gain, but it is quickly lost, so my focus internationally over these months has been precisely on rebuilding trust with our key partners, as well as creating new strategic partnerships for Bulgaria.The last six months have been packed with important international events, meetings of the bodies of international organisations of which Bulgaria is a member, as well as a series of my meetings with line ministers in key markets for our country, including the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Sweden. My team and I have met with business representatives from the Nordic market, Austria, Turkey, Greece and Spain to present to them in person the opportunities offered by our reform to support Black Sea municipalities.Very dynamic and busy months, but well worth the effort. We now have 21 approved projects that will not only attract more tourists in the 2024 summer season, but also guarantee the multiplication of government investment in marketing and advertising Bulgaria. Thus, for the first time, the state is pooling its resources with those of local authorities and businesses.It is high time to understand that tourism is also an international policy and an important tool for soft diplomacy. We cannot expect that we will increase the number of foreign tourists in our country if we do not show that our country is safe as a destination and that it is a reliable business partner. When tour operators make the choice between competing destinations and choose to invest in bringing tourists to Bulgaria, they take the risk of that choice. Attracting tourists is not easy in an increasingly competitive market, especially with years of political instability. That is why it was crucial that the state found a way to make its support clear and that I, as tourism minister, helped the business. Such a step was desired and awaited by them. Working with our political and business partners is key because it is necessary to work in parallel at both levels.Tourism is not a service that is presented and delivered seasonally and campaigning. Developing a sustainable tourism product is not just a matter of national or local policy, but also of active international partnership.Bulgaria's accession to Schengen will further increase interest in the opportunities our country offers for year-round holidays. In the coming months, I will work purposefully with local authorities to extend the scope of the reform. I will be FOCUSED ON WORKING with the large and established chains, as well as the small family-run hotels and guesthouses, which invest a great deal to offer tourists not just a holiday, but a real sense of home and warmth.I would like to thank the team at the Ministry of Tourism for their professionalism and willingness to work even on their days off. Thank you to the representatives of serious business who believed in our ideas and offered us partnership. I believe that it is in this way, when we work as a team, that we will face a new and much more successful 2024, during which Bulgaria will take the place it deserves among the preferred tourist destinations.

21 projects will be funded under the new programme for the support of Black Sea municipalities. The introduction of the first-ever reform changes the way state money is spent on advertising tourism services. It is a step in the direction of more transparency and efficiency in line with the recommendations of the EC Annual Report on Bulgaria.On 18 December 2023 at 10.00 a.m. an official ceremony will be held in Grand Hotel Sofia, Triaditsa Hall, where the representatives of all approved municipalities will sign their contracts for the financial support.The work of the Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Tourism was completed on 12 December 2023, after having examined, evaluated and ranked the submitted project proposals under the Selection Procedure of the ‘Programme for financing of marketing activities of tourist services in the Black Sea municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria’.Within the application deadline, 21 project proposals were submitted through the Management System of National Investment (NIMS).The evaluation of each of them took place in the period 29 November 2023 – 12 December 2023 in two stages: Administrative Compliance and Eligibility Check, and Technical and Financial Evaluation.As a result of the evaluations carried out and on the basis of the points obtained, the following 21 proposals have been approved for funding, in descending order:BG-176789478-2023-01-0003 ‘Promotion of the Municipality of Shabla on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany as a means for the development of inbound tourism’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Shabla;BG-176789478-2023-01-0016 ‘Pomorie — the unknown tourist destination in Bulgaria’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Pomorie;BG-176789478-2023-01-0006 ‘Varna — the magic of the sea’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Varna;BG-176789478-2023-01-0011 ‘Promotion of the Municipality of Balchik on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany through effective communication campaigns in order to attract the interest of tourists to Bulgaria’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Balchik;BG-176789478-2023-01-0017 ‘Pomorie — the salty road of happiness’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Pomorie;BG-176789478-2023-01-0008 ‘DISCOVER THE PAST, EXPERIENCE THE PRESENT in Dalgopol, Provadia and Dolni Chiflik: Integrated Marketing Model for the Promotion of Tourist Services in Remote Black Sea Municipalities (DISCOVERY)’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Dalgopol;BG-176789478-2023-01-0021 ‘Tourist Employment 365: Increasing employment in tourism in Sozopol municipality’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Sozopol; BG-176789478-2023-01-0007 — ‘Varna destination of four seasons — the undiscovered treasures’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Varna;BG-176789478-2023-01-0018 ‘Promotion of the South Black Sea Coast Destination on the Czech Tourist Market’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Primorsko;BG-176789478-2023-01-0001 ‘Promotion of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and Aksakovo municipality on the tourist market’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Aksakovo;BG-176789478-2023-01-0002 ‘Promotion of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and Aksakovo Municipality on the German Tourist Market’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Aksakovo;BG-176789478-2023-01-0015 ‘Promotion of the destination ‘Burgas’ on the tourist market Poland’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Burgas;BG-176789478-2023-01-0013 ‘Promotion of the Southern Black Sea Coast destination on the Central European tourist market (Germany and Czech Republic)’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Malko Tarnovo;BG-176789478-2023-01-0005 ‘The Wonderful Nessebar — Your place for a holiday among ancient sights’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Nessebar;BG-176789478-2023-01-0014 ‘Promotion of Burgas destination on the UK tourism market’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Burgas; BG-176789478-2023-01-0010 ‘Promotion of Black Sea destination Burgas and Nesebar on tourist markets’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Nessebar; BG-176789478-2023-01-0012 ‘Promotion of the Municipality of Balchik and the Municipality of Primorsko on the territory of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, as a means of developing inbound tourism on the territory of the two municipalities’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Balchik;BG-176789478-2023-01-0004 ‘Flamenco Festival Shabla 2024’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Shabla;BG-176789478-2023-01-0009 ‘Byala — part of the cosmic history’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Byala;BG-176789478-2023-01-0019 ‘Devnya — Promotion of tourism in the municipality’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Devnya;BG-176789478-2023-01-0020 ‘Suvorovo — Unique Tourist Experiences’ with beneficiary the Municipality of Suvorovo.

The main focus is on sea holiday tourism, family holidays and city toursBulgaria was a participant in the international tourism exhibition Touristik & Caravanin, which this year takes place from 22 to 26 November 2023 in Leipzig, Germany.The exhibition has been organized since 1990 and is one of the largest tourism events of its kind in the territory of central Germany and the former East German states. It is intended for a mass audience and has an exhibition area of over 70,000 m².The fair is in separate exhibition halls thematically divided for international tourism, camping/caravanning, cycling tourism and gastronomic tourism.The main focus of the Bulgarian presentation is seaside holiday tourism, family holidays and city tours.On the information stand of Bulgaria this year participated Varna Municipality, Sofia Metroplitan Municipality, OP Tourism, Albena AD.

Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova attended the world's largest exhibition for tourism industry professionalsThe Ministry of Tourism, together with 23 representatives of the tourism sector, is participating in the international tourism exhibition World Travel Market (WTM) in London, UK, held in the period 06-08 November 2023. Tourism Minister Zaritza Dinkova is also participating in the world's largest exhibition for tourism industry professionals.The cultural and historical heritage of our country – the medieval masterpiece Boyana Church, Heraclea Sintica, Tsarevgrad of Asenevtsi, Samovodska Charshia of Tarnovo, Wine of Bulgaria, Magic of Magura Cave, Ancient Villa Armira, etc., will be presented through VR equipment and rich VR content in Bulgarian and English.Guests at the Bulgarian stand will get acquainted with the opportunities for wine and culinary tourism in Northeastern Bulgaria, the Thracian Lowland and the Rose Valley, Southern Sakar, the Struma Valley, Western and Central Danube Plain. Each of the regions will be promoted with a quality, typical for the terroir wine, as well as through their maps illustrating the wine route and related tourist attractions.This year Bulgaria is represented with a stand of over 304 sq. m. in the Europe Hall. The Bulgarian national stand was represented by the following representatives of the tourism sector – Rila Travel EOOD, Bohemia OOD, EN-Vision Services Group OOD, Varna Municipality, World Travel Bulgaria OOD, AVATAR TOUR OOD, Plovdiv Municipality, Penguin Travel OOD, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, Thracian Tourist Region Management Organization, Sunny Travel EOOD, Samokov Municipality, Aleksia Auto EOOD, Boyana – MG EOOD, Bulgaria Air AD, Sofia Metroploitan Municipality, OP Tourism, Balkan Tourist Region Management Organization, Pi Group Plovdiv EOOD, International Leisure Projects EOOD, INTENSO OOD, Albena AD, Villa Ambrosia EAD, Bulimpex AD, Velina EAD.WTM is the largest marketplace for travel industry professionals and the world's second largest travel trade show after ITB – Berlin. In 2023, London hosted the 43rd edition of WTM. In four decades, the exhibition has changed its vision and location, with global business gathering at the ExCeL Centre since 2002.

Minister Dinkova participates in the Informal Meeting of EU Tourism Ministers We are working for the sustainable development of tourism in Bulgaria, putting special emphasis on public-private partnerships and working with local authorities. This is what Minister Zaritza Dinkova said at the opening of the Informal Meeting of EU Tourism Ministers, which is taking place today in Palma de Mallorca.‘We have created a targeted programme to finance marketing activities of tourism services in the Black Sea municipalities in Bulgaria, which aims to attract more attention to these regions,’ Dinkova said.The competitiveness of the sector depends on the willingness to meet the rapidly growing demand for more sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism products. ‘The challenges are there, but for us they are an incentive to implement innovative solutions,’ Minister Dinkova added.The demand for authentic experiences spans every sector of the hospitality and tourism industry, the Tourism Minister added. In this respect, she said, the EU should stimulate new business models that provide them. This will support local communities and the development of the economy.Well-trained and skilled tourism professionals are the foundation for the sustainable development of the tourism industry. The development of new technologies is also extremely important. Unfortunately, Bulgaria is lagging behind in terms of the development of digital skills among employees in the sector, Minister Dinkova added and insisted that within the EU Pact they should be promoted, both within educational programmes, in the qualification and re-qualification process and in the continuing education of employees in the sector.The informal meeting of tourism ministers in Palma de Mallorca ended with the adoption of a Declaration entitled ‘A Path towards Social Sustainability of Tourism in the EU’, which was supported by Bulgaria. The aim of the Palma Declaration is to put tourism at the heart of the EU agenda and to request a specific budget for key activities for the twenty-seven EU Member States. 

Minister Dinkova attended the 120th session of the Executive Board of the UNWTOMinister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova attended the 120th session of the Executive Board of the UN World Tourism Organization, which is held within the 25th session of the General Assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization in Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan.‘Bulgaria is motivated to work for the prosperity of the sector by implementing a pragmatic, effective and inclusive approach to realize the objectives of the Organization. We will continue to work towards more sustainable and accessible tourism, which will enhance the efficiency of the sector. Tourism is an engine of economic development and a bridge between different peoples and cultures around the world,’ Minister Dinkova said.On behalf of Bulgaria, she expressed gratitude to UNWTO and its Member States for the good cooperation over the past few years during difficult times for the industry. ‘I also thank our gracious and dedicated host Uzbekistan and the team for the wonderful welcome and organization,’ Minister Dinkova further stated.During the session, the new members of the Executive Board were officially welcomed and new members to the Budget and Programme Committee, the Associate Members Committee, the Statistics Committee, the Tourism and Competitiveness Committee, the Tourism and Sustainability Committee and the Online Training Committee were formally confirmed.  

Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova is on a working visit to Samarkand, Uzbekistan to participate in the 25th Session of the General Assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization, as well as the 120th Session of the UNWTO Executive Board.The World Tourism Organization (WTO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations and a leading international organization in the field of tourism. It has 159 member countries and over 500 representatives from the tourism industry.The General Assembly will also approve the new composition of the UNWTO Executive Board, to which Bulgaria was elected for the 2023-2027 mandate in a competition of 11 candidates.At the opening of the session, the Secretary General of the organisation, Zurab Pololikashvili, outlined the leading international trends in tourism. Emphasis was placed on the recovery of the tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of regional conflicts, and new opportunities for sustainable tourism development.The proposal of the Regional Commission Europe for a new Agenda 2030 for Europe – Tourism Leads Change was also presented, which will work towards transforming the sector towards compliance with the environmental standards being imposed globally.Minister Dinkova held talks with UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili and Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism Rosana Morillo.Potential partnership opportunities in the field of tourism were also discussed during the meeting with Gulnora Rakhimova – Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan.Minister Dinkova also held talks with Peleg Levy, Advisor on Foreign Affairs to the Minister of Tourism of Israel. She expressed her empathy for the human tragedy unfolding in Israel. She declared her readiness to agree on a new date for her visit to Israel to meet the Minister as soon as circumstances allow.

The Ministry of Tourism has successfully completed the implementation of the project ‘Cohesion Support to Address Migration Challenges Arising from the Military Aggression by the Russian Federation in Ukraine for Refugees Arriving in Bulgaria through a Measure Implemented by the Ministry of Tourism’ under the 2014-2020 OPGG.For the purpose of publicity and transparency, the Ministry of Tourism presented the implementation of the activities of the Project BG05SFOP001-6.001-0001-C01 of 23 September 2022, aimed at supporting the cohesion to address the migratory challenges posed by the military aggression by the Russian Federation in Ukraine for refugees who arrived in the Republic of Bulgaria.The project is implemented with the financial support of the Operational Programme Good Governance 2014-2020 (OPGG 2014-2020), co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund and the state budget of the Republic of Bulgaria.The project fulfils the objectives of providing accommodation (overnight accommodation) with breakfast and a hot lunch to each displaced person who arrived from Ukraine to Bulgaria and received temporary protection.  This is in line with the measures implemented by the Ministry of Tourism under the Humanitarian Assistance Programme for persons seeking temporary protection in Bulgaria.As a result of the project, EU funds have covered the costs of 960,800 overnight stays including breakfast and hot lunch per refugee accommodated in a place of accommodation/shelter in the period from 01 to 17 May 2022.The project has addressed 62,704 displaced persons from Ukraine, of which 25,666 are children under the age of 18.  

The Minister of Tourism was on an official visit to the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations‘We are following with concern and attention what is happening in Israel, the Bulgarian government has taken timely action for the security of Israeli tourists in our territory. This attitude is key for all our foreign visitors. Bulgaria is a safe tourist destination.’ This is what Tourism Minister Zaritza Dinkova said during a working meeting with the Director of International Relations and Cooperation, Marta Blanco, from the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) and her colleagues in the tourism sector.‘Only by deepening cooperation together within Schengen will we contribute to increasing security within the Union,’ Minister Dinkova was adamant.Bulgaria ranks among the countries with the fastest recovery of inbound tourism, Dinkova added. ‘Our country has a tourism potential that does not only include the sea. We have unique mountains, remains of fortresses from Thracian and Roman times.’Huge, but not fully realized potential have eco, adventure, wine and culinary and golf tourism, Minister Dinkova stressed.She added that Bulgaria and Spain could cooperate in a number of areas of mutual interest in the field of tourism. Marta Blanco also showed interest in the Black Sea Municipalities Financing Programme, which for the first time applies a partnership instrument with businesses, municipalities, tour operators and airports and takes decisive steps to restore confidence to work together. ‘I see that Bulgaria and Spain share common challenges in the areas of digitalization, destination sustainability and the promotion of tourism in both countries as year-round destinations,’ Marta Blanco said.The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Kingdom of Spain Aleksey Andreev. 

The Minister of Tourism also met with Polish President Andrzej Duda at the second European Congress of Sport and Tourism in PolandBulgaria is among the top five destinations for Polish tourists, with more than 250,000 visitors since the beginning of this year, an increase of 19% compared to the same period last year. This was said by the Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova during a meeting with Andrzej Gut-Mostovi, State Secretary at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Poland.Minister Dinkova is on a working visit to Poland on the occasion of the 2nd European Congress on Sport and Tourism and the 3rd bilateral meeting of tourism experts. She stressed that this year 21 Bulgarian beaches and 1 marina have been awarded the Blue Flag global standard and 11 Bulgarian hotels have been awarded the Green Key certificate. Another good example is Albena, one of the oldest and leading Bulgarian resorts, presented as a best practice for waste management, local food sourcing and renewable energy at the informal meeting of EU eco-ministers in Stockholm this April. "These few examples clearly show the transformation of the Bulgarian tourism industry towards a more competitive, sustainable and digital one," Minister Dinkova added."Tourism is of great importance not only for the economy, but also for establishing and strengthening ties between our peoples and cultures. Traditionally, Bulgaria is a place many Poles prefer for their holidays," said Andrzej Gut-Mostovi.Minister Dinkova also held a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who also attended the European Congress on Sport and Tourism. It was also announced that Poland will bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics.

For the first time, a partnership tool is being implemented with businesses, municipalities, tour operators and airports and decisive steps are being taken to restore confidence to work together. This shows a political will to increase competitiveness and to develop towards decentralisation. The funding is linked to public investment to promote Bulgarian tourism and through this reform the state, local authorities and the private sector are brought together. In this way, spending is controlled through greater transparency and efficiency.With the opening of "Programme for financing of marketing activities of tourist services in the Black Sea municipalities in Bulgaria", the government makes a clear statement for a reliable and committed partner of the business. This is what the Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova said at a press conference."Co-funding by the business community enables funds to be pooled and increased, meaning taxpayers' money is directed towards business development and more revenue. This is an important advantage set in the Programme and the resources are not wasted", Minister Dinkova pointed out. The Ministry of Tourism has reacted to the European recommendations regarding Bulgaria and this is precisely the correct allocation of funds for state advertising by taking real action. The aim is to make Bulgaria a modern and preferred destination.Currently, the target group is the Black Sea municipalities, but it is planned to extend and develop the reform according to the specificities of other regions such as the Rhodope Mountains, the Rose Valley and others.The total amount of funds for the implementation of the Procedure is BGN 5,000,000, financed from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Tourism. The state finances 60% , up to BGN 400,000, 40% is co-financed by businesses and municipalities. Actions are aimed at expanding the active tourist season on the Black Sea coast, as well as working with the markets of Germany, Poland, Hungary, Scandinavian countries and the UK.

The partnership between Bulgaria and Turkey is an example for the region agreed the two countries during the 4th session of the Bulgarian-Turkish Tourism Committee in Istanbul.The Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova said that it is necessary to use the logistical possibilities of a centre like Istanbul, on which Bulgaria also relies. The proximity of the two countries allows tourists to visit in 1 day sites from both countries.Zaritsa Dinkova noted that Bulgaria is an increasingly popular destination for winter tourism and that last winter the number of guests from Turkey was nearly 50,000. She pointed out that the resorts of Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets are attractive destinations and that in recent years they have hosted world and European ski and snowboard competitions.Zaritsa Dinkova expressed her impressions of the sustainability and diversity of the Turkish tourism product, which is of prime interest also for the Bulgarian citizens. There is a serious potential for the development of tourist exchanges between Bulgaria and Turkey, for which purpose the less known destinations of both countries should be promoted on a reciprocal basis.During the conference Minister Dinkova said that the integration of NGOs in the sector generates additional added value for bilateral relations in terms of agreements between Bulgarian and Turkish stakeholders.The exchange of good practices in improving the skills of the tourism workforce was also discussed during the meeting. The aim is to work on training and development programmes for young staff.Minister Dinkova declared her full support for discussion in the Committee of any fruitful initiative which has the potential to deepen bilateral relations in this area.

Bulgaria is a Country of Honour at the 87th edition of the Thessaloniki International Fair. The Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova attended the opening of the forum and said that the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism at institutional level is among the priorities of the Ministry.The Ministry of Tourism is represented at the International Fair with a special stand and a photo corner. Our country shows its opportunities for spa, wellness and wine tourism, with around 60 Bulgarian companies and organizations from different sectors presenting the possibilities for assistance in the field of new technologies and innovations.Minister Dinkova noted that the partnership between Bulgaria and Greece is closer than ever and that in recent years mutual political trust has been steadily deepening. She pointed out that Greece is a priority market for Bulgaria. Last year, Bulgaria registered 806,000 visits of Greek tourists, and for the first six months of this year, 544,000 guests from Greece visited Bulgaria.     

Bulgaria has the potential to attract more American tourists. Around this opinion agreed H. E. Kenneth Merten, US Ambassador to Bulgaria, and the Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova. Our country has many cultural and natural attractions to offer that will pique the interest of American tourists. There are still untouched places in Bulgaria that need to be shown and preserved, Minister Zaritza Dinkova said.The team of the Ministry of Tourism is considering a new marketing strategy, which will also be aimed at expanding the markets, Minister Dinkova further stressed.The USA is a promising and desirable tourism partner and market for Bulgaria. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 104,000 American tourists travelled to Bulgaria. For the first 5 months of 2023, the number of U.S. citizens visiting our country was 30,469, an increase of 41% over the same period in 2022.Combined travel products have great potential, as traditionally American tourists prefer to combine visits to as many tourist sites as possible with one trip. In this sense, combining the main summer and winter tourist products with opportunities for spa and wellness tourism, as well as visits to cultural and historical sites, would be an increasingly significant factor in shaping the preferences of American tourists to our country. Minister Dinkova added and suggested that Bulgaria be presented as a destination on the American market or B2B forum as early as next year, if this is of interest to the American market.The development of the Bulgarian tourism sector is a national priority, Minister Dinkova further said. According to the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council), last year the contribution of the travel and tourism sector grew by 25% to BGN 10 billion, representing 6.5% of Bulgaria's economy, approaching the 2019 high of 9.9% of the economy.

The invitation was made by the Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova.The Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova met in Varna with the British historian prof. Bethany Hughes, best known as the presenter of the popular TV show "Treasures of the World", broadcast in 120 countries. Bethany Hughes and her team are in Bulgaria with the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism and are working on the filming of the movie "Treasures of Bulgaria" - dedicated to our cultural and historical heritage.The popular TV presenter and author of films with an audience of many millions said she was amazed by our beautiful nature, rich culture and amazing archaeological finds. Her team managed to capture exciting footage of the painted bride Gelina in Ribnovo, Heraclea Sintica, the Bishop's Basilica in Plovdiv, the Varna Golden Treasure, Nestinarians in the village of Kosti, the Seven Lakes of Rila and the Rila Monastery, the Tomb of Sevt 3, the Kazanlak Museum, the National Archaeological Museum and the Panagyurishte Treasure.Minister Dinkova invited prof. Bethany Hughes and her team at the Rose Festival in Kazanlak next year to make a film with the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism. Minister Dinkova noted that the festival, with its 120-year history, represents an important part of Bulgaria's cultural heritage and tradition. Bethany Hughes accepted the invitation with great inspiration and said that she herself is obsessed with the rose scent, her perfume for years has been the scent of the queen of flowers.    

The Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to the Republic of Bulgaria"The Polish market is extremely important for us and I have your full support to make Polish tourists feel comfortable in Bulgaria." This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova during her working meeting with H.E. Maciej Szymanski - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to the Republic of Bulgaria. Our country has much more to offer than the traditionally strong summer and winter seasons. "Along with summer tourism, Bulgaria is becoming a preferred destination for skiing, cultural and historical, wellness and spa tourism, as well as a preferred place for digital nomads to work," Minister Dinkova added and stressed that alternative tourism is beginning to play a key role in the development of national tourism in the countries, contributing with its added value and increasing interest in the combined tourism product.This year there has been a very strong interest in Bulgaria, noted H.E. Maciej Szyszmanski. "The latest data shows that Bulgaria is the most preferred destination in 2023, and our forecasts are that this year we will surpass the levels of the pre-Covid 2019."The issue of providing more security for tourists who choose Bulgaria and the possibility of sending Polish police officers to take care of the security of tourists in their most preferred resorts was also raised. Minister Dinkova expressed her readiness to cooperate at all levels to make such a step possible as soon as possible.Bulgaria's participation in the Second European Congress for Sport and Tourism, which will be held in the town of Zakopane, in the period 26-28 September 2023 was also discussed.Due to the great interest, another road show is to be organized in Poland, where representatives of the tourism sector in Bulgaria will meet their potential partners.

German tourists are looking for sustainable environmental offers and adventure tourism opportunitiesThere is no decrease in the number of tourists from Germany, Poland and Turkey. This was reported to Minister Zaritza Dinkova by the tourist attachés who represent the Ministry of Tourism in these countries. "You are Bulgaria's ambassadors abroad and I will rely on your expertise to increase the number of tourists from these key markets," said Minister Zaritza Dinkova.The current season is a challenge for the German market, said our attaché in Germany Tihomir Patarinsky. There is currently a slight retention of Last Minute bookings but this can be compensated for. German tourists' expectations of their desired holiday are changing. Many of them are looking for sustainable environmental offers and adventure tourism opportunities. This is also the reason why many hotels in Bulgaria are currently well filled with German tourists, while others are reporting an outflow. Data from tour operators in Germany show that up to 5% growth is expected this summer season compared to 2022.The mass tourists from Poland are families with several children, and the interest in Bulgaria this year is traditionally high, said our tourist attaché in the country Nikolay Kostov. The number of trips is also increasing, but to own homes that Poles have bought in the country. For them Bulgaria is a favourite and safe destination. They prefer our country, even though this season several new tour operators have entered the Polish market and are literally offering deals that dump packages in our country. The expected growth of tourists from Poland this season is up to 20%.Real data from Turkey show that the intensive tourist flow will remain at last year's levels. Despite the fact that due to the weakened Turkish lira people are reducing their travel, Bulgaria remains an attractive destination. This was stated by Teodora Taskova - tourist attaché in Turkey.  

There is no evidence of contamination in the Bulgarian Black Sea region There is no sign of contamination in the Bulgarian Black Sea following the leak from Ukraine's Nova Kakhovka dam. This is based on daily information exchanged between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Environment and water.Bulgarian authorities are exchanging information with their Ukrainian, Moldovan and Romanian counterparts on potential contamination of the Black Sea waters. The Black Sea Basin Directorate (BSD) and the Executive Environment Agency (EEA) are also monitoring additional indicators of potential impacts following the incident. Monitoring is also being carried out by the Regional health inspectorate. Satellite observations and mathematical modelling of water currents in the Black Sea do not currently give cause for concern. If a potential risk is identified, preventive measures will be implemented and the public will be informed in due course.Today's sea water temperature near Varna is 21.2°C, and 22.0°C in Burgas. Silistar has the lowest temperature of 20.8°C.The data will be updated periodically, in the designatet section "Information on the condition of the sea water on the beaches of the Bulgarian seaside".----------Aucune preuve de pollution dans la zone d'eau bulgare de la mer NoireIl n'y a aucune preuve de pollution dans la mer Noire bulgare après le déversement du barrage de Nova Kakhovka en Ukraine. C'est ce que montrent les données issues des échanges quotidiens d'informations entre le ministère du tourisme et le ministère de l'environnement.Les autorités bulgares échangent des informations avec leurs collègues ukrainiens, moldaves et roumains sur la pollution potentielle des eaux de la mer Noire. La Direction du bassin de la mer Noire (BDCHR) et l'Agence exécutive pour l'environnement (IAOS) surveillent également d'autres indicateurs d'impact potentiel à la suite de l'incident. Le contrôle est également assuré par l'inspection régionale de la santé (RZI).Les observations par satellite et la modélisation mathématique des courants d'eau dans la mer Noire ne suscitent actuellement aucune inquiétude. Si un risque potentiel est identifié, des mesures préventives seront prises et la population sera informée en temps voulu.La température de l'eau de mer près de Varna est aujourd'hui de 21,2°C, près de Burgas de 22,0°C. La température la plus froide est à Silistar — 20,8°C.Sur le site web du ministère du tourisme, vous trouverez des informations actualisées sur la clarté et la température de l'eau de mer sur les plages bulgares.

Minister Zaritsa Dinkova held a working meeting and sent a letter to the concessionaires of beachesTourism Minister Zaritsa Dinkova sent a letter to the concessionaires of beaches, informing them about the actions taken in relation to the situation created after the destruction of the dam wall of Kakhovka and calling on them to take an active position in any situation in which they consider that they need assistance.Minister Dinkova held a working meeting on Friday at the Ministry of Tourism, during which an organisation was set up for coordinated action with the Ministry of Environment and Water in relation to the concerns expressed about the potential danger of pollution of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.For this purpose, the Ministry of Tourism requested daily information from the Ministry of Environment and Water, which receives summarized data on the state of the waters in the Black Sea, as well as a weekly summary from the Ministry of Interior on the safety of the beaches along the Bulgarian coast.‘There is no evidence of contamination at this time. For a successful and peaceful summer season it is of utmost importance to keep intact Bulgaria's tourist product and all Bulgarian Black Sea beaches clean and safe for tourists. We rely on our partnership with you and we invite you in any case in which you deem it necessary, without hesitation, to submit alerts so that we can work together to respond promptly to any signs of pollution on our coastline,’ reads the letter with which the Minister addressed the concessionaires and tenants who manage Bulgarian beaches. Alerts can be submitted to the Green Line of the Ministry of Environment and Water: 0887 088440 or 02/9888205, and by e-mail: nccw@moew.government.bg The competent teams of the Ministry of Tourism are ready to assist.There is no evidence of contamination and exceedances to date in the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal area following the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam located on the Dnieper River in Ukraine. This is according to the data from the enhanced monitoring, which the Minister of Environment and Water commissioned on June 8 in connection with the incident. The monitoring tracks the potential impact of the waters along the Dnieper River on the Black Sea. So far, no exceedances have been detected for any of the indicators tested — petroleum products, metals, the radionuclides caesium-137 and tritium.However, the Ministry of Tourism and the competent institutions — the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Black Sea Basin Directorate (BSBD) — Varna, the Executive Environment Agency (EEA) and the Varna Regional Administration are ready to respond promptly to any potential alarming situation related to pollution of the Bulgarian coastal sea waters.According to the current official data of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, the main indicators of the ecological situation are within normal limits, and no elevated pollution levels have been found due to the flooding caused by the terrorist act against the Kakhovka dam. From the official information portal of ‘Khersonvodokanal’ and ‘Infoxvodokanal Odessa’ it is reported that drinking water in the mentioned cities meets the required standards. Daily samples show that there is no contamination.There is no evidence of direct adverse effects in Moldova.The Bulgarian diplomatic and consular missions in Ukraine, Romania and Moldova are monitoring the situation with caution. The Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water receives daily information on developments in the case and is in constant contact with the Ministry of Tourism.We would like to remind you that the Ministry of Environment and Water commissioned mathematical modelling of the potential spread of the slick to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.Daily information on the water status in the Black Sea can be found on the website of the Regional Health Inspectorate HERE and HERE .

Minister Dimitrov: We finish 6th in the world in tourism recoveryThe Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov participated in the extraordinary open session of the Council of Ministers, at which the Prime Minister Mr. Galab Donev presented a report on the work done during the second term of the caretaker cabinet, which was adopted by the Council of Ministers.‘We may have plus or minus 24 hours until the end of our responsibilities as interim authority. When I announced that we were ready for the second season of the political ‘Survivor’, I did not expect such ingenuity in the trials,’ the Prime Minister noted at the opening of the meeting. ‘We have returned the decision-making centre to where it belongs — in Bulgaria,’ said the caretaker Prime Minister Galab Donev, after which he presented some of the work done by the Council of Ministers since February 3. He stressed that accountability is a principle of good governance and no government since 2009 has presented such an account of its activities.During the ten months of governance of the two caretaker cabinets, significant progress has been made, closer cooperation with the business community and undeniable successes backed by data — the pre-pandemic tourism growth levels have been exceeded in the current winter season and Bulgaria has returned to the top of the world tourism with its election to the Executive Board of the World Tourism Organisation. WTO's ranking of countries' post-pandemic recovery, for the first months of this year, ranked Bulgaria 6th in recovery and in the top ten in tourism revenue growth.For more information on the tasks set and the objectives achieved, see the attached report of the Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov:SummaryAccording to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) rankings of the world's top performing destinations for inbound tourism in the first quarter of 2023, Bulgaria ranks 6th with a 27% growth of foreign tourists’ registrations compared to 2019. This is the main indicator of the performance of any tourism minister — how they promote their country.We have recorded the most successful winter season since statistics have been available — tourist arrivals are 23% above the pre-pandemic Winter 2019/2020 and 24% above last year, despite the adverse weather conditions this winter. The growth of Greek tourists compared to the previous winter season is over 100%.We have secured a successful 2023 summer season, with an expected growth of around 5% over the pre-Covid 2019.Bulgaria was awarded the ‘Destination of the Balkans 2023’ award by the Pacific Association of Tourism Journalists (PATWA), writing about tourism, and Minister Dimitrov was honoured as the ‘Minister of the Balkans 2023’ by PATWA, with the awards being presented during the world's largest tourism exhibition ITB Berlin.Instead of our country being ashamed of its participation in exhibitions, we are already winning awards from the look of our stands — we have organised the presentation of our country at 12 international tourism exhibitions, with the number of co-exhibitors exceeding 235. The stand and the animation during our participation at the largest international tourism exhibition ITB Berlin were assessed by the industry and in a number of media publications as our best presentation in years. This was a key event in the recovery of the position of the Bulgarian tourism product on the German market.After the highly successful road trip for B2B meetings in autumn 2022 in Poland, a second one was successfully held in Germany to restore our position on the German market. We had a road trip to Israel this month and are preparing one to the UK in the autumn.We prepared and successfully hosted our country at the 68th Session of the Regional Commission Europe of the WTO in the period 31 May—02 June 2023. This enabled the Bulgarian tourism product to be presented to an extremely wide and professionally oriented audience — more than 20 ministers and government officials from more than 40 delegations, representatives of business, academia, etc. At the same time, during the meeting Bulgaria was elected as a member of the Executive Board of the WTO for the full term, which covers the period 2023—2027. The meeting was perfectly organised and was described by the WTO management and delegates as ‘historic’ because of the large number of participants and the weight of the decisions taken. Prior to the forum, the caretaker minister of tourism put forward Bulgaria's candidacy and conducted an active diplomatic campaign to secure support for it from a number of European countries, which led to the logical success of our country to take one of the vacant seats for the region of Europe.We supported the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the collection and sharing of data relating to short-term accommodation rental services and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 for the purpose of achieving a common approach. This will help to lighten the business and protect fair competition.A Concept Paper on a mandatory Guarantee Fund as an element of national insolvency protection for tour operators in line with Directive 2015/2302 of the European Parliament and of the Council on package travel and related travel services was developed and was presented and discussed with the national associations of tour operators and travel agents. Work is already underway on the second stage — the formulation of a model for the Tourism Guarantee Fund itself. This will lead to overcoming the problems of securing the activities of tour operators and better guarantee the interests of citizens.Tourism business awareness of EU funding opportunities through joint meetings and active work with the Minister for Innovation and Growth improved. As a result of the good coordination of the two ministers, the Tourism sector has been prioritized in several thematic areas of the ISIS 2021—2027 and under the announced programme for renewable energy in enterprises under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.We managed to do a 2-year job within 8 months — we categorized over 1,400 tourist sites with delayed and expired categorizations. Almost 150 categorisations and certifications have been made in the last two months alone. Without them, the hotels would have closed and they could not sign contracts with tour operators.The actions taken to ensure publicity and transparency in the procedures for the rental of beaches by strengthening the internal control mechanisms and the provision of supervisors from the State Agency ‘National Security’, the Commission for Counteraction to Corruption and Confiscation of illegally Acquired Property and the Ministry of Interior have led to an increase in confidence in the work of the Ministry of Tourism and to the protection of the rules of free and fair competition. There has been a trend of significant growth in the annual rental price offers, with some sites being offered at prices exceeding the minimum rental prices by several times.As a result of the increased control activities on the beaches during the previous term of office, the coordination and interaction with concessionaires and tenants of beaches has been improved, and a massive information campaign for strict compliance with the requirements of the concession and lease agreements was prepared and launched before summer 2023, and the concessionaires and tenants themselves have declared their willingness to work to improve the quality of services on the beaches.This year, as a result of the active work carried out, a record number of beaches — 21 and one marina — received the eco label ‘Blue Flag’, which undoubtedly raises the prestige of the destination and is a guarantee of the cleanliness of the beach and the high quality of the tourist service offered.Together with the Ministry of Health, adequate and prompt medical assistance was ensured on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast in the upcoming summer season 2023. We have found a lasting solution to a significant problem on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast by signing a multilateral memorandum of cooperation between the concerned agencies, several maritime municipalities and the Multi-profile Active Treatment & Emergency University Hospital ‘N.I. Pirogov’ EAD.A campaign for increased cooperation with specialised schools of tourism is underway (meetings have been organised in a number of cities in the country — Targovishte, Stara Zagora, Varna, etc.) to address the urgent issues of the shortage of trained tourism staff.The interest of the consumers of the tourist service has been protected by cancelling the registrations of 101 tour operators without the mandatory insurance during the previous term of office and for the period February— April 2023 the registration of 98 more tour operators was cancelled for the same reason. At the same time, 17 tour operators and travel agents are registered.There has been flawless coordination and interaction between the Ministry of Tourism, the Commission for Consumer Protection, the Executive Agency Automobile Administration and the Regional Directorates of the Ministry of Interior, Economic Crime Prevention Sector on the implementation of the control activities — a number of checks of the border check-points for unfair practices and ‘illegal excursions’ have been carried out since the beginning of February and the inspections will continue throughout 2023. The industry has repeatedly expressed its appreciation of this MoT initiative and continues to view it extremely positively.Together with the National Operations Staff (NOS), we have found a solution to the key problems in the humanitarian programmes for persons hosted in Ukraine and the regularity of payments will be fully restored.Most importantly — we have returned normality in the work of the ministry and the sector felt that we have a good partner working for its development.

Record number of ministers and votes during the meeting in Sofia The Minister of State Dr. Ilin Dimitrov and the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili gave the official start of the 68th Session of the Regional Commission ‘Europe’ of the World Tourism Organization. It is being held in Sofia and the working session is attended by a number of ministers, deputy ministers and heads of the tourism sector in their countries, along with other representatives from the delegations of 40 countries. Until 2 June, Bulgaria is hosting the key international event in tourism, during which Bulgaria will be the focus of top-level discussions focused on the future of European tourism.‘We are going to have an intensive programme in which we will discuss the policies, measures and solutions for the development of tourism, which is one of the most important industries on our continent. Undoubtedly, this is the sphere where Europe has a leading role’, Minister Dimitrov said at the opening and declared our country's ambition to continue playing a key role and making a significant contribution to the formation of the main messages and policies in tourism at European level. For his part, Secretary General Pololikashvili stressed in his meetings so far that Europe is the continent with the greatest importance and weight in world tourism.He congratulated the Ministry of Tourism on the excellent work on the organization of the forum. The presence and support of the institutions in Bulgaria shows that tourism is very important for the country, there are many projects that are being worked on and I am convinced that this visit and the presence of the commission here will be a big step forward for Bulgaria and an opportunity to support tourism here, Zurab Pololikashvili said.Recent years have brought many challenges and issues to be addressed in tourism, and the sustainability of the industry has suffered immensely from the pandemic, the military conflict in Ukraine, and the subsequent economic effects — disrupted supply chains, inflationary processes and the outflow of labour into the sector. However, Minister Dimitrov expressed optimism and highlighted the fact that according to various criteria, in the latest WTO rankings Bulgaria has shown enviable and somewhat unexpected results against the backdrop of the global crisis, entering the top 10 of the best recovering countries after the pandemic worldwide.Dr. Ilin Dimitrov emphasized on the work on strengthening the workforce and the human potential that will lead to the improvement of the quality of the tourism service and the setting of the right messages during the discussions and the meeting with the European partners. Here are some of them: to nurture the vitality and resilience of tourism against the enormous European and global challenges; to work actively for the modern face of tourism on a European scale; to practise environmentally friendly tourism and to care for the sustainable development of the sector; to make tourism a fruitful field for integrated industries, initiatives and projects, with care for the European economy. Another aspiration is for tourism to be a vehicle for the successful implementation of policies to protect cultural, natural and economic resources.In the framework of the World Tourism Organization and in the process of preparation of the event Bulgaria was identified as a responsible and predictable partner, which actively works for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals with a horizon of 2030. Secretary General Pololikashvili noted that our country has untapped potential, which can be developed through even more active interaction with the WTO and European partners.Our country's hosting of the 68th session of the Regional Commission ‘Europe’ is a serious international recognition for us, as it will give the Bulgarian tourism product the opportunity to be presented to an extremely wide and professionally oriented audience — ministers, government officials, representatives of the business, academia and others.At the same time, Alessandra Priante, Director of the Europe Department of the WTO, described the meeting in Sofia as a WTO forum of historic importance because of the record number of participants and the important decisions that are being voted.So far, a total of two congresses have been held in the capital city under the auspices of the WTO, in 2016 and 2018, dedicated to World Heritage and Ancient Routes. 

Zurab Pololikashvili and Prof. Alessandra Priante, Director of the Europe Department of WTO, were awarded with high state honors by President Rumen RadevThe Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov and the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili held joint meetings with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev and the Prime Minister Galab Donev. The meetings were attended by Alessandra Priante, Director of the Europe Department of the WTO and Alexey Andreev, Ambassador of Bulgaria to Spain and Permanent Representative of Bulgaria in the WTO. The two representatives of the World Tourism Organization are in Bulgaria on the occasion of the 68th Meeting of the Regional Commission ‘Europe’ of the World Tourism Organization, which will be held in Sofia in the period 31 May—2 June. Bulgaria has been the vice-president of the Commission since 2021 and for the second time hosts the prestigious event, which contributes to the promotion of our country's image as a tourist destination, being the focus of discussions at the highest level on the future of European tourism. The key international tourism event brings together more than 20 tourism ministers and delegations from nearly 40 countries.At a solemn ceremony in the Coat of Arms Hall at Dondukov 2, President Rumen Radev awarded the Order of Cyril and Methodius, First Class, to the Secretary General of the WTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, who has headed the Organization since 2018, for his great services to the promotion of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage and culture, and the Order of Cyril and Methodius, Second Class, to Prof. Alessandra Priante for the promotion of Bulgarian heritage and culture.At the award ceremony President Radev highlighted the hard work of Minister Dimitrov and the team of the Ministry of Tourism and called the Secretary General a true friend of Bulgarian tourism.Under the leadership of Zurab Pololikashvili, the relations between Bulgaria and the World Tourism Organization have significantly intensified, which puts our country among the leading countries working to develop policies for the development of the tourism sector in Europe.On the recommendation of the Secretary General, Bulgaria submitted its candidature to host the 68th meeting of the Regional Commission ‘Europe’ (RCE) of the WTO, which was approved at a meeting in Yerevan, Armenia.Earlier, Minister Dimitrov and his guests also met with Prime Minister Galab Donev.During the meeting they discussed Bulgaria's state priorities in the field of tourism.Prime Minister Donev stressed that the government's priority is to restore and return tourism to the path of growth and competitiveness. In this regard, it was noted that according to WTO Bulgaria is among the best recovering destinations in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019 — in 6th place in terms of number of tourist arrivals — with an increase of 27%.Prime Minister Donev also stressed that Bulgaria shares the vision of the WTO on tourism as an engine of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and the promotion of competitive and sustainable tourism policies and confirmed that our country is a strong advocate of the promotion of tourism as a tool for strengthening international peace and development in the context of unprecedented global challenges that affect all nations of the world.‘It is a pleasure for us to work with good professionals and partners,’ said Zurab Pololikashvili, adding: ‘We highly appreciate that tourism is a top priority for the Bulgarian government.’ He expressed hope that the work of our country will soon lead to increased international investment in Bulgarian tourism. Within the framework of the forum a meeting of the Secretary General of the WTO with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Kondov is also planned.Since its accession, our country has actively participated in the work of the World Tourism Organization and has been a member of its senior governing bodies on numerous occasions over the years. The WTO is a specialized agency of the United Nations and is the most significant and influential international organization in the field of tourism, of which Bulgaria has been a member since 1976. Our country is strongly committed to supporting the Organization in promoting competitive and sustainable tourism policies and tourism as an engine of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability.Over the years, Bulgaria has hosted a number of prestigious events of the WTO, including the 6th Session of the General Assembly, the 75th Session of the Executive Board, the International Congress of World Civilizations and Creative Tourism, the International Conference ‘On the Western Silk Road’, the International Congress of World Civilizations and Historical Routes and many others, as a result of which our country was further promoted as a tourist destination.

On the day of Sts.  Constantine and Helena the 115th birthday of our first seaside resort was celebratedWith the wish for a cloudless, happy and successful summer, the Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov declared the SUMMER 2023 season open. This happened in the oldest Bulgarian seaside resort — ‘Sts.  Constantine and Helena’, with much symbolism, on the very day of the saints of the Equal Apostles who gave it its name. On this day is the culmination of the solemn celebration of the 115th anniversary of the founding of the resort 'Sts.  Constantine and Helena.’The opening ceremony was attended by the Ministers of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Shishkov, of Health Dr. Assen Medjidiev, of Energy Rosen Hristov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Georgi Sabev, Deputy Ministers of Tourism Irena Georgieva and Prof. Mariela Modeva, MPs and members of the Tourism Committee in the National Assembly, His Eminence Metropolitan Johan of Varna and Veliki Preslav, the Governor of Varna Region Mario Smurkov, the Deputy Mayor of Varna Kosta Bazitov, diplomats, many guests, officials and representatives of the tourism industry. The day began with the celebration of Holy Mass and a festive water service in the monastery ‘Sts.  Constantine and Helena’ and continued with the official opening ceremony of the summer tourist season.We are in an extraordinary place, green, with beautiful beaches, healing climate, wonderful modern infrastructure and high-category hotels, said Minister Dimitrov in his address to the large audience and guests at the event. He congratulated the hosts and the management of the seaside resort — the executive directors Elena Koseva and Ivelina Shaban and presented them with an icon of the holy Equal Apostles Constantine and Helena and a diploma ‘for overall contribution to the sustainable development of the region as a year-round destination for seaside and specialized tourism and commitment to the initiative for positioning and promotion of the destination and Brand Bulgaria’.Minister Dimitrov stressed that besides its attractiveness because of its modern vision and good management, the place is saturated with history and magic. There are legends that as early as the 14th century a monastic brotherhood lived here, and then the monastery of the same name and the first grape hospital were established, which can be said to be the beginning of modern wine tourism in the region.‘Our ancestors also talked about expanding the wings of the season back in the 1930s, a topic we haven't stopped talking about since. They have tried to do it — by offering healing and spa procedures,’ Minister Dimitrov stressed.Among the most curious facts is that the first ‘hotel’ in the area that gave the name to the resort became the wine school, whose classrooms were renovated and adapted to receive tourists.Minister Dimitrov recalled that the first high-ranking visitor in the 19th century after the Liberation was the Bulgarian Prince Alexander I Battenberg. After the first holidaymakers arrived in 1908, this event marked the beginning of the resort and of sea tourism in Bulgaria. There are 7 mineral springs in the resort, which have no analogue in Europe, and the warmest one has a temperature between 40 and 60 degrees. It is no coincidence that the largest children's sanatorium on the Balkans was located here, which cured thousands of children from serious diseases. Already at the end of the 19th century, the founder of the sea and mud therapy in Bulgaria, Professor Paraskev Stoyanov and Dr. Alexander Nedyalkov — the manager of the Tsaritsa Eleonora State Children's Sea Sanatorium in the resort — made a significant contribution to the prestige of the resort.‘Grape therapy, good local wine and sea food, healing mineral waters and the beginnings of sea tourism in Bulgaria are intertwined in one, in this very place, and become the trademark of the first Bulgarian sea resort,’ said Minister Ilin Dimitrov. And stressed: ‘We can safely say that in the Sts.  Constantine and Helena’ you can heal both your spirit and your body’.The celebrations are held with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and the Municipality of Varna and under the patronage of the Ministers of Tourism and Foreign Affairs. On behalf of Minister Ivan Kondov, the guests were greeted by Radka Balabanova-Ruleva, Director of the Foreign Economic Relations and Development Cooperation Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The day continues with celebrations on the seafront on the outdoor stage with a rich concert and show program, various activities for children and many culinary surprises on the ‘Street of Chefs’, as well as a rally car demonstration.

The Bulgarian-Israeli Business Forum was held in Tel Aviv in the B2B format, with exceptional interest from the Israeli business community. Over 50 Israeli tour operators and 12 representatives of the Bulgarian business took part in the event on 16 May. The delegation from Sofia is led by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva. During the forum the representatives of the Bulgarian tourism business presented the opportunities for sea and winter tourism in Bulgaria, with the main focus on the spa and wellness and specialized forms of tourism.During the visit Prof. Modeva held a meeting with Tali Laufer, Executive Director of the Israel Association of Travel Agents and Consultants.‘Bulgaria offers an extremely diverse palette of opportunities for year-round tourism. There is still untapped potential in a number of niches, which could lead to an increase in bilateral tourism flow,’ Deputy Minister Modeva said.  In recent years, Bulgaria has built an extremely modern and competitive base in the field of SPA tourism, which is considered one of its greatest advantages in the industry.‘We are second in number of mineral springs in Europe after Iceland and recently we have witnessed many successful investment ventures in this area,’ said Prof. Modeva. She assured Laufer that Israeli guests are welcome in our country, which is hospitable, safe and offers excellent value for money.‘We will do a study on additional possibilities to promote targeted trips,’ Tali Laufer said.Part of Professor Modeva's program was a meeting with representatives of the academic community of Ben-Gurion University. She spoke with Associate Professor Dr. Amir Shani of the Department of Hotel and Tourism Management at Ben-Gurion State University in Negev /Educational and Research Centre for Tourism Management Training/. The main focus of the talks was the intensification of the policy of personnel exchange in the sector. During the meeting the good practices and opportunities for exchange of students and lecturers as well as for joint implementation of projects within the European university networks were discussed.‘Bulgaria has an excellent and rich experience in organizing large-scale events in the field of winter sports, has great winter resorts that enjoy an excellent reception in the Israeli market,’ said Prof. Modeva and stressed that our country can provide successful practices and development policies in a number of areas of tourism.

Nearly 5% more tourist registrations were reported compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019.According to official NSI data, 453 thousand tourist registrations in accommodation establishments were recorded in March 2023, with a growth of 31.9% compared to March 2022. The results are again above the pre-pandemic level, with a 4.7% increase compared to March 2019.In March 2023, the highest number of registrations of Bulgarian tourists — 327 thousand and an increase of 31.2% compared to March 2022. Interest from abroad is also increasing, with 126 thousand foreign tourist registrations and 33.7% growth compared to March 2022.Within the month of March 2023, the reported registrations of foreign tourists from our main markets [sic] as follows:of British tourists — over 15 thousand, with an increase of 21.5% compared to March 2022;of Israeli tourists — over 14 thousand and an increase of 61%;of Romanian tourists — over 10 thousand and an increase of 55%;of Turkish tourists — over 9,800 and an increase of 48%;of Greek tourists — over 8,800 and an increase of 29%;of German tourists — over 8 thousand and an increase of 73%.The total number of overnight stays by Bulgarian and foreign tourists in March 2023 is over 1 million and an increase of 29% compared to March 2022, and the revenue from overnight stays is BGN 79.6 million, which is an increase of 53%.Expectations for the summer seasonFor the upcoming 2023 summer season, the forecast is for at least 4.5 million tourist registrations and an improved summer season compared to summer 2022. It will bring in at least BGN 4.5 billion in revenue, experts at the Ministry of Tourism predict. Traditionally, most Bulgarians will make trips with a stay in accommodation — more than 2 million tourists, there are also good forecasts for tourists from the Romanian market — more than 600 thousand. The situation on the Polish and German markets is also developing very favourably. Strong interest from the UK (over 150 thousand tourists) and the Czech Republic is also expected.

Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Lazar Lazarov held a meeting to discuss measures to overcome the shortage of staff in the tourism sector before the start of the active summer season. They praised the coordination and cooperation between the two ministries and identified measures for its development in the future.Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva and the Executive Directors of the Employment Agency Polina Marinova and the General Labour Inspectorate Ekaterina Asenova participated in the discussion.Actions have already been taken to increase the teams of the Employment Agency and the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, engaged in processing employers' applications for access to the Bulgarian labour market of non-EU workers, which will lead to faster issuance of the relevant permits. Organizational measures are also envisaged to improve coordination and streamline the procedure for the exchange of documents between the responsible institutions, which will facilitate and speed up the recruitment of staff for seasonal employment in the tourism sector.Minister Ilin Dimitrov expressed his satisfaction with the undertaken legislative changes, which enable hotel owners to relocate their employees to their own establishment in a summer resort after the end of the winter season. ‘This measure will greatly facilitate business because employers will thus be able to rely on well-trained and highly qualified staff. We have reached a stage of development where we should talk not only about the number of tourists, but also about the quality of the product we offer and here the staff is of great importance,’ Minister Ilin Dimitrov emphasized. He added that efforts are underway to expand cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and vocational tourism schools to organize school competitions in all 28 regional cities in order to give young people in the sector a platform to showcase their skills and encourage contacts with employers.Minister Lazarov presented the conditions and benefits for the employment of foreign workers, regulated in the agreements on the regulation of labour migration, which Bulgaria has signed with Georgia, Moldova and Armenia. He stressed that the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy will continue to work to identify other countries for cooperation in this area. A simplified procedure for employers to submit documents when applying to employ a larger number of foreign workers is also being considered.

MoT to organise 28 regional competitions for young future tourism professionalsThe Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov participated in the official opening of the National 2023 Tourism Professions Competition, which is held in the Albena resort.Minister Dimitrov stressed that in the spirit of good-natured competition and in the elevated atmosphere of this event many talents can find inspiration, motivation and meet their future employers in the face of business and the professionals who evaluate them. The Minister addressed the participants — students from vocational tourism schools, saying:‘Today you are not only facing professional challenges, but also building the future of Bulgarian tourism. Allow yourself to dream and achieve your goals by staying in Bulgaria. Because you are tomorrow's face of destination Bulgaria, of the professions that will raise the prestige of our sector and enable its sustainable development.’The national competition is organized by the Association of Schools of Restaurant and Hotel Management in Bulgaria and the Ministry of Education and Science, with the assistance of Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BHRA). The Professional School of Tourism ‘P. К. Yavorov’ in Dobrich is hosting the event.The Minister of Education and Science Prof. Sasho Penov also sent a welcome message to the participants.  The largest competition among tourism schools involved 183 students from a record number of vocational tourism schools — 48 in total, nearly 130 teachers, representatives of universities, professional associations and business representatives. The competitions are held in 6 categories of professions in the fields of Hotel Management, Restaurants and Catering and Travel, Tourism and Leisure. Participants will compete for ‘Best Young Chef’, ‘Best Young Waiter’, ‘Best Young Baker-Pastry Chef’, ‘Best Young Hotel Manager’, ‘Best Young Entertainer’ and ‘Best Young Bartender’.  The minister stressed that in addition to attracting and retaining staff, it is important to focus on the quality of the tourism product. In front of the young competitors and their teachers, Minister Dimitrov also announced that the Ministry of Tourism will organize a total of 28 competitions for young future tourism professionals on a decentralized basis — in each region of Bulgaria, in order to encourage them to stay in their chosen profession.Minister Dimitrov handed over a diploma with an award — a replica of Bulgarian golden treasure to the organizer and driving force of the national competition — Malinka Marinova, President of the Association of Schools of Restaurant and Hotel Management in Bulgaria. She was awarded by the Ministry of Tourism for imposing a high standard and modernization of the education and qualification systems for personnel in the field of tourism and commitment to the initiative to position and promote Brand Bulgaria.After the long tiring day, the gala dinner and the most awaited part lies ahead — the ceremony for the announcement of the winners and the awarding of the prizes to the winners in the sections. 

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov took part in the main discussion of the international forum for the region of Southeast Europe, held under the auspices of the UN World Tourism Organization, FESTA — The Future Environmental and Sustainable Tourism in Albania.The conversation entitled ‘The Role of Governments in Determining Future Tourism Policies", moderated by the Director for Europe of the World Tourism Organisation Alessandra Priante, was a major highlight of the forum's dynamic programme.‘It is clear that the world will return to pre-COVID-19 levels of tourism, but what will we do differently?’ With these opening remarks the Bulgarian minister started his speech at the panel on sustainable tourism under the auspices of the UNWTO in Tirana.The Minister stressed that the education of personnel in preparing successful and motivated future professionals in the various segments of tourism is key in building its sustainable future.‘Skills, staff training and quality of service — this is important, this is the key to develop modern and sustainable tourism,’ Minister Dimitrov told the participants in the forum.Minister Dimitrov stressed the need for the Balkan countries, with the support of the WTO, to work on strengthening the skills of the personnel in the sector. He also advocated the development of joint packages and promotional activities at supranational regional level.We should make the best use of the opportunities given by the European funds for education and exchange, programmes like Erasmus Plus, he declared. Bulgaria will support its partners from the EU and the Balkans with its accumulated expertise, at the same time we are working on the idea of establishing a UNWTO academy in Bulgaria, Minister Dimitrov told his colleagues.Staff skills will be the focus of a thematic seminar during the 68th Regional Commission ‘Europe’, he announced together with WTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili and WTO Europe Director Alessandra Priante.In Bulgaria, we also rely heavily on specialized forms of tourism — such as wine routes and culinary tourism, wellness, health and SPA, cultural, eco, rural and adventure. These are all forms that can be practised at local level, taking into account the richness and specificities of the different parts of destination Bulgaria, the Bulgarian minister pointed out and stressed that this is an essential prerequisite and condition for the future development of sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism. He placed special emphasis on the development of Bulgaria as a leading SPA destination. The mineral springs, which place our country second in Europe in this natural resource, are a real treasure that we are developing, because this can guarantee the construction of year-round tourism.The sector has always been a priority for Bulgaria, Minister Dimitrov stressed. Tourism contributes significantly to the country's GDP and provides an alternative for development, especially for smaller regions. It is important that all participants in the formation of the vision and policy in tourism at the national level join efforts to tackle the current problems and challenges, called in his speech Dr. Dimitrov.In his words, tourism undoubtedly has a huge economic, social and cultural importance for the development of Bulgarian society. The state should encourage foreign direct investment, which leads to the improvement of the tourist base, the tourist infrastructure and the Bulgarian tourist product. We need to adapt to modern realities, to use the achievements of technology to generate additional added value in the sector. We will be happy to see the number of our guests from abroad grow, but it is more important to offer a meaningful and enriching experience, Minister Dimitrov said.The panel discussion was also attended by Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania, Goran Djurovic, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism of Montenegro, Federico Pedini Amati, Minister of Tourism, Post, Cooperation and Congress of the Republic of San Marino, Husein Memic, Minister of Youth and Tourism of Serbia, Stasa Kosarac, minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy of the Republic of North Macedonia, Rosetta Haidari, Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade of Kosovo, Tonci Glavina, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Croatia, as well as the relevant Deputy Ministers of Greece, Turkey and Lithuania.The opening ceremony of the FESTA Forum in Tirana took place last night, and among the dignitaries who addressed the heads of state in the field of tourism were the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission, Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the WTO and Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania.Late last night, Minister Dimitrov held a working meeting with the Secretary of State for Tourism of Croatia Tonci Glavina, in which they discussed opportunities for future deepening of cooperation between the two countries, as well as the exchange of useful practices. Among them — the exchange of experience for training purposes, the structure of the unified branch organisation of Croatia on the Austrian model, the dynamics of tourism indicators between the two countries, as well as details of the marketing strategies of Croatia and Bulgaria. They also commented on successful practices under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.The two countries are extremely close in terms of language and culture and this is a bridge to creating even closer ties in the field of tourism, Minister Dimitrov and Tonci Glavina pointed out.

The Ministry of Tourism is participating in the Ferien international tourism fair in Austria, which after a three-year break is taking place from 16 to 19 March 2023 in Vienna. The exhibition is designed for the general public and professionals in the sector.The Bulgarian stand, organized by the Ministry, presents 6 tourist companies and municipalities. Visitors to the stand can learn about the opportunities for tours in the country, the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, mountain resorts, rich history, cultural attractions, preserved nature, spa and quality wines.The Ministry of Tourism and the representatives of the industry and local authorities present the Bulgarian year-round combined tourism product in its full diversity, presenting our country as a peaceful, safe and preferred destination for rest and recreation.On the very first day, the Bulgarian stand enjoyed great interest. The official opening of the event was attended by the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Austria H. E. Desislava Naydenova and the Head of the Office for Trade and Economic Affairs Desislava Stoyanova. They visited our national stand, congratulated all the participants for the good organization and wished them success, expressing their support and readiness to cooperate with the aim of more fruitful development of bilateral relations and promotion of destination Bulgaria.

Deputy Minister Mariela Modeva held a working meeting with H.E. Giuseppina Zarra, Ambassador of Italy to the Republic of Bulgaria. The two parties discussed the deepening of bilateral relations in tourism and specific joint initiatives on projects in different formats — such as the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the European Commission (EC) and the OECD. They outlined the main areas in which they will work together — such as the digital transformation of the sector and the training of tourism personnel.Professor Modeva congratulated Ambassador Zarra and said that ‘Italy is Bulgaria's primary partner in the field of tourism. Italy is also one of the most popular and loved destinations among Bulgarians, with 326,406 Bulgarians having visited it in 2019, according to WTO statistics. According to NSI data, 156,564 Italians visited Bulgaria in 2019 and 115,486 Italian tourists visited us in 2022.’ The Deputy Minister pointed out that according to the data of the border checkpoing, we have seen an increase of 107% in the number of Italian tourists visiting Bulgaria in 2022 compared to 2021.Professor Modeva noted that Bulgaria has a rich cultural and historical heritage. Our country has been inhabited by ancient civilizations and each of them has left part of its traditions and heritage here, which makes destination Bulgaria even more interesting for tourists. Our country has over 40,000 historical artefacts, which puts it in third place after Italy and Greece.Successful practices in the tourism sector and policies to address the challenges in the sector were discussed at the meeting, focusing on the good bilateral relations and strengthening the cooperation between the two countries. Deputy Minister Modeva and H.E. Giuseppina Zarra discussed promising niches for bilateral cooperation in tourism in the fields of spa and wellness, cultural tourism and eco-tourism (rural, mountain and other). In the conversation it became clear that there is a great prospect for joint work on the digital transformation of the sector and the training of personnel in tourism. Bulgaria and Italy will exchange information related to projects administered by the EU and regional development programmes that support the sector and the tourism industry. Deputy Minister Modeva said that the Ministry of Tourism, on the initiative of Minister Ilin Dimitrov, is working on the development of a digital map of destination Bulgaria, the aim of which is to allow tourists to log in from their phones and get acquainted with the combined Bulgarian tourism product in a convenient and easy way — such as attractions, routes, festivals, etc.Ambassador Zarra said that Italian tourists have a great interest in the complete cycle of rural tourism, in cycling routes, such as those along the Danube, for example, in the cultural and historical sights and the beautiful nature of the Bulgarian mountains. According to her, more and more young families with small children choose Bulgaria for holidays and vacations.According to the data, the leading destinations for Italian tourists in Bulgaria in 2022 are Sofia — with just over 40 thousand visits, followed by Plovdiv, Varna and Nessebar. Italian tourists are very interested in visiting Bulgarian cultural sites. Our natural attractions such as the mountains of Vitosha, Rila, Pirin, Rhodope and others are also popular for them.During the meeting, Deputy Minister Modeva extended an informal invitation to the Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanche to visit Bulgaria during the 68th session of the Regional Commission Europe of the WTO, which our country will host in the period 31 May — 2 June 2023.

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov participated in some of the official events marking the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. He participated in the opening of a documentary exhibition at the National Library ‘St. St. Cyril and Methodius’ and offered flowers at the memorial plaques of the saviours of the Bulgarian Jews next to ‘St. Sofia’ church during a wreath-laying ceremony.The events dedicated to the anniversary were attended by President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova, Prime Minister Galab Donev and ministers from the caretaker cabinet, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, representatives of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, organizations of Bulgarian Jews, diplomats and citizens.The exposition at the National Library ‘St. St. Cyril and Methodius’ displays photographs and valuable documents from its collection, manuscripts, old and rare books, as well as the awards posthumously given to King Boris III by international Jewish organizations. The guest of honour at the event was the famous historian and public figure in Israel Prof. Michael Bar-Zohar. He and his family were among the thousands of Bulgarian Jews rescued from Nazi death camps during World War II.‘Bulgaria has been good to us, I love Bulgaria. It's good that in Bulgarian there are two words for Motherland — Rodina and Otechestvo. So we have them both, on both sides,’ the professor said in his moving words to the guests present at the National Library.

Within the framework of the exhibition Bulgaria received an extremely prestigious recognition from the Association of Pacific Tourism Journalists. Our country was awarded the 'Best Destination for the Balkan Region' for 2023 and Minister Dimitrov received the 'Minister for the Balkan Region 2023' award The award is a testament to the successful policies that our country is pursuing towards the recovery and growth of the tourism industry, which has suffered immensely from a number of negative events in recent years. The two awards were presented today to the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism at a special ceremony at Messe Berlin.

In the framework of the ITB international exhibition in Berlin, the Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov held a meeting with the German political representative responsible for tourism — Dieter Janecek, coordinator of tourism in the Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Change of Germany, and his team. The meeting was also attended by the Bulgarian tourist attaché in Berlin, Tihomir Patarinski.Minister Dimitrov pointed out that Germany is Bulgaria's most important trade partner and one of the top markets in the tourism sector. Our country is consistently working to restore it through the organization of a number of activities to promote destination Bulgaria and the rich opportunities we offer — such as the recently completed 'roadshow' in a series of German cities, conducting expedition and journalist tours, institutional and business-to-business communication (with a series of B2B meetings) between the two countries. Bulgaria's participation in all the major popular and specialized exhibitions in Germany is also an important part of the work, and by the end of the year they will become five in total — all this is being done with the ultimate goal of returning an increasing number of German tourists to our country, after the two serious crises that have changed the traditionally good numbers of tourism — the pandemic of COVID-19, the proximity of the war in Ukraine and the economic consequences of them.Minister Dimitrov outlined to his host the main objectives of the Ministry of Tourism on the German tourist market — a faster recovery to the pre-pandemic levels and an increase in the average stay of German tourists in Bulgaria. 'We can attract them with the rich opportunities to practice cultural and alternative forms of tourism, by activating the wings of the season, using the opportunities of congress tourism (MICE) and last but not least by working with the German health insurance companies in the direction of rehabilitation and spa treatment,' Minister Dimitrov stressed. This can be done by rebranding the tourism image of our country with specialized types of tourism: health — under the agreement with the German State Health Insurance Funds and various forms of cultural tourism and popular sightseeing tours, which combine various elements of the tourism product.Minister Dimitrov and Dieter Janecek exchanged experiences on useful practices on current topics related to sustainable tourism, its further digitalization and the promotion of little-known aspects of the Bulgarian tourism product. They talked specifically about the practices and coordination of tourism policies and the possibilities for applying successful examples in Bulgaria. The German Tourism Coordinator expressed his willingness to introduce potential partners and interested parties from Germany to the opportunities for cooperation under the projects financed by the European Structural Funds.The current challenges facing the industry in both countries were also discussed. Minister Dimitrov sent a clear message to his host that Bulgaria is a safe and beautiful destination that has a long tradition of hospitality towards German tourists. In turn, Dieter Janecek said that he had visited Bulgaria as a tourist and had wonderful impressions of our country and its beautiful nature.

The Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, together with a team from the Ministry of Tourism, are attending the ITB international exhibition in Berlin, which officially opens tonight.The Ministry of Tourism organizes the participation of Bulgaria at the largest international tourism exhibition in the world Internationale Tourismus Börse /ITB/ — Berlin, Germany, which takes place in the period 06—09 March 2023. During his visit, the Bulgarian Minister Dr. Ilin Dimitrov will meet Dieter Janecek, Coordinator for Tourism at the Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Change. Minister Dimitrov's program includes a number of meetings with some of the biggest representatives of the tourism business in Germany — a meeting with representatives of the Association of German Tour Operators, air carriers, etc. is planned.In the framework of ITB Berlin, every year the Province of Baden-Württemberg, together with the national representations of the respective partner country, organizes a Danube Salon, which takes place on the second day of the exhibition at the Baden-Württemberg representation in Berlin, and our country will be represented at this special event. Traditionally, the guests are representatives from the diplomatic corps in Germany, leading international travel and other media, the academic community in Berlin, as well as a number of participants from the tourism industry.ITB—Berlin is the most prestigious event for the travel industry worldwide, with over 10,000 exhibitors and 113,500 professionals from over 180 countries taking part in the pre-pandemic year 2019. For the past three years, the show has been held in a digital-only format because of the COVID-19 pandemic that changed everyone's agenda. Starting this year, ITB returns, taking place in a new format designed just for industry professionals — as a B2B platform that will give travel companies and destinations from around the world the opportunity to present themselves within the tourism exchange. The Bulgarian stand, which the Ministry of Tourism has prepared this year, is on an area of 500 square metres, located in the new Hub 27 hall of the Berlin Expo Centre. 44 Bulgarian tourism companies and municipal administrations will present themselves there: Tandem Travel OOD, Ulpia Tours OOD, Travel Style OOD, Avatar Tour OOD, DM Travel OOD, World Synergy Travel Bulgaria OOD, N-Vision Services Group OOD, Rila Travel EOOD, Prestige Property LTD, Tanchev I Co OOD, Rila Megatur OOD, Tourist Agency SOLVEX LTD, Varna Municipality, SOF Connect AD, Boiana — MG OOD, Upass OOD, Plovdiv Municipality, IDS Bulgaria EOOD, Sunny Travel Club EOOD, Stara Zagora Municipality, MEGA-T EOOD, Tempora Travel EOOD, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management JSC, Alexia Auto Ltd, MPM Hotels Ltd, Albena Tour EAD, City Tour Ltd, Teteven Municipality, Bansko Municipality , Tsarevgrad Tarnov EOOD, Silistra Municipality, Sv. Sv. Konstantin i Elena Holding AD, Fanagoria Travel Ltd, OP 'Tourism', Orthanna SPLtd, Holiday Chop Ltd, HOTEL MEDITE EOOD, Hotelsko Menidgerska Kompania EOOD, Samokov Municipality, Destination Touristic Services Ltd, Club Magellan OOD, SLR-HOLIDAY SERVICE EOOD, Pi Group Plovdiv EOOD, Apollo Tourist Services EOOD.

Deputy Minister Mariela Modeva took part in a cultural and tourism forum representing the resources of the Chinese cities of Beijing and Ningbo, which was held in Sofia. The Deputy Minister congratulated the organizers and the guests on behalf of Minister Dimitrov and said that she is happy that we have the opportunity to welcome in Sofia the first Chinese delegation that arrives after the beginning of the pandemic. Bulgaria and China have traditionally maintained good bilateral relations in all areas. The Deputy Minister said that the new mutually beneficial policies and initiatives will contribute to deepening cooperation and understanding, thus strengthening the traditionally friendly relations between our peoples.'The cooperation between our two countries in the field of tourism is developing intensively and by 2020 the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bulgaria was growing steadily,' said Prof. Modeva. In her words, Bulgaria is not only part of the western branch of the Silk Road, but also has the potential to be a year-round destination with its winter and seaside resorts, beautiful sandy beaches, mineral springs, spa facilities and golf courses. Our country is the heir of ancient civilizations — Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and Proto-Bulgarians, who have left in these lands more than 40,000 historical sites classified as cultural values. 'Bulgaria is third in Europe in terms of cultural and historical heritage. Besides these riches, our country is proud of its beautiful nature and incredible biodiversity. The Bulgarian combined touristic product attracts people from all over the world through hospitality and high quality service,' stressed Professor Modeva.The Ministry of Tourism is committed to strengthen the mutual dialogue with China in the field of tourism and expand our joint initiatives with a view to further enhancing tourism exchanges and investment. The world is in challenging times for the global tourism industry, but also times of great opportunity. The Ministry of Tourism is actively working to create the conditions for the opening of a direct air route, which will contribute to the intensification of bilateral economic cooperation, including by increasing the flow of tourism between Bulgaria and China, and is following with attention and welcomes the development of all initiatives and projects in this direction. 'We look forward to working closely together to meet both the challenges and opportunities in the future,' Prof. Modeva stressed.The forum was organized by the Beijing Municipality and the Ningbo Municipality under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China. The focus of the forum is 'The Maritime Silk Road and the importance of China's Grand Canal connecting Beijing with the port city of Ningbo'. Bilateral agreements for cooperation were signed at the event between the private sector representatives of the two countries, new trends in marketing and advertising were discussed, as well as good practices related to the visa regime, which could facilitate the process and increase the tourism flow between Bulgaria and China.Bulgaria was invited to participate in the international exhibition CHINA-CEEC EXPO 2023. For the first time, tourism services will be offered at the exhibition.The delegation from Beijing was led by Mr. Shi Anping, First Rank Inspector of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of the City of Beijing and Vice Mayor of Tongzhou Municipality (Beijing). The delegation from Ningbo was led by Mr. Xu Xiaoshi, Deputy Director of the Culture, Television, Radio and Tourism Department of Ningbo Municipality, Mr. Dong Xiaojun, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China and other representatives of the local administration, as well as representatives of the tourism sector.The data on the dynamics of relations between the two countries shows that the highest interest of Chinese tourists is in cultural and urban tourism in Bulgaria. About 22% of Chinese tourist arrivals are for business tourism in 2022.Leading destinations for Chinese tourists in Bulgaria in 2022 are Sofia — over 2,800 Chinese tourists, Varna Municipality — about 475, Plovdiv — 375, Nessebar — about 240, Veliko Tarnovo — nearly 200 according to data from ESTI (Unified System for Touristic Information).From 01 January to 17 February 2023, about 500 registrations of Chinese tourists were reported in accommodation. Most of them — about 300 — are in Sofia, followed by the municipality of Bansko, and in addition, visits of Chinese tourists have been reported in the municipalities of Plovdiv, Samokov, Varna and others.According to UNWTO data, the number of trips of Bulgarians to China in 2019 is 21,098, which is much higher than the 4,619 trips reported by the NSI.

Deputy Minister Mariela Modeva participated in the opening of the international tourism exhibition TTR, which takes place in Bucharest, Romania, in the period 23—26 February 2023. The exhibition is open to both professionals and the general public and presents the latest and most interesting tourism offers from the country and abroad.Prof. Modeva congratulated the organizers and guests of the event on behalf of the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov and stressed that Romania is one of the most important destinations for inbound tourism in Bulgaria.‘We are peoples with similar cultures and ways of life. We walk together in our goals and aspirations at all levels — of course, our most pressing goal is to become part of the Schengen area. It is very important that the Romanian guests know our country well, they prefer to come back again and again — which only proves our attractiveness to our neighbours,’ Deputy Minister Modeva said in her opening remarks. She stressed that in economic terms Romania is currently our second largest trading partner in the EU with a trade volume of more than BGN 14 billion last year and this determines the country's role in the field of tourism, which is a sector with many related industries. At the same time, Romania is a leading market — Bulgaria is traditionally among the most preferred destinations for Romanian tourists. Last year Romanian tourists in our country were over 1.2 million, and with the transit tourists reached about 1.8 million. With the exception of the first year of the pandemic, the number of Romanian tourists has been growing steadily, Prof. Modeva stressed. The Ministry of Tourism is actively working to promote our country more and more, an example of which is Bulgaria's active participation in the TTR exhibition in Bucharest.‘Bulgaria is advertised with a variety of videos as we aim to have sustainability in advertising our country and let's not forget that this series of videos has won international awards. This was a successful joint campaign with a Romanian media outlet. We strive to be innovative and apply original ideas, while respecting a number of constraints, including financial, legal, etc. Our good partnership with the TV channel continues and we are currently working towards other good initiatives. The country is a very important partner in our cross-border cooperation programmes — INTERREG EUROPE 2021—2027 and the EU Danube Strategy. We are willing to look for partnership under the Erasmus+ programmes, as well as other opportunities for projects with European funding,’ Deputy Minister Modeva said.Within the framework of the exhibition, the Bulgarian Deputy Minister held meetings with the State Secretaries at the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism of Romania Tudurica Lungu and Lucian Ioan Rus. They discussed opportunities for deepening cooperation in the context of the BSEC, the Danube Strategy and the OECD. On 24 February the Bulgarian stand was personally visited by Ambassador Radko Vlaykov, who together with Prof. Modeva and the Head of the Office for Trade and Economic Affairs in Romania Ivaylo Marinov went to the stands of the Bulgarian participants in the national representation and talked with them.  Everyone expressed their satisfaction with the size of the national stand this year and the excellent organization of the Bulgarian participation at TTR.The Bulgarian stand this year is really impressive. In response to the exceptional interest from the tourism industry in Bulgaria, the stand organised by the Ministry of Tourism during the spring edition of the exhibition has been increased to 250 sq. m (compared to 150 sq. m in 2022). This year, 32 companies and municipalities such as Silistra Municipality, Bansko Municipality, Museum ‘House of Humour and Satire’, Regional Ethnographic Open-Air Museum ‘Etar’, Gabrovo Municipality, Museum of the Architectural and Historical Reserve ‘Bozhentsi’, as well as other representatives of the administration and the private sector have registered their participation.On the first day of the exhibition, it was already clear that TTR guests were impressed by it. Our Romanian neighbours are showing increased interest in seaside, spa and wellness, cultural, wine, gourmet, ECO and rural tourism.Romanian tourists like our Black Sea coast, but they also visit the whole country, data shows.For the period 1 December 2022 — 11 February 2023, which includes the Christmas-New Year holidays, about 35,000 registrations of Romanian tourists in accommodation have been recorded (the data on Romanian day-trippers and transit tourists has not been published, and with it the number of Romanian tourists in our country would increase significantly).In 2022, an increase of 24.7% was recorded compared to 2021 in terms of accommodation and number of registrations of Romanian tourists. When it comes to non-transit visits for 2022, we see an increase of 52.1%. The total growth of all visits with and without transit was 44.2%.In recent days, many Romanians chose for their children's school holidays a family holiday in Bulgarian winter resorts. 

In the past year, the Ministry of Tourism has been working very actively to promote our country as a destination on the international market. Our efforts were aimed at offsetting the negative effects of the current geopolitical and economic challenges.There was a positive trend of active recovery of the sector, with the level of foreign arrivals and revenues approaching the parameters of the pre-crisis 2019. Romania, Turkey and Greece were the top countries in terms of inbound tourism. The interest of tourists from some Central European countries, which are traditional for our country, was extremely high.A particularly significant example in this respect is Poland, which has firmly established itself as one of our top 5 generating destinations. Awareness of Bulgaria on the Polish market was supported by the promotional event organized at the end of October 2022 in four Polish cities — Wroclaw, Katowice, Krakow and Warsaw, in order to establish and expand existing contacts between the representatives of the public administration and the business. At the same time, 2 working visits of senior tourism officials to Bulgaria and Poland were held during the year on an exchange basis, which provided an opportunity to discuss a number of joint initiatives and projects.Our activity on the Polish market also found deserved recognition in the award of Mr. Nikolay Kostov, Attaché for Tourism in the city of Warsaw, who was in the top 100 most influential persons in tourism in Poland for 2022. The year also brought us more good news — Bulgaria has confidently started to regain its position in the UK, with British tourists now generating a significant part of the revenue in our winter resorts. An important prerequisite for this was our fruitful participation in one of the largest tourism exhibitions in the world in early November 2022 — WTM London, during which Minister Ilin Dimitrov held more than 20 meetings with representatives of state authorities of priority tourism partners, as well as with representatives of tourism companies, tour operators, airlines.Our country's partnership with established international tourism formats has also led to very good results. The most important recognition was undoubtedly the election of our country as the host of the 68th session of the Regional Commission for Europe of the UNWTO, which will take place in the period 31 May—2 June 2023 in Sofia. This is a great opportunity for Bulgaria to present its rich opportunities in tourism to the highest possible audience. Our country has already demonstrated its ambition to play a leading role in global policy-making in the sector with its candidacy for membership of the NWTO Executive Board for the period 2023—2027. In September of this year, the country will also host the 107th meeting of the Board of Directors of the European Tourism Commission, a forum that is an excellent platform for the discussion of marketing and other important initiatives in tourism.2023 has also begun to be extremely active internationally. Minister Dimitrov conducted a working visit in the period 8—15 January 2023 to markets with great potential to generate added value for the sector — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. These countries can be both a significant generator of tourist arrivals and provide opportunities for meaningful exchange and training of staff and development of best practice in the sector.Bulgaria turned out to be the first destination that the Minister of Tourism of the State of Israel Haim Katz visited after his inauguration. During his working visit, the ministers in charge of tourism of Bulgaria and Israel signed an agreement on cooperation in tourism. The two sides also had the opportunity to talk with business representatives, and Bulgaria is going to promote itself even more actively in Israel. Minister Katz was impressed by the excellent conditions for tourism provided by one of our most renowned resorts, namely Bansko. The landmark visit was made in the light of another important anniversary — 80 years since the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews, a fact that was noted by the guest with gratitude and special attention.And one more highlight — one of our main goals for the year 2023 is to restore the interest of German tourists, which has been strongly influenced in a negative way by the military actions in Ukraine. An important step in this direction is the organisation of a roadshow-type promotional event in some of the largest German cities — Berlin, Leipzig, Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf. The series of hundreds of business meetings held was extremely well attended and is sure to bring added value and mutual benefit to businesses here and beyond.

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov met with world-famous artists John Malkovich and photographer Sandro Miller during the opening of their joint exhibition at the Square 500 Gallery. He invited them to come back to Bulgaria and made a gesture — a reference to the ancient history and rich culture of our lands, which attract so many tourists from all over the world.Minister Dimitrov surprised John Malkovich by giving a present to the world-famous Hollywood actor — a replica of part of the world's oldest worked gold — the Varna Treasure, which marked half a century since its discovery. Minister Dimitrov wished John Malkovich his third visit to Bulgaria to be by the sea. The actor has already shot a film in Bulgaria years ago, and his current participation in the performances of the play 'In the Solitude of Cotton Fields' at the National Theatre caused real excitement and huge public interest.'Every visit of a star of this calibre helps Bulgaria's popularity,' the Minister of Tourism stressed.Today, however, John Malkovich played the starring role in an unusual exhibition by Sandro Miller, who in 2014 was honoured for his achievements with the title of International Photographer of the Year. American photographer Sandro Miller and Hollywood actor John Malkovich recreate the most iconic images in the 20th and 21st-century photography in their joint project, 'Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich: A Tribute to the Masters of Photography'. The exhibition includes 61 colour and black-and-white photographs in which John Malkovich impersonates celebrities.

A series of working bilateral meetings with the business sector, or the so-called. ‘roadshow’ in the UK and Israel is to be held, in connection with the next summer tourist season, announced Minister Ilin Dimitrov during the annual meeting of the National Tourism Board within the 39 edition of the International Tourism Exhibition ‘Holiday & SPA EXPO 2023’. The meeting was held in the format of a discussion on: ‘New challenges for the tourism sector and solutions through public-private partnership’ and is organized with the partnership of the Ministry of Tourism.‘We asked the branch organisations what should the priorities in the second term of the caretaker government be and the majority pointed out that these are more advertising of tourism and overcoming the problem with the staff. Where we have indications that there is a problem, we will react very quickly so that we can help the business,’ Minister Dimitrov said. He pointed out that the tourism sector is changing, businesses know best how to advertise and steps have been taken to cooperate as actively as possible with the industry. ‘After the successful holding of a series of bilateral business meetings between German and Bulgarian representatives of the tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism will also hold a roadshow in Israel and the UK, where there is a decline in tourists, so we need to be active,’ the Minister said. According to him, the Ministry of Tourism is changing its policy and focusing its efforts on nearby markets that are in the same geopolitical situation. The forecast is for growth of Bulgarian tourism in the coming years after the geopolitical situation calms down.Minister Dimitrov described the offered tourist product as more than good. Over 450 thousand more registrations in 2022 of Bulgarian tourists compared to 2019, despite the possibility of free travel after the fall of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘We need to enforce a positive way of talking about our product because that is key for us,’ the Minister emphasised.The Minister also announced a new opportunity to support tourism businesses to build new self-consumption RES in combination with local energy storage facilities at businesses under the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan. Tourism businesses will be prioritised when applying for the funds.The Minister also commented on the upcoming summer tourist season, reporting good rates of early holiday bookings. ‘For Germany, an increase of 30 percent was announced, but we still cannot catch up with the big decline,’ the minister said and expressed hope that this would be overcome with more advertising activities.During the meeting best practices and protection of consumer rights and security in tourism were discussed as well as methods for assessing consumer satisfaction, presentation of a joint initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, the Commission for Consumer Protection and the National Tourism Board.

A series of bilateral business meetings between German and Bulgarian representatives of the tourism sector was held successfully and with great interest on the German market in order to strengthen and develop the ties between the two countries and to promote Bulgaria as a tourist destination. The initiative was carried out from 6 to 10 February by the Ministry of Tourism, starting in Berlin and touring a total of six German cities, including Leipzig, Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Duisburg and Düsseldorf. This is the second such so called ‘roadshow’, following the success of the one held in Poland at the end of last year.At the opening H.E.  Elena Shekerletova took part, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Federal Republic of Germany, who emphasized the importance of the German tourism market and the huge potential between the two countries in this area. The delegation, composed of 15 representatives of the tourism sector — tour operators and hoteliers, is led by the Bulgarian Tourist Attaché in Berlin and representative of the Ministry of Tourism in Germany Tihomir Patarinski. On the business side, the cooperation took place with the assistance of Dr. Frank Kwante — Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Black Sea Alliance and CEO of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD. ‘This is news that shows the benefits of collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism, the NGO sector and real businesses. Something that we are not only talking about, but also doing.’ With this comment, Minister Ilin Dimitrov expressed his satisfaction with the success of the initiative and thanked everyone involved.Bulgarian companies participating in this series of meetings held working discussions with over 300 potential German partners. The proposals of the Bulgarian business, mainly focused on sea holidays, were met with interest. An additional focus of the talks was the opportunities for sightseeing tours, medical and health, hiking and other specific types of tourism. The German travel agencies and tour operators expressed hope and positive expectations regarding the programmes to Bulgaria this year. It was stressed that the expansion of the flying programme and the provision of additional seats to Bulgaria is essential for the realisation of a successful season.Currently, early bookings at individual tour operators are up by 20% compared to a year earlier.  Press conferences with representatives of the tourism media were held in Berlin and Munich to present Bulgaria's potential as a tourist destination.  The meetings also discussed opportunities for year-round tourism in our country, connectivity between the two countries and potential development trends. The Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Munich Dragomir Dimitrov and the Honorary Consulate in Leipzig Heiko Schmidt also actively participated in the individual locations, as well as the heads of our local trade missions Aneta Gruycheva, Stefan Yonkov and Rumen Bonev in the B2B meetings.  Germany is one of the main and priority tourist markets for Bulgaria, with the number of visits and overnight stays increasing over the last two years, but still below the pre-crisis levels of 2019. Germans are among the tourists with the longest average stay in the country — 4.5 to 4.7 days, which is due to the organized nature of their trips for sea holidays, sightseeing tours, health, spa and wellness tourism, as well as their tendency to arrive for early and late visits to our coast, which successfully seal the wings of the season.  All participants in the business meetings shared the opinion that such initiatives are extremely useful and help to realize the potential in the field of tourism between the two countries.A third ‘road show’ with a series of professionally oriented meetings of a business delegation in Israel is coming up.‘We are going to schedule such presentations in 5 countries next year. The idea is for our tourist attachés to organize this type of events annually in target markets abroad,’ said Minister Ilin Dimitrov.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva participated in the 107th meeting of the Board of Directors of the European Travel Commission (ETC). The event took place in Malta and was opened with a welcome by the island country's Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo.Policies on tourism and climate change were discussed at the meeting. The main topic of the discussion was the deepening of relations between the ETC and the European Commission. Among the first joint initiatives on which the two institutions will work is the development of an action plan to combat climate change and its consequences.The European Travel Commission has committed to assist Member States in implementing the plan to support the tourism industry. Deputy Minister Georgieva supported the idea and said that Bulgaria appreciates the efforts and will be part of the joint project for more sustainable tourism.Among the topics discussed at the highest European level was the organisation of the upcoming Destination Europe Summit 2023 event, which will take place in the first week of July with the participation of Thierry Breton — European Commissioner for Internal Market.

Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov participated in the International Business and Investment Forum ‘Bulgaria: Investment Destination’ in Istanbul. The forum, which is organized by the Bulgarian Investment Agency (BIA) at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, is attended by the Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev and the Minister of Health Dr. Asen Medjidiev, and from the Turkish side — the Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Dr. Çetin Ali Dönmez.The conference includes two thematic panels dedicated to promising areas of cooperation between the two countries — automotive and spa and medical tourism. In his speech during the opening ceremony, Minister Dimitrov stressed that Bulgaria and Turkey are developing extremely fruitful relations in tourism, one of the most important sectors of our economy.The Minister announced the forthcoming 4th session of the Bulgarian-Turkish Joint Tourism Committee between the two line ministries within the framework of the EMITT exhibition /8—11 February/ in Istanbul.‘This is an excellent opportunity to build on what we have achieved so far. Turkey has consistently been in the top three of our country's tourism in recent years. These statistics clearly show that the market has very serious dynamics, but it is important to take into account that there is still serious potential for development,’ said Minister Dimitrov.Minister Dimitrov announced that in February a Bulgarian Tourist Representative Office in Istanbul is expected to open. This is clear evidence of our targeted policy in this market, the Minister said. We can cooperate with Turkey in a very diverse number of areas of tourism and it is important to support even more active contacts between businesses, Minister Dimitrov said further.In this regard, one of the solutions to attract more tourists to our country is the development of transport connectivity — and Istanbul is the best logistical point for our country in this aspect. ‘Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ambassador Angel Cholakov, who is a great friend of Bulgarian tourism, for his personal dedication and efforts to promote Bulgaria as a tourist destination on the Turkish market,’ the Minister added and gave as an example of the fruitful actions of our diplomatic team the upcoming opening of a direct flight connection between Istanbul and Plovdiv.‘Another great news is the construction of a new BTA office in Ankara, which will certainly contribute to working in a more fruitful information environment. At the same time, it will play an important role in establishing new cultural ties between our two friendly nations,’ Minister Dimitrov said in his exposition.The conference is organized by the Bulgarian Investment Agency in cooperation with our diplomatic missions in the country. The Forum is distinguished by an extremely high interest from the business community. Many mayors of Bulgarian municipalities, investors, representatives of the media and educational institutions, etc. participated in it. The participants, more than 200 in number from the automotive, engineering, healthcare and tourism sectors, were welcomed by our Ambassador in Ankara, H. E. Angel Cholakov.During the event, the Bulgarian Minister had the opportunity to hold an informal conversation with Çetin Ali Dönmez, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey, in which the two discussed the integration between tourism and other business sectors and the prospects for our bilateral relations in this context.Minister Dimitrov also held talks with representatives of the tourism business in Turkey, with whom he discussed the possibilities of providing state support for the establishment and expansion of their activities in Bulgaria.Bulgarian exports to Turkey are increasing by over 32% in 2022 and trade is growing. Direct Turkish investment in Bulgaria exceeds EUR 1 billion, almost half of which have received some form of state support through BIA. This was announced by the Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev, who opened the business forum. In his words, over 2,200 Turkish companies have chosen Bulgaria as a preferred place to do business, they are also one of the largest employers in the country.We remind that a month ago a historic agreement was signed after the summit between the two presidents Rumen Radev and Recep Erdogan.During the forum, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey, Dr Çetin Ali Dönmez, pointed out that the two countries have very good neighbourly and partnership relations in NATO. In his words, Bulgaria and Turkey are an example of good cooperation both economically and politically. He stressed that a new airline line and new border crossings are being opened, which will facilitate connectivity between the neighbouring countries.

Within the framework of the international exhibition in Spain, Deputy Minister Irena Georgieva held a number of bilateral meetings. A look to the East and a deepening cooperation within Asia — this was part of the focus of the meetings held. The Bulgarian Deputy Minister discussed with Fuad Nagiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Tourism of Azerbaijan, the possibility of opening a direct air route between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. In the conversation the two noted the traditionally good relations between Bulgaria and the Asian Caucasian country. They discussed the development of tourism after the pandemic of COVID-19, the changed structure of the flow of tourists visiting Bulgaria and the opportunities for increasing bilateral tourism, part of which could happen with the resumption of direct flights.Deputy Minister Georgieva also pointed out that Bulgaria will be a partner country at the Azerbaijan International Tourism Exhibition in Baku in 2023. For his part, Fuad Nagiyev announced that he will participate in the 68 Session of the Europe Regional Commission of the UNWTO.Another country with which there is potential for the development of bilateral tourism is Georgia. In the framework of the International Tourism Exhibition FITUR in the Spanish capital, Deputy Minister Irena Georgieva met with Maya Omiadze, Chairman of the Georgian National Tourism Administration and Tamat Koriauli, First Deputy Chairman. During the talks, they discussed the state of the tourism sector in the two countries, what are the problems and challenges after the global pandemic and the share of tourism in GDP in each country. Information was exchanged and commented on target markets and priorities for the tourism sector in both countries. Irena Georgieva and the representatives of the Georgian Ministry of Tourism shared their views and ideas on easing the visa issuance process and agreed that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Georgia should be informed about the issues raised for follow-up. The readiness to develop bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism, including within the framework of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation, was noted in the talks.Omiadze and Koriauli expressed their readiness for further contacts at the highest level with the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism during the Berlin ITB and in May 2023 at the 68 Meeting of the Regional Commission Europe of the UNWTO in Sofia.

From 14 to 22 January, the CMT (Caravan — Motor — Touristik) international travel trade fair takes place again after a two-year break in Stuttgart, Germany. For nine days, the exhibition is visited by an average of about 300 thousand visitors, which ranks it in the leading position among the world's travel exhibitions designed for the end customer. According to the organizers, this year the interest from the exhibitors is huge: over 1,600 from 100 countries, with all 120,000 square metres of exhibition space booked. This year's partner country is Mongolia. The tourism fair, dedicated to camping, caravanning and leisure, is complemented by accompanying exhibitions for cycling, hiking, golf, wellness and cruise travel.The Bulgarian stand is on an area of 40 sq. m., where Albena Tour EAD, Varna Municipality and Camperisimo participate together with the Ministry of Tourism. During the first weekend of the exhibition the interest in Bulgaria is huge. Enquiries are mainly for seaside holidays, sightseeing opportunities, cycling, hiking, rehabilitation and wellness, etc.The CMT tourism fair is traditionally held in mid-January, when early bookings for the upcoming summer season are still open and many Germans plan their holidays during this period.The Germans’ desire for journeys and travel is huge. The audience that stops at the Bulgarian stand, for the most part, does not know Bulgaria and wishes to visit it this year. There is targeted interest from the families with children and 55+ segment who wish to combine a seaside holiday with day cultural itineraries or sightseeing trips. Enquiries abound for camping, golfing, cycling, wine tasting, spa and wellness opportunities. The Belogradchik Rocks are depicted on a part of the stand's decoration, which arouses great interest among the German audience. 

The Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, took part in the official opening of the ski season 2022/23 in the resort of Pamporovo. The event was held on the eve of the Christmas holidays on the ski area in the Studenets area, which was covered by fresh snow, sun and freezing temperatures. The opening of the season was also attended by the regional governor of Chepelare Stefan Sabrutev and the mayor of Smolyan Nikolay Melemov.Minister Dimitrov stressed that he expects a good ski season, despite inflation and high prices, and forecasts are for a strong winter in the resort, during which hotel occupancy will return to pre-pandemic levels. He wished for plenty of snow and suitable weather conditions. The rest needed for a successful ski season has been done, Minister Dimitrov stressed and recalled the maintained low VAT rate of 9% in tourism and the introduced fuel cap.The first charters for the season with Irish tourists have already arrived in Pamporovo, the resort said, there is an increase of 30% in bookings compared to the pre-pandemic 2019. Artificial snowmaking guns have been working around the clock in recent days and temperatures have dropped below minus 3 degrees.The resort has announced that for the Christmas holidays, from 23 to 28 December, the price of the daily lift pass will remain at last year’s value.

The Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, presented Bulgaria’s candidacy for participation in the WTO Executive Council with an official letter to the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) Zurab Pololikashvili. The aim is to fill one of the vacant seats for the Europe region on the WTO Executive Council for the period 2023-2027.The Executive Council is the operational governing body that ensures that the WTO implements its work programme and adheres to its budget. A total of 35 countries (10 of them European) are members of the Executive Council, 34 of which are elected for a term of four years, while Spain remains the permanent representative.  Among the main powers of the Council are to take all necessary measures, in consultation with the Secretary-General, to implement the decisions and recommendations of the Assembly; to prepare and submit recommendations and proposals to the Assembly; to consider the regular reports received from the Secretary-General on the state of the Organization, etc. Bulgaria is an active member of the WTO, having previously served on the Executive Council in the periods 1982-1985, 2004-2007, 2010-2013 and 2013-2017.In 2023, the mandate of four of the European countries that are members of the WTO Executive Council - France, Italy, Portugal and Türkiye - will expire, as will that of the Russian Federation, which has terminated its full membership of the organisation. Voting for the vacant seats will take place at the 68th meeting of the Regional Commission for Europe (RCE Europe) to be held in Bulgaria in 2023.  Our country’s candidacy is yet another proof of Bulgaria’s ambition to raise significantly the awareness of its international partners on its vision for regional and global policies and processes in this key sector of the world economy. At the same time, Bulgaria’s election as host country of the Regional Commission Europe meeting is an act of unconditional support at the highest institutional level by the most renowned format for cooperation in the sector.

Today, a regular flight of EL AL airline from Israel arrived at Sofia Airport with the first tourists arriving for ski holidays in Bulgaria, with which the airport symbolically opened the winter season 2022/2023 in Bulgaria. The flight was welcomed with a traditional water salute.The first tourists - 159 passengers on board, including Israeli media and bloggers, were welcomed by Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva, by the Consul of the State of Israel in the Republic of Bulgaria, Mrs. Orly Dafna Sona, who praised the beauty of Bulgaria and the opportunities it offers, by the CEO of the airport operator “SOF Connect”, Jesús Caballero and Kobi Golan, Vice President Global Operations of EL AL. Deputy Minister Mariela Modeva congratulated the organizers and the guests, saying that Bulgaria and Israel have traditionally good relations and she is glad that today the ski season opens at Sofia Airport with the arrival of tourists from this pre-growth country. According to estimates, the number of Israeli tourists who will visit destination Bulgaria for this winter season will be around 30 thousand.Mariela Modeva stated that for the first ten months of the year we have recorded more than 130 thousand registrations of Israeli tourists in the accommodation facilities in the country, and Israeli guests are interested in our winter resorts, cultural tourism in big cities and Bulgarian spa resorts.According to prof. Modeva, in the last winter season 2021/2022, more than 1.2 million registrations of Bulgarian and foreign tourists were recorded in the accommodation facilities, and this winter season is expected to be even better. According to the data of the municipalities, in Bansko an increase of tourists of about 12% is expected, in Pamporovo - about 14%, in Borovets also good results are expected.The Deputy Minister pointed out that both countries have a wide range of tourism products that attract tourists from all over the world. “Bulgaria is a beautiful country with a diverse combined tourism product and our joint work in promoting it will contribute positively to the tourism flow of both countries. At the same time, airports are the first thing tourists see when they arrive in their chosen destination, this is the reason why good relations and fruitful work with airport operators is among the priorities of the Ministry of Tourism,” Deputy Minister Modeva said.The airline pointed out that over the past few years there has been a large increase in the number of passengers booking flights to Sofia and this trend is sustainable in the winter season. Therefore, EL AL considers Sofia as a strategic route.Sofia Airport CEO Jesús Caballero also shared his optimistic expectations for the upcoming winter season. A new route between Sofia and Tel Aviv will start operating at the beginning of the year, which will provide more travel opportunities and additional revenue for the tourism industry, he stressed.

“The world is digitizing, optimizing and willing to travel and experience. With these words, the Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, opened the ceremony of the seventh Annual Tourism Awards - 2022, which for the second consecutive year are held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev. Minister Dimitrov pointed out their importance and symbolism, saying that for the seventh time in a row with this ceremony we are sending off the year and uniting around the cause of Bulgarian tourism, which has already “become a real tradition and gives the winners the credit they deserve. Winners because they have shown grit, faith, perseverance, ingenuity and have managed to survive the last two difficult years for our sector,” the Minister underscored.Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, added that attention is needed to what messages we send and how we present our tourism, “We, those working in the sector, are the best ambassadors of our homeland and through our attitude we show it to the world.”Among the dignitaries were President Rumen Radev, the Ministers of Economy and Agriculture. The event was attended by MPs, ambassadors, mayors, representatives of the academic community, business, tourism organizations, media, etc.The winners in all categories - 4 professional, 4 artistic and 1 specially designed for the Bulgarian municipalities, as well as in the category for the grand prize “The choice of the Bulgarians”, received the traditional statuette, a trademark of the competition and a symbol of our country - the Bulgarian rose, made by Dimitar Germanov, and the second and third place winners - diplomas of the Ministry of Tourism. More than 64 thousand unique votes were submitted online on the special website for the awards for the more than 115 participants in all sections.The ceremony of awarding the statuettes was opened by Minister Dimitrov and the grand prize was personally awarded by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev in the main category – “The Choice of the Bulgarians”. The President said that he attended the awards because he was driven by the conviction that tourism in today’s world is not just fun and enjoyable, it is not just part of the economy. “Tourism in the modern world is the foundation without which other sectors of socio-economic life cannot develop. How will we have investments, how will we have exchange of technologies, how will we retain these investments, how will the world know about us at all if we do not have strong, meaningful tourism activity and opportunities here in Bulgaria,” President Radev said. The Head of State pointed out that our country invests very little in advertising its tourism sector compared to other countries. At all levels - the state institutions, the executive and local authorities - we should unite our efforts in the best way so that we create conditions here in Bulgaria to make it much more interesting for ourselves, more pleasant, to spend our time fully, but also to show Bulgaria as it is - rich, beautiful in history, culture, achievements, people, nature to all our partners from all over the world, the President further said.The President presented the award to the winner “Historical Park”, village of Neofit Rilski, Varna. The award was received by Ivelin Mihailov - Executive Director of the project.First place in the category “Tourist Destination” went to the municipality of Ardino. The award was presented by Minister Dimitrov and the prize was received by Eng. Izet Shaban - Mayor of the municipality.One of the most contested categories was “Tourist Attraction/Object”. The statuette for the first place was again won by “Historical Park”, village of Neofit Rilski and was presented to Ivelin Mihaylov - Executive Director of the project, by Tsoncho Ganev, Chairperson of the Tourism Committee at the 48th National Assembly.In the category “Innovation” the first place was taken by Travel Line-Bulgaria Room Mix Innovation 2022 and the award was presented by the Minister of Economy Nikola Stoyanov.The Minister of Agriculture Yavor Gechev awarded the rose for “Specialized Tourism” to the Chairperson of the Tourism Council - Plovdiv Lyubozar Fratev for the first position in the category - Festival “Young Wine Parade”, Tourism Council in Plovdiv.The Deputy Chairperson of the Tourism Committee at the 48th National Assembly, Nebie Kabak, handed the statuette to the favorite in another very attractive category – “Tourist Municipality 2022”, which went to the municipality of Vetrino and was received by Dimitar Dimitrov - Mayor of the municipality.The second part of the ceremony was dedicated to the achievements of the media covering tourism. The Chairperson of the Council for Electronic Media Sonya Momchilova gave the first award for “Journalistic material on tourism in Bulgaria for 2021 in TV” to Georgi Krumov, founder and manager of TV Tourism.Voters chose Magdalena Todorova from TV Medical University – Varna as the best journalist in online media. The award was presented by Anton Kutev, spokesman of the Council of Ministers.The winner in the print media category was Poli Ivanova with her article in Destination Bulgaria magazine. She received her award from Milen Mitev, Director General of Bulgarian National Radio.The photographer Vladislav Terziyski handed over the rose in the contested category for internet blog to Lyubomira Velikova from bulgarianonthego.blog.The event was also honoured with a greeting from Alessandra Priante, Director of the Regional Department for Europe at the UN World Tourism Organization, who sent a video message dedicated to the annual awards.The real surprise of the evening was the presentation of special awards by Minister Dimitrov for internationally recognized achievements and sustainable development in tourism in Bulgaria. The Minister awarded the Municipality of Plovdiv and presented the statuette to Plamen Panov - Deputy Mayor of Plovdiv with the portfolio of Culture, Archaeology and Tourism. The awards went to Hexaya Health & Wellness/Intercontinental Sofia and Happy Bar & Grill. The award for contribution to the positioning and promotion of Brand Bulgaria went to the climatologist prof. Georgi Rachev and journalist Nikolay Vasilkovski. The prestigious award was presented by the Deputy Ministers of Tourism Irena Georgieva and prof. Mariela Modeva. The special award for long consistent efforts in promoting the beauty of destination Bulgaria was given to the photographer Vladislav Terziyski.

The Ministry of Tourism, together with representatives of the tourism sector, participated in the International Tourism Exhibition IBTM - Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings in Barcelona, Spain, from 29 November to 1 December 2022.The exhibition is specialized for business travel and convention tourism professionals, event and conference organizers. IBTM is one of the most significant events in the field of MICE tourism, with more than 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries in 2022, more than 30,000 professional meetings planned and more than 7,000 professionals registered in the field of business and incentive tourism, which is gaining in popularity.In order to strengthen the position of Bulgaria as a destination for congress tourism, our country participates in IBTM with an advertising stand on an area of 50 sq. m., where along with the Ministry of Tourism are presented Travel Time Bulgaria Ltd, Municipal Enterprise “Tourism” at Sofia Municipality, “Tsarevgrad Tarnov” EOOD, Varna Municipality and Association “Bulgarian Congress Bureau”.Group meetings with nearly 70 “buyers” are held at the Bulgarian stand, twice a day, presenting Bulgaria as a year-round destination and the opportunities for business and business tourism in the country.Our participation in this international tourism exhibition helps to promote our country as a destination for congress tourism. At the same time, incentive and reward trips - one of the most effective methods of expressing gratitude to employees, customers and collaborators - are gaining momentum as part of this segment. Incentive trips both express appreciation for a job well done and are an incentive for future success.Often combined with team building, they provide many opportunities to practice a variety of activities - from outdoor sports tournaments and recreational games to forms of adventure tourism.

In the period 25-27 November in the German capital Berlin was held for the first time the “Berlin Travel Festival”, which is part of Germany’s largest exhibition for yachts, motor boats and outdoor activities Boot & Fun. The venue was Messe Berlin.Bulgaria participated with a stand of 10 sq. m., where Tihomir Patarinski, the Bulgarian Attaché for Tourism in Germany presented the opportunities for tourism in our country to the Berlin audience. Highlights of Bulgaria’s presentation were the opportunities for year-round tourism - summer, winter, cultural, balneology, climate therapy and others. The interest in the Bulgarian camping sites, the opportunities our country offers for travelling with caravans, as well as the sightseeing trips for the next season was very serious.The time positioning of the exhibition, at the end of November, on the one hand strengthens the focus on early bookings for the next summer tourist season, and on the other - for last minute bookings for the current winter season, as well as emphasizes the year-round forms of tourism - health, spa, cultural, city weekends, etc.The portfolio of exhibitors ranged from destinations, tour operators, hotels and airlines. The organisers also presented themselves with a rich supporting programme with a series of panel discussions attended by experts and specialists from the tourism industry.As from next year 2023 ITB Berlin will also focus in future on the B2B segment, the BERLIN TRAVEL FESTIVAL is not only intended for specialists and professionals in the sector, but also for the general public.

The Ministry of Tourism was awarded an honorary prize for the most representative stand during the PHILOXENIA International Tourism Exhibition in Thessaloniki, which took place in the period 18-20 November 2022.The PHILOXENIA exhibition is a major event in Greece with a direct tourism focus, presenting the latest and most interesting offers from travel agencies and tour operators, accommodation and leisure establishments, as well as various tourism service providers, local and international tourism organisations and various destinations. The event contributes to the promotion of destinations and their services at a high level. The three-day tourism exhibition is attended by companies and organizations from across the tourism spectrum - Greek and international travel destinations, hotels, travel agencies, travel agents, specialized press and media.This year the Bulgarian information stand, together with the Ministry of Tourism, was attended by four representatives of the tourism business and municipal administrations: the Tsarevgrad Tarnov EOOD, Rila Travel EOOD, New Sun Travel Ltd and Bansko Municipality.

Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, held a meeting with a representative of one of the leading and largest tour operators “Asian Overland Services”. The meeting with Mr. Nur Ismail was initiated by the Honorary Consul of Malaysia in Bulgaria Mr. Peter Kouroumbashev.For consumers from distant destinations such as Malaysia, Bulgaria is part of Europe and the Balkans and can be seen as part of a combined tourism product that we are discussing with neighboring Greece and Türkiye, Minister Dimitrov said."Bulgaria needs to open up to distant markets and the successful formula for this is the creation of a common Balkan product," Minister Dimitrov said.In this context, Nur Ismail said that Malaysia has traditionally close ties with Türkiye, often choosing it as a preferred destination and the logistical possibilities of the megalopolis of Istanbul can contribute to increasing tourism to Bulgaria.According to the guest, the Malaysians, who have an extremely diverse nature and a sufficiently developed market of sea tourism, Bulgaria is an interesting destination with its winter resorts. “On their bucket list, every Malaysian wants to go on a skiing holiday at least once in their lifetime,” Nur Ismail said. In response, Minister Dimitrov gave the example of Bansko as an established and preferred European winter resort and added that Bulgaria is second in Europe in the number of mineral springs, our services in spa tourism are world-class and are also a good reason to choose a holiday in Bulgaria.Malaysia is one of the preferred by Bulgarians destinations for high-end holidays and this builds a good foundation for the development of bilateral relations in tourism, said the Honorary Consul of the Asian country in Bulgaria. In 2019, there were nearly 3.6 thousand visits of Bulgarian tourists to Malaysia. At the same time, the representative of the tour operator company pointed to the months of March and September as preferred for travel and as periods in which significant tourist events are organized in Malaysia.According to Minister Dimitrov, there is a good potential in the exchange of professional experience and personnel between the two countries, and this will lead to an intensification of bilateral contacts and travel.

Bulgaria participates in the international tourism exhibition “Touristik & Caravaning”, which this year takes place from 16 – 20 November 2022 in Leipzig, Germany. Tihomir Patarinsky, Bulgaria’s Tourist Attaché in Berlin, will take a special part in the exhibition. The event is designed for the general public in Germany and attracts around 30 thousand visitors. Messe Stuttgart is the organizer of the exhibition for the fourth time in a row.Traditionally, the “Touristik & Caravaning” event is held in the second half of November and marks the start of bookings for the upcoming summer season. It is the largest and most important tourism exhibition in the eastern German states. This year, Bulgaria is enjoying exceptional interest – both in sea and spa tourism. Germans are looking for camping opportunities, sightseeing trips, wine tastings and hiking routes.On the Bulgarian stand on an area of 30 sq. m., together with the Ministry of Tourism, this year participate Albena Tour EAD, Varna Municipality and Sts. Constantine and Helena Holding AD.Bookings for the 2023 season have already started, and our country is also included in the special offers of German tour operators valid at the fair itself.

It is important to achieve sustainability in three main pillars of tourism – environmental, social and economic. They are the cornerstones of the Bulgarian vision for the future development of the sector and I am convinced that we will find many committed international partners and friends in our efforts to achieve our goals. This is what the Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, said in his address to the participants of the ministerial meeting in the framework of the London exhibition, organized under the banner of the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).The summit was held on the second day of the World Travel Market (WTM) international travel trade show in London, UK.“Instead of striving to “return to normal” it is time to rethink the goals, business models, value chains of the tourism industry in a more pragmatic and systematic approach,” Minister Dimitrov said. He highlighted Bulgaria’s rich tourism opportunities: “We are here to present the possibilities of our country, its hospitality, traditions. Digitisation, innovation, social responsibility remain the main priorities for the future tourism product. Our country should be an example of a sustainable tourism model”. He further noted that we should pay attention to every tourist, both those in 5-star hotels and those in smaller categories, because they use the same amount of resources.A highlight of the speech by Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation, was what the tourism sector of tomorrow should look like. According to him, the crises have affected the sector a lot, but in the future, we need to work on human capital, especially for the youth. Pololikashvili noted that new technologies need to be developed in the sector and tourism needs to be taught in schools. It is in educational institutions that we can teach the youth to protect resources, the Secretary General said.Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), addressed the participants saying that tourism needs new leaders and investment. “The sector must face up to its climate action responsibilities while generating growth to drive economic development. To provide opportunities for all, the sector must embrace new voices and new ideas,” Simpson said. Before the start of the meeting, Minister Dimitrov held informal talks with the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation Zurab Pololikashvili and Nikolina Brnjac, Minister of Sport and Tourism of Croatia. Minister Dimitrov extended an invitation to his Croatian counterpart to visit Bulgaria for a meeting between the businesses of the two countries.

The UK market is expected to recover in 2023 and grow by 30% in 2024.On the first day of the exhibition in London, Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov held more than 10 high-level meetings with leading representatives of the tourism industry as part of his busy programme. The focus of the meetings were talks with airlines and leading tour operators on the Island, such as Flynas, Jet2holidays, Fraport and Lufthansa Group.  In his talks with Flynas, the minister assured that Bulgaria is seeking to enter new markets like Saudi Arabia by promoting the destination and tourism opportunities. In response, the company’s representatives assured that they want to establish themselves in the Bulgarian market and have a specific interest in our country, which they said has everything – mountains, sea, cultural and historical sites and many other opportunities for tourism. They are particularly interested in mineral waters – a rich resource with great potential.  Nearly 30% growth in British tourists to the Bulgaria market is expected for 2024, with pre-pandemic levels to be reached next year. This was announced by the number two tour operator in the British market, Jet2holidays, at a meeting with the Bulgarian Tourism Minister. The company already has 64,000 places booked for Bulgaria for 2024. It was reported that they expect to double their fleet in two years. A number of marketing activities were discussed to attract British tourists and rebuild this market. Minister Dimitrov encouraged family travel from the UK, assuring that our country offers great conditions for this type of holiday. The letter sent by the Ministry of Tourism to the European Commission to reinstate the subsidy of 35 euros per seat, similar to the measure that expired and provided substantial support to tour operators during the pandemic, was also the subject of the talks.At the Bulgarian stand, Minister Dimitrov also held a working meeting with the representatives of the English organization of tour operators - ABTA, where they presented their activities and discussed promotional activities between the professional organization and Bulgarian tour operators, as well as how the state can facilitate and assist this communication process. The Association of British Tour Operators and Travel Agents has over 4,300 members providing a wide coverage of services in the business and holiday travel sector.According to border checkpoint data for the period January – August 2022, Bulgaria has been visited by 252,266 tourists, which is an increase of 8.5 times compared to the period January – August 2021.By comparison, last 2021 the total number of visits by British tourists to accommodation and own properties was around 30 thousand for the same period, January to August 2021, a fall of 62%.Leading destinations for British tourists are the capital, the municipalities of Nessebar, Varna and Plovdiv.In 2020, more than 90 thousand visits of British tourists were reported and a decline of 81%. Not all British tourists stayed overnight in accommodation, with some staying in their own properties, particularly in Bansko and on the Black Sea coast.During the World Travel Market in London, the chairperson of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association Jason Ferguson visited Bulgaria’s stand. He was welcomed by the Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD. They discussed the opportunities for sport and tourism in one. Among the topics of conversation was the European Snooker Championship, which will be held from 4 to 17 June 2023 in the resort complex Albena. They also discussed the possibility of our country returning to the world snooker map by hosting a major ranking tournament, which will be an image-building event for our country.On the first day of his visit, Minister Dimitrov gave a special interview to the world media “Euronews”, in which the main topic was Bulgaria’s recovery from the crises. He also commented on the vision for modern tourism and development policies – especially through the prism of climate change. 

Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, also participated in the world’s largest exhibition for professionals in the tourism industryThe Ministry of Tourism, together with 20 representatives of the tourism sector, participated in the World Travel Market (WTM) international tourism exhibition in London, UK (7 - 9 November 2022). The world’s largest exhibition for professionals in the tourism industry is also attended by the Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov. PhD, who, in addition to his packed programme of bilateral political and business meetings, is also part of the ministerial meeting on the second day of WTM, organised under the sign of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.With his arrival, Minister Dimitrov, together with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to the UK, Marin Raykov, greeted the Bulgarian participants in the forum. The two, together with the Head of the Offices for Trade and Economic Affairs (OTEA) – London, Krasimir Kiriakov, commented on the current picture of bilateral relations in the field of tourism and discussed future opportunities to boost the UK market. Ambassador Raykov said that there are about 15 thousand Britons in Bulgaria. Digitisation of services is the future way to establish and promote Bulgaria as a preferred and safe destination in the UK market. A series of high-level business meetings with the participation of the Ministry of Tourism was also planned for February.On the first day of Minister Dimitrov’s visit a meeting with the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye Mehmet Ersoy, representatives of airlines and the British and German tourism industry is scheduled.This year, our Bulgarian national stand, which covers an area of nearly 300 sq. m, together with the Ministry of Tourism, 20 representatives of the tourism business – tour operators, travel agents, municipal administrations – Albena Tour EAD, Rila Travel EOOD, World Synergy Travel Bulgaria Ltd, Evroprogram Consult EOOD (Plovdiv Municipality), Varna Municipality, OP Marketing, Tourism and Tourist Activities (Samokov Municipality), Avatar Tour Ltd, Municipal Enterprise “Tourism” at Sofia Municipality, Tsarevgrad Tarnov EOOD (Veliko Tarnovo Municipality), Sunny Travel Club EOOD, Tandem Travel Ltd, N-Vision Services Group Ltd, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, Aleksia Auto Ltd, Sts. Constantine and Helena Holding AD, Ulpia Tours Ltd, Pi Group Plovdiv EOOD, I D S Bulgaria EOOD, Galaxy Investment Group, Palms Royal Sofia.Both visitors and exhibitors represent a wide variety of companies and sectors, products and services operating in the tourism industry. World Travel Market was first held back in 1980 at London Olympia. Over four decades the show has changed its vision and location, with global business gathering at the ExCeL Centre since 2002. The B2B event currently hosts around 5,000 exhibitors from 182 countries and is attended by over 51,000 attendees.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva participated in a series of bilateral meetings of the tourism business in Poland during the week. In the period 24-27 October 2022, a delegation led by Deputy Minister Georgieva and composed of representatives of the Bulgarian tourism sector held bilateral Bulgarian-Polish business meetings in the cities of Wrocław, Katowice, Krakow and the capital Warsaw.After the successful summer season 2022 for the Bulgarian-Polish tourism and after talks with representatives of industry organizations in the tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism decided to organize the series of meetings in Poland. The Bulgarian Black Sea Alliance with its chairman Frank Quante, who was part of the delegation, actively joined the initiative.The aim of these meetings was to take the business relations in the tourism sector between Bulgaria and Poland to the next level and to strengthen and develop the ties between the business representatives from both countries.Bilateral meetings between Bulgarian tour operators and hoteliers and Polish tour operators were organized in each of the locations. After the ceremonial opening of each of the meetings by Deputy Minister Irena Georgieva, the Honorary Consuls of Bulgaria in Poland in the cities of Wrocław, Katowice and Krakow gave a welcome speech. At the opening of the meeting in Wrocław Mr. Jarosław Obremski, Voivode of the Lower Silesian Voivodship, delivered a welcome address, and H.E. Margarita Ganeva, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Poland, actively participated in the meeting in Warsaw.   Bulgarian companies participating in this series of meetings had the opportunity to hold working discussions with nearly 100 of their potential Polish partners. The proposals of the Bulgarian businesses, focusing mainly on sea holidays, were met with interest. Local representatives, on their part, expressed the hope that Bulgaria will be presented more and more often with tourism opportunities in all seasons, and particular interest was shown, besides winter holidays in ski resorts, for mountain tourism, bicycle tours in the mountains and spa tourism.Bulgaria ranks third in the Polish tourism market with a share of around 8.8% after Türkiye and Greece. On the other hand, Polish tourists visiting Bulgaria in the period January – August 2022 are about 270 thousand, which represents an increase of 53% compared to the same period of 2021. The data on the number of passengers landing at our sea airports show that Burgas Airport served more tourists from Poland this year than in the pre-pandemic 2019.All participants in the meetings shared the opinion that with the existing capacity, Bulgaria could receive in 2023 twice as many tourists from Poland.

Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, PhD, Minister of Culture Prof. Velislav Minekov and Minister of Agriculture Yavor Gechev agreed on the creation of a common strategy and a common platform for the promotion of Brand Bulgaria at a working meeting hosted by the Minister of Culture. Deputy Ministers of Culture Plamen Slavov and Agriculture Georgi Sabev also took part in the discussion. As part of the immediate work on the united actions of the three ministries is the creation of a single digital guide that will welcome everyone who enters our country – an electronic map of Bulgaria. It will bring together various elements of the tourism service and product – such as cultural and wine routes, farmers’ markets, developing local communities, significant natural sites and landmarks of our cultural and historical heritage that are of interest to every visitor to the destination.A drop-down menu on the map will integrate a variety of features and options to access more information to allow easy planning of short visits – transport connectivity, making reservations, purchasing via QR code tickets for museums, galleries, concerts and various events, virtual video tours prepared by tour guides or bloggers, photographers and travelers, and many more options that can be built upon over time and in the longer term. In addition to the three ministries, various institutions and the public media will be involved in the project.                Ministers of Tourism, Culture and Agriculture Ilin Dimitrov, prof. Minekov and Yavor Gechev discussed how to present destination Bulgaria through the map in the best, effective and attractive way. Minister Gechev suggested that traditional foods and Bulgarian wines with protected designations of origin, which often coincide with the names of places, should be included in the map. They will also include products that, according to the idea of the Ministry of Agriculture, will be branded as monastic and with the identification of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. This, in turn, could become a huge magnet for attracting tourists and regional development, as according to the Ministry of Agriculture, demand for traditional local food is an extremely stable trend in Bulgaria.In continuation of previous talks, the ministers also discussed the unification and branding of protocol gifts - specially labelled, typical for Bulgaria wine, replicas of ancient Thracian treasures and other valuable artifacts from our lands, the oldest processed gold in the world - the Varna gold treasure, etc., which will represent the rich cultural and historical heritage of our country.Replicas of these remarkable objects, as well as images of cultural tangible and intangible heritage sites under the auspices of UNESCO, will also greet guests at our international airports. That was an idea that Minister Dimitrov presented to his colleagues after it was discussed earlier with the airport operators of Sofia, Varna and Burgas airports. The Ministry of Culture is preparing a catalogue of the 100 national sites, which will also be integrated into the idea of promoting brand Bulgaria.The ministers also agreed to create a common, richly illustrated calendar for 2023, which will present different aspects of Bulgaria’s wealth - the most visited destinations, natural and tourist attractions, museums and cultural and historical artifacts, national parks, forests, hunting tourism opportunities, wine routes and gastronomy. The idea is to make the calendar trilingual to cover the linguistic diversity of all countries - Bulgarian, English and Spanish.

The Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov participated in the opening ceremony of Varna Deep Tech Innovation Port at the University of Economics - Varna.Among the official guests were the Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev, the Regional Governor of Varna Mario Smerkov, the Mayor of Varna Ivan Portnih, representatives of the academic, business and startup community, regional administration and European ecosystems. Maria Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, gave a video address to the attendees.Deep technological innovation port Varna, a project of the University of Economics - Varna and Junior Achievement Bulgaria, is aimed at creating and developing sustainable technological innovations.In his speech, Minister Dimitrov congratulated the creators of the initiative, wishing them to turn Varna into a European center of attraction for the creation and implementation of deep technological innovations that would help improve the socio-economic development not only of the region, but also of Bulgaria as a whole.According to him, the benefits of such a project will also support tourism with the development of innovations with concrete practical implementation, support of talents and the birth of sustainable businesses."We are currently at a crossroads as to which direction to take. The Covid crisis and the situation in Ukraine posed many problems for tourism. It is up to us where we go - whether we seek help and expect funding or change processes. In tourism, people serve people and this should not be changed, but in the field of marketing, in the technologies for the production of food and services, we can very seriously emphasize innovation," stressed Minister Dimitrov.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva participated in the eleventh annual meeting of the international forum "Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe" in Chania, Crete.This year, the forum is under the title "Protection of European values, heritage and dialogue". The participants in the event were representatives of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Council of Europe, the European Institute of Cultural Routes, the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Greece, the Ministry of Tourism of Greece, the Greek National Tourism Organization, the Municipality of Chania, the Historical Coffee Routes and others.The event was thematic and specialized, which provides more effective guidelines for the development of individual components of the tourism industry. In front of the participants, Prof. Modeva outlined the cultural-historical map of Bulgaria, our architectural heritage, the route of the Roman emperors, the Danube wine map, the cultural-historical route "Cyril and Methodius", the route of women writers, the European routes of industrial heritage as part of the cultural-historical map of Europe. She emphasized that Bulgaria has a rich history and is third in terms of cultural and historical landmarks in Europe. Our country has the potential to be a globally recognized tourist destination, but it needs better positioning of its combined tourism product and targeted advertising."Our joint work and exchange of experience in the preservation of our cultural sights and the advertising of this sector plays an extremely important role in the development of cultural and historical tourism in Europe," said the Deputy Minister of Tourism.The professor took part in a discussion panel on "Development of creative industries, cultural tourism, innovative technologies for sustainable development of tourism". Within the framework of the discussion, Deputy Minister Modeva presented the successful practices in the development of Bulgarian cultural and historical tourism, in accordance with the Plan for Cultural Tourism approved in 2019. Prof. Modeva presented the opportunities of our country in this priority tourism sub-sector by providing specifics for successfully developing our native destinations, such as Koprivshtitsa, which a year ago received recognition from the WTO under the BEST TOURISM VILLAGES initiative, when it was among the awarded villages in one of the categories.The routes are an important platform of interaction, within which many European countries participate, united by their common cultural, historical, geographical and other values. They have the potential to exist as attractive tourist products to attract consumers from distant markets – those outside Europe. Cultural routes are the foundation of the sector's sustainable development, because they are based on years of traditions, contacts and successful practices.The congress took place within the framework of a three-day conference, during which the participants held a number of informal meetings where state policies in the field of tourism and culture were discussed.

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, the President of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GBCIC) Tim Kurt and the General Manager of the organization Dr. Mitko Vassilev signed an agreement on a strategic partnership in the field of tourism.The signing was also attended by H.E. Irene Plank, temporary manager of the German embassy in our country. "The Bulgarian and German countries concluded a strategic partnership agreement and this provides an opportunity for the confirmation and wider promotion of the Bulgaria Brand. The signing of this document emphasizes the importance of the German market for Bulgarian tourism. There is also symbolism in setting the signatures today, because October 3 is a national holiday of Germany," Minister Dimitrov pointed out. According to him, the agreement builds on and expands the document signed in 2021 by the previous acting minister Assoc. Dr. Stella Baltova.According to Dr. Mitko Vasilev, chief manager of the chamber, the potential for cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism is huge and should be developed.During the ceremony, it became clear that the goal is to unite the efforts of the public and private sectors, bearing in mind the important role of the partnership between institutions and non-governmental organizations in creating favorable conditions for the recovery and prosperity of one of the most affected sectors in the Bulgarian economy.  The scope of the agreement includes promoting the exchange of information between Bulgarian and German tourism institutions and companies. The document provides for assistance from the chamber in organizing bilateral round tables and other events with a specific thematic focus. GBCIC, whose management is 30% owned by the German state, will provide support to the Bulgarian tourism attaché at the Bulgarian embassy in Berlin in meetings with the tourism industry, press conferences, organization of tourism information evenings.In addition, the chamber may be invited to participate in trade shows of the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism in Germany to present Bulgaria as a four-season destination. The non-governmental organization can assist in marketing activities and in the strategic orientation of the offer of health services, for example with medical associations, at medical congresses, for the preparation of publications in German health journals and others for the promotion of health services in Bulgaria.Additionally, sustainable cooperation between government institutions will be developed through joint bilateral delegation trips.

The leading ski resort Bansko will host for the third time the FIS Snowboard World Cup and FIS Snowboard Alpine Junior World Championships, which returns to the country with races in the parallel disciplines on 21 and 22 January 2023. For the third time, the best snowboarders will compete under Todorka Peak, five seasons after Radoslav Yankov’s unforgettable victory in the Snowboard World Cup in front of a home crowd at Bansko Ski Centre in 2017 and four years after the last Snowboard World Cup organized by the Bulgarian Ski Federation. In the 2022/2023 season Bulgaria and Bansko will again host - not only the FIS Snowboard World Cup, but also the FIS Snowboard Alpine Junior World Championships (parallel disciplines).Given the significance of the upcoming sporting event, its importance and the opportunities it offers to promote our country not only as a sporting but also as a tourist destination, referring also to the extensive media coverage of this type of world competitions; the Ministry of Tourism will participate in the Snowboard World Cup with a number of promotional activities.“This is a top event in our winter calendar, it deserves our very serious, I would even say key support, as it will bring prestige and popularity to Bulgaria as a destination and works for brand Bulgaria,” is convinced the Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov.Expectations are that the grandstand of the final, located on the Banderishka meadow, against the backdrop of the picturesque scenery of Pirin, will be filled to the brim because of the participation of the star Radoslav Yankov and the young talents in snowboarding, headed by the bronze winner in the parallel slalom at the World Junior Championships in Valmalenko, Italy - Tervel Zamfirov.In the period since the first World Cup in Bansko in 2009, our country has gained significant experience in the organization and hosting of 8 World Cups in alpine skiing, 2 World Cups in snowboarding, as well as the Youth World Ski Championships in 2021 and that is why FIS once again trusted the Bulgarian Ski Federation to hold starts in the parallel disciplines in snowboarding.The 2009-2021 World Cups held in the Bansko Winter Centre were watched by a cumulative worldwide television audience of over 700 million viewers, undoubtedly the biggest advertisement of Bulgaria’s opportunities for winter sport and tourism. More than 10,000 spectators are expected in Bansko again for the Snowboard World Cup starts to support Radoslav Yankov and the other elite competitors in the parallel disciplines.According to the Nielsen report, the Snowboard World Cup in the 21/22 season had a 93% increase in cumulative audience, a 97% increase in broadcast time compared to the 20/21 season and extremely strong TV and media coverage of the Bansko starts is expected.Among the promotional activities planned by the Ministry of Tourism are combined top advertising positions on the starting gate and finishing gate constructions, award and interview areas, which will enable the presence of destination Bulgaria on both race days.A very extensive additional advertising presence in all areas and venues associated with the event is also planned, as well as all promotional material for the event, including programmes, posters, brochures, leaflets, website, event social channels etc. A major PR campaign will also be carried out between December ’22 and January ’23, including major electronic media, outdoor advertising, etc. In the upcoming winter season, Bansko will also host another Alpine Ski World Cup start at the end of February in 2023. The great honour for our popular winter resort at home and abroad is no surprise after the perfectly held races on the slopes above Banderishka Meadow in recent years.

Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov met with H. E. Željko Jović, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Bulgaria.Minister Dimitrov extended an official invitation to Serbian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Tatjana Matić to visit Bulgaria to participate in a conference on digital transformation in tourism. The forum is scheduled to take place at the end of October. The invitation, extended through Ambassador Jović, is a continuation of the conversation that the Bulgarian minister had with his Serbian counterpart in the framework of the Sixth Global Wine Tourism Conference of the UN World Tourism Organization in Alba, Italy. “Bulgaria and Serbia have traditionally good relations; our western neighbour is part of our top 10 tourist markets. The Serbs love our winter resorts, but it is important to work to promote Bulgarian summer tourism,” Minister Dimitrov said. “Serbs really like Bulgarian resorts and know that Bulgaria offers an extremely attractive product in terms of price and quality. I hope more of my compatriots will explore the holiday opportunities,” underscored H. E. Željko Jović. He noted that it was important to keep close contact between the two nations. “Bulgaria has never been better advertised in our country. My advice is to invite journalists and bloggers to see how easy it is to get to the sea from Serbia”, said H. E. Željko Jović.     The meeting discussed the possibility of exchanging experiences and working together to promote the two destinations and joint initiatives between the countries in the context of the region.

A delegation of the Ministry of Tourism, led by Minister Ilin Dimitrov, participated in the Sixth Global Wine Tourism Conference of the UN World Tourism Organization in Alba, Italy. Minister Dimitrov took part in the central discussion - “Future of Wine Tourism”, where he expressed Bulgaria’s readiness to host one of the next wine conferences of the World Tourism Organization.During the discussion within the forum, he presented his vision for the development of wine tourism in Bulgaria to the delegates of the forum and high-ranking political figures from established wine destinations such as Italy, Portugal, Georgia, San Marino, Moldova and Greece, with whom they were together on stage. Minister Dimitrov expressed the readiness of our country to present the best practices and products of our wine tourism and to show its great potential in this niche. Bulgaria attaches great importance to this event, which is a prime opportunity to present our tourism opportunities at the highest level within Europe.“Bulgaria is in a unique position,” said Minister Dimitrov - “each of the countries represented in the panel has its own merits, but we combine almost all of them - we have the sea, beautiful mountains, good wine and many other wonderful things nearby that could attract many tourists and are a good reason to come and visit us,” the minister stressed. The fact that many do not know the advantages and prerequisites for the development of good wine tourism in Bulgaria is just a great opportunity to surprise you, said Minister Dimitrov.During the talks, the main focus was on the fact that the development of wine tourism brings added value and contributes to the sustainable development of regions and communities, impacting all processes and elements of the chain. It is also a form of social communication. The main accents and messages in all discussions within the forum were precisely on sustainable development in tourism, the introduction of innovation and digitalization, as well as the interconnectivity of wine tourism and other hospitality-related industries.Wine tourism and the consumption of the drink is part of the culture and all the rituals - it was commented that for the Italians wine is part of communication, for the Spaniards - part of the food culture, for the Greeks it is a symbol and part of the ritual.Nevertheless, everyone agreed that it is part of the experience during a tourist trip, and when making wine, one of the most important things is the story behind it.The main day of the Sixth Global Wine Tourism Conference ended with wine tastings and a trip on an old steam locomotive train to one of the famous wine locations located in the hills with vineyards around Alba.The conference venue is one of Italy’s landmark venues, popular for its geographical association with the production of specific varieties of local wine and the extraction of truffles, which have become part of the local gastronomic tradition and a symbol of the Alba region.

A unit has been launched in the Ministry of Tourism to deal with opportunities for tourism sector businesses to apply for Recovery and Resilience Plan programmes. For ease, clarity and accessibility, a brochure has been prepared that will introduce hoteliers and all tourism enterprises to the opportunities to participate more actively in the absorption of EU funds under this unique support mechanism. With the help of the new unit and information materials, businesses will be helped to integrate into European programmes and frameworks, correctly identifying opportunities for support under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.  The aim is to make the position of the Ministry of Tourism clearer and more visible on this important topic. (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();

The first meeting of the working group between experts of the Ministry of Tourism and representatives of the tourism business was held for the elaboration of a law for a unified branch organisation. Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva, who chaired the meeting, emphasized on conducting a constructive dialogue in the work for the creation of a nationally representative organisation to consolidate the industry. On behalf of Minister Ilin Dimitrov Prof. Modeva underscored that the goal is to make the unification happen without the Ministry of Tourism carrying out imperative actions or administrative coercion towards the participants in the working group.“Over the years, attempts have been made to create a single industry organisation and the partnership of the sector has always been sought. The idea is to create preconditions for a normative act to be submitted to the future National Assembly,” the deputy minister said.The concept of creating a single industry organisation involves collaboration with business and with higher education centres. “There are already models developed on the basis of projects, best practices abroad have been studied, which can be built upon and the best option for Bulgarian tourism can be found,” underscored Prof. Modeva. It was agreed that the Ministry of Tourism should provide the participants with a vision for a model for a single sectoral organisation in the short term, which should then be discussed by sector and proposals made. According to the participants, the model of unification sought should be based on the directions in the industry.The working group with the participation of representatives of the sector was formed to implement short-term policies set out in the programme of Minister Ilin Dimitrov in the mandate of the caretaker government. By the end of September, a law for a unified branch organisation should be drafted, which should be submitted before the National Assembly convenes and support should be sought from the political parties.

Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov held a working meeting with the Chairperson of the Board of the Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement Stanimir Georgiev to promote the initiative and increase the number of beaches with guaranteed cleanliness and impeccable conditions for tourism. 18 Bulgarian beaches and one marina bear the prestigious label.“This is a long-term action that we can initiate right now and start with small steps, despite the limited horizon of the caretaker cabinet. Our goal is to double the number of Bulgarian beaches with the blue flag, as this will raise the prestige of the Bulgarian tourism product and ensure the safety and health of beachgoers,” Minister Dimitrov underscored.The representative of the international organisation for Bulgaria, Stanimir Georgiev, defined the doubling of this number as a fully achievable goal.The cleanness, safety and mainly the quality of the water is the most important condition for the application and is proven by tests of accredited private laboratories or Regional Health Inspectorates on the Black Sea coast.The Blue Flag Award is the most established eco-label and standard in tourism with a 35-year history, honouring the world’s top 5042 beaches, marinas and tourist vessels, including those of the prominent Bulgarian resorts. Thanks to the Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement, blue flags have been flying on Bulgarian beaches since 1995, the first of which was given to Sunny Beach after a serious two-year study. The label is considered proof of the commitment of concessionaires and beach managers to offer an excellent tourist service through quality, successful and reliable management in balance with a wise and environmentally friendly use of natural resources.Stanimir Georgiev said that in recent years, due to increased competition, more blue flags are flying on beaches along the southern Black Sea coast. Minister Dimitrov stressed the need for more beaches on the northern coast to receive this guarantee of cleanliness and quality.As a full member and representative for Bulgaria of the international Foundation for Environmental Education /FEE/ - the world’s largest environmental organisation with members from over 75 countries, the Bulgarian movement “Blue Flag” also promotes the less known program “Green Key”.“Green Key” is an eco-label for hotels, tourist and leisure facilities such as campsites, restaurants, attractions and other environmentally managed venues that use only sustainable methods and technologies to operate. The aim is to make the hotel service offering an environmentally friendly and responsible business that strives to reduce the use of resources, water and energy, as well as the use of local products, resulting in a significant cost savings.“The effect for the hotels is impressive, because in the end, they find that all their costs have gone down. Miracles are achieved at the cost of introducing a few small changes and measures,” Stanimir Georgiev pointed out.He said that currently one hotel in Bulgaria is in the process of Green Key certification, but 11 are participating in a pilot project, and another 46 accommodations are likely to appear on the map very soon, as the largest English tour operator requires the hotels it works with (4,600 worldwide, including 46 in Bulgaria) to pass a Green Key audit.There is a direct link between the level of tourism development and interest in an area or a country and the number of Blue Flags awarded. This is exemplified by the champions in the ranking – Spain /729/, Greece /602/, Turkey /572/, France /536/, Italy /509/, Portugal /431/, which have the most flags and enjoy an enviable attendance.In 2022, among the best beaches and marinas in the world, the Bulgarian beaches of White Lagoon, Albena, Kranevo - North, Golden Sands, Sunny Day, Obzor - Central, Sveti Vlas - New beach are also worthy of the award, Sunny Beach - North, Sunny Beach - Central, Sunny Beach - South, Nessebar - South, Pomorie - East, Chernomorets Camp, Sozopol - Central, Sozopol - Harmanite, Dunes, Dunes - South and Arkutino and the only awarded marina in Bulgaria – Marina Dinevi.As every year, the nominations for the grand prize “Blue Flag” for clean and safe beaches, marinas and tourist vessels were reviewed first by the national jury of the Bulgarian movement in February, and then by the International Jury in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the organisation’s headquarters is.

For the first time a legal framework for cooperation in the field of tourism will be established between Bulgaria and the United Arab Emirates. This is provided for in the draft Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates approved by the Government.The document reflects the readiness of the two countries to create the most favourable conditions for a mutually beneficial partnership in the sector. They will promote investment in it and participate in international tourism and investment fairs organised on their territory. The Memorandum also focuses on stimulating initiatives for the promotion of cultural and historical monuments for the bilateral development of cultural tourism.Bulgaria and the UAE will also exchange information and experience in the administration of hotels and resorts, in the organisation of training programs and techniques for training personnel in tourism, in the collection of tourism data and statistics, in the licensing of tourist facilities, as well as in the development of health tourism.The two countries will also deepen their cooperation in the framework of international forums and international formations such as the UN World Tourism Organisation, etc.

A joint working group between experts of the Ministry of Tourism and the tourism business will develop a legal framework to regulate the unification of associations in the tourism sector and the creation of a single industry organization.In implementation of the priorities set out in the programme of the Ministry of Tourism and on the basis of the Tourism Act, we announce the start of enrolment of members of the working group.The criterion that should met by the associations applying for participation in the working group is the presence of 50 or more members of the association at the time of enrolment in the working group or registration in the National Tourism Register for a period longer than 5 years.Associations wishing to participate in the work of the Working Group should nominate a representative and an alternate member by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 26, 2022, at S.Stoykov@tourism.government.bg.

Since the start of the 2022 summer season, the number of on-site inspections of beaches carried out by the Ministry of Tourism teams is 261, with no serious problems identified. So far, 81 warnings have been sent to tenants and concessionaires in connection with the violations found. 16 penalties have been imposed for repeated breaches of contractual obligations.Since the beginning of the summer season, 5 administrative offence acts have been issued under the Black Sea Coast Planning Act.As of 15 August 2022, the number of protected sea beaches with concession and lease agreements for the 2022 summer season is 137. Of these, 88 have been awarded a concession and 49 have been leased.There are 94 unprotected sea beaches, 3 are beaches for nature tourism.The Directorate for Control and Inspection Activity continuously carries out comprehensive control over the fulfillment of the obligations of the concessionaires and tenants under the current concession and lease agreements for the sea beaches. Control shall also be exercised over the unprotected sea beaches referred to in Article 7, paragraph 7 of the Black Sea Coast Planning Act, as well as on marine beaches for nature tourism or their adjacent water area.  Both planned and unannounced inspections are carried out, initiated following publications in the media or alerts.  The schedule of planned on-site inspections for 2022 has been approved by the Minister of Tourism. There are two planned at each beach, and unscheduled ones are regularly carried out. To date, some beaches have been inspected more than twice. In addition to the implementation of the schedule approved by the Minister, control inspections are being carried out to remedy the infringements already identified.Additional information:The Ministry’s teams ensure the provision of mandatory activities, including water rescue and securing of the adjacent water area, health and medical care and sanitary maintenance.The Statement of Inspections must include the presence of signage, compliance with the obligations to ensure unrestricted and free access to the beach, the area provided for free placement, which should not be less than 50% of the active beach area, as well as the areas for paid accessories.Compliance with the requirement that relocatable sites and facilities (for health, medical and sanitary services, for water rescue and sports and recreational activities, for fast food and for the maintenance of the sea beach) should not occupy a total area of more than 2% of the sea beach, as well as the non-admission of relocatable sites and facilities beyond those agreed in the scheme.Other general obligations, such as ensuring access for people with disabilities, preventing illegal construction, and protecting natural landmarks, must also be reflected in the Statement of Inspections.In the event of irregularities, depending on the contractual provisions, letters shall be sent with a time limit for rectifying the irregularities, invitations for voluntary performance, penalties shall be imposed and, if necessary, the competent authorities shall be informed.

The Ministry of Tourism, within the 8th caretaker government with Prime Minister Galab Donev, will be guided in its work by principles such as continuity, expertise and maximum transparency in its actions in support of the sector.The urgent goals and tasks, the solutions of which will be sought in the short term, are the following:1. The correct administration of the measure on humanitarian aid to asylum-seekers.The aim of the caretaker minister, Dr Ilin Dimitrov, is that every hotelier who has opened its accommodation base and has received asylum-seekers receives the correct amount of money.The Ministry of Tourism received several hundred complaints and some of the payments were delayed for various reasons. Minister Dimitrov’s intention is this case to find its solution as quickly as possible, and where there is a discrepancy in the data, the cases to be checked to establish the cause. In the first week of the inauguration of the caretaker minister, active work has been carried out in this direction and a proposal for a Decision of the Council of Ministers on the payment of the delayed funds is to be submitted. Currently, the Ministry of Tourism has received more than 500 complaints for tens of millions of leva.2. Solving the problem of delayed categorisation of tourist sites and companies.This is a serious problem, as negotiations for the next season are currently underway, contracts are being concluded and these documents are necessary for the normal functioning of the sites. There are currently over 780 delayed files and 180 items/sets of documents for assessment or a total of 960 applications.The aim is to reduce this number to the minimum possible.3. Undertaking measures for a successful run for the summer 2022 and winter 2022-2023 season under COVID-19 conditions.The work of an intergovernmental working group continues, on Tuesday morning a meeting was held between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Health together with the tourism industry. In the active work with the institutions and the representatives of the sector, the right balance will be sought, not to hinder business, but not to endanger the population. If business closures are necessary, mandatory compensation will be sought.Actions planned for summer 2022:1. Ensuring the smooth running of the summer season. On Thursday and Friday Minister Dimitrov is scheduled to visit the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. He will hold meetings with the business community in Varna, Burgas and Dobrich, together with the mayors and regional governors to discuss current issues and the quality of the tourist service offered.2. Measures to improve the visibility of destination Bulgaria.Following an analysis of the ministry’s activities, a serious backlog was identified in the institution’s online advertising channels.- Smart digital advertising campaign.- The Minister is preparing roadtrips to nearby markets (Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Turkey, Greece) as well as to the Middle East (Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland). The aim is to support and improve through high-level meetings the visibility of our country, to demonstrate readiness and willingness to welcome tourists to support the season.- Journalist tours are also planned, we expect representatives of DRV (Germany).- Reinforcing the work of the visa regimes group.Actions to be taken during the winter season:The key words are predictability and certainty.Optimising all processes in the supply chain.- green corridors for incoming tourists in the event of adverse pandemic developments;- facilitated passage through border checkpoints;- reciprocal agreement on the cancellation of green certificates with Romania and neighboring countries in the event of the development of the COVID-19 pandemic;- readiness of airports to welcome tourist flow;If necessary, the removal of green certificates will be agreed on a reciprocal basis. Bulgaria needs to send a very strong message that it is welcoming and safe, open to visitors and tourists.Short-term policies:- Formation of a working group with the participation of representatives of the sector to develop a law for a single branch organisation. The aim is to develop it before the convocation of the National Assembly and to seek support from the political parties;- Establish a working group to draft a law on the Guarantee Fund;- Drafting of an Amendment and Supplement Act to facilitate advertising on international digital platforms;- Preparation of an Act amending and supplementing the Tourism Act to adopt the Regulations on tourist signage in the mountains.

At an inauguration ceremony, caretaker minister Dr Ilin Dimitrov took over from outgoing minister Hristo Prodanov in the 100th government of the Republic of Bulgaria.“Today, I accept the position of caretaker Minister of Tourism with the job ahead in mind and with a clear understanding of the responsibilities and important tasks ahead, the challenges facing the tourism sector and the expectations with which our team is charged.” With these words Minister Dimitrov addressed his predecessor, extending his gratitude for the work done so far and for the good institutional cooperation with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Tourism, which Ilin Dimitrov headed in the 47th National Assembly.In his opening remarks, the caretaker minister outlined some of the most urgent tasks ahead. In his words, everything possible should be done as a matter of urgency to speed up the accountability of the Humanitarian Assistance Programme for Displaced Persons from Ukraine. The other priority task is to solve the problems with the delayed categorization of tourist sites. We must also be ready to secure the work of the tourism sector in case of a strong wave of COVID-19 in the autumn, Minister Dimitrov stressed. There will be active work in preparation for the winter season and helping the industry to negotiate for summer 2023.The caretaker minister said he is planning concrete measures and actions on a number of topical issues and policies that will support and strengthen businesses in the tourism sector - such as active work and meetings with industry organisations, a smart digital advertising campaign, partnerships with international organisations and many other concrete steps.The outgoing Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov wished success to the caretaker minister and stressed that he leaves in good hands an orderly ministry.“I am very pleased to welcome Ilin Dimitrov, who until recently was the Chairman of the Tourism Committee. I believe that we will have continuity in our sector. The tourism industry knows him and accepts him well. I am happy to leave the ministry in safe hands,” the outgoing minister said.He handed Minister Ilin Dimitrov an icon of St. George with the wish to protect him and help him in the important mission he is undertaking.

Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov visited Sarafovo Airport, where he participated in a commemorative ceremony in memory of the victims of the 18 July terrorist attack.It is the 10th anniversary of the Burgas attack. A commemorative ceremony, candle lighting, wreath, and flower laying were held to honour the memory of the victims.“Even today, 10 years later, I am shocked by this atrocity committed in a European country in the heart of one of our most beautiful cities. Such an act cannot be justified in any way”, Prodanov was adamant.According to him, all of Bulgaria will not forget and mourns the victims of this inhuman act, which forced us out of our normal way of life and tried to impose on us a life of fear and insecurity.“Terrorism and radicalism do not belong only to one religion and one region. We all have to fight them and the only way is to be more inclusive, more open to the world, more tolerant, not to betray the values for which we stand against terrorists,” Minister Prodanov further said.Deputy Minister Prof. Mariela Modeva also took part in the commemorative ceremony.

Minister Hristo Prodanov had a working meeting with representatives of the tourist organizations and the Association of Food Voucher Operators. “Over the next few weeks, we will launch a campaign advertising the possibility to use the food vouchers for tourist services among the consumers and the employers. 1,2 billion levs is allocated for vouchers and even if one fourth of them is used by people for tourist services, it will be a serious support for this industry”, said Minister Prodanov.  Upon the update of the state budget for 2022, the food vouchers can be used for the payment of tourist services in accordance with the Tourism Act. “We need to be active in the promotions of vouchers because it is a good opportunity for stimulating the internal tourism. Out ambition is to show that vouchers can be useful for Bulgarian tourists and the business in order to include them in the next budget as well”, added Minister Prodanov. It also became clear at this meeting that there is a huge interest from hotel and restaurant managers and tourist service providers.The food vouchers can now be used to pay for services in accordance with the Tourism Act – accommodation, food and transport, health, SPA and wellness services as well as services related to trips, entertainment, sport and recreation, events and other activities of cultural and educational nature, congresses and business events and other services offered and used by tourists during their journey and stay.All the tourist service providers that have been registered to perform trading activities on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and have also been registered under the VAT act, can sign a service contract with an operator of food vouchers.The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister Irena Georgieva and representatives of the Bulgarian Association of Balneological and SPA Tourism, the Guest Houses Association, the Bulgarian Association of Establishments, the Future for Tourism Association, the Alliance of Tourist Industry in Bulgaria, the Tourism Association, the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Tour Agents, Rafael – Info, Culture and Tourism Association and the Association of Food Voucher Operators in Bulgaria.

The Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov had a meeting with Spanish investors and consultants interested in investing on the Bulgarian market. Gonzalo Sivate from the Mediterranian Capital Partners Investment Fund and Alberto Lopez Rodo were deeply impressed by the opportunities for developing SPA and balneological tourism in Bulgaria which were presented by Minister Prodanov.They confirmed that this corresponds to their analyses, especially when taking into account the fact that SPA tourism is practised all the year round. Based on the presentation, it has become clear that the plan of the investors is to purchase several high-class hotels in Sofia and Plovdiv and also to develop a project for balneological tourism in combination with vines, wine and eco-tourism in the Rose Valley region.The Spanish investors will open an office in Sofia by the end of the year. The activity will be focused on the study of investment projects in tourism and also in the sphere of real estates in the two countries and the provision of legal and financial advice and consultations.Minister Prodanov emphasized that tourism is a leading industry for both Spain and Bulgaria. The foreign investors play an important part in compensating for the decline resulting from the coronavirus crisis.

Opportunities to support the tourism sector were discussed by the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents (ABTTA) at its twenty-first annual meeting in Bansko. At the official opening, Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva summarized the problems and challenges in the sector and the measures being taken to address them.At the start of summer, the biggest challenge facing the sector remains the global crises - the military actions in Ukraine, the negative effects of the pandemic, disrupted supply chains and the resulting inflation. “The Ministry of Tourism has assisted the Council of Ministers throughout the war crisis in Ukraine and the accommodation of displaced persons. Currently, more than 27 000 displaced persons are accommodated in Bulgarian hotels and the value of the aid paid to the hotels and accommodation facilities is more than BGN 70 million,” the Deputy Minister said.The 35 euro per seat measure to stimulate inbound tourism has also been restored, with 25 million BGN earmarked in the budget for tour operators that use air carriers licensed for charter flights to Bulgaria for tourism purposes, Georgieva said. In recent months, financial aid worth BGN 60 million has been implemented under two schemes to support the tourism sector and BGN 6 million for tour operators to overcome the effects of COVID-19, the Deputy Minister said.As a result of these measures, tourism in the first quarter of this year has reached levels of 80 percent compared to the pre-pandemic period. The number of Bulgarian and foreign tourists grew by about 40 percent, and the growth of foreign tourists alone was about two and a half times compared to last year. The number of planned flights for the 2022 summer season is more than 8,500 for the airports in Varna and Burgas, which is also an increase compared to 2021, Deputy Minister Georgieva said. Tourists are expected from Romania, Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Israel, as well as other markets, she added.According to her, it is important to continue paying attention to the Bulgarian tourist. “As you know, our Black Sea resorts in the past two summer seasons were mostly full of our compatriots and we need to work together to keep them here - not only on the sea, but also to show them all the beauties and opportunities that Bulgaria offers,” the Deputy Minister said. At this stage the forecasts are that Bulgarians will make at least 2 million trips for the summer season with accommodation in Bulgaria, and probably more.

In the upcoming summer season we expect between 5.5 million and 6 million tourists. Most visits will come from Poland, Hungary, Romania, Germany, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Czech Republic, Israel, etc. We expect no outflow of domestic tourists because many Bulgarians like the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. This is what the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov said during a press conference in Golden Sands resort on the occasion of the official opening of the summer tourist season.“We want to send a clear message that Bulgaria offers excellent conditions for holidays and at the same time is a safe destination - our Black Sea is a safe and calm zone and we have a long tradition of quality and hospitality in tourism,” Minister Prodanov said and added that he is optimistic about the upcoming summer season despite the crises in recent years.He said that the promotion of all types of tourism must be a very high priority. Along with the traditional sea and winter tourism, it is extremely important for us to use the potential of cultural tourism, spa tourism, wine and culinary tourism, health tourism.In the update of the budget, which is to be considered by the National Assembly, it is envisaged that the food vouchers will also be valid for workers to go on holidays, Minister Prodanov announced.The summer tourist season was officially opened with a festive parade along the promenade of the Golden Sands resort. The event coincides with the 65th anniversary of the Black Sea resort.At the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodora Genchovska and Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov, more than 30 heads of diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Bulgaria are visiting the resort to become acquainted with the tourism potential of our country.The two ministers and the representatives of the diplomatic corps in Bulgaria participate in conferences dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the seaside resort and the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Union of Hotel Owners in Golden Sands. The programme of the event includes a visit of the heads of diplomatic missions in Varna.

The Ministry of Tourism organizes the first ever broad discussion on the topicA joint working group between experts from the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture and business will discuss and address wine tourism issues. This became clear at a round table entitled “Prospects for the development of wine tourism. Wine as part of the Bulgarian tourism product”, organized by the Ministry of Tourism.In his address to the participants, Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov stressed that this is the first ever broad discussion on the topic. In his words, wine tourism as part of the tourism industry is extremely important for our country, for the development of sustainable tourism in four seasons and a year-round destination. “There are over 200 wineries in Bulgaria, which is a diverse offering. This discussion is the beginning for the creation of a plan for the development of wine tourism to be developed jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture and other institutions. The state and representatives of wine organizations will create a working group to work on the issue,” Minister Prodanov announced.Addressing the participants, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Momchil Nekov stressed the need to protect wine tourism as an intangible cultural heritage so that wine routes could be added to the brown signposts. He added that 130 wine producers have been identified who have made château-type wineries suitable for wine tourism. The aim is to separate them into eight wine regions with protected geographical indication with their specificities for their promotion. The meeting focused on best practices, issues and trends in wine tourism. The aim of the discussions was to focus on the questions that are looking for answers, as well as on the opportunities for cooperation between the different stakeholders in order to increase the competitiveness of wine tourism in Bulgaria.The round table was also attended by Ilin Dimitrov - Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism, Irena Georgieva - Deputy Minister of Tourism, advisors to the Minister of Tourism, experts, representatives of the Bulgarian Association of Independent Wine Growers, Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals, National Vine and Wine Chamber, Institute of Viticulture and Enology, who presented important initiatives and experience.

“We are deepening the partnership between Bulgaria and Poland because the tourism potential of both countries is extremely high. Immediately after the end of the active summer season, we will launch a campaign to promote health tourism in Poland and make Bulgaria a year-round destination. This is a policy for the country, a business opportunity and health for the people.” This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov at a briefing after a meeting with the State Secretary at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Gut-Mostowy.“Over the years there was an outflow of Polish tourists, then this changed and last year there was a serious increase in visits. According to preliminary forecasts, charter flights will be operated from 12 Polish cities to the Black Sea coast,” Minister Prodanov announced and added that he expects a double increase of tourists.On his part, Gut-Mostowy noted that hard work is being done to exchange tourists between the two countries. According to him, the Bulgarian mineral springs will be promoted among Polish tourists and expectations are for an increase in visits between the two countries. Minister Prodanov and Minister Gut-Mostowy opened a Bulgarian-Polish Business Forum and participated in an expert meeting of the two ministries in Sofia. Secretary of State Gut-Mostowy highlighted the opportunities for Polish tourists for holidays in Bulgaria, which not only offers a good holiday on the Black Sea, but also has many other riches in other areas - the mountains, healing mineral waters and active tourism, as well as a very rich culture and history, which adds a perfect complement to the tourists’ stay in Bulgaria.Minister Prodanov sent a message to the tourists from Poland that Bulgaria is a safe and peaceful place for holidays. Secretary of State Gut-Mostowy noted that the security of tourists is one of the fundamental factors that we want to highlight so that tourism in our two countries can be safe and secure.Bulgaria will use the Polish experience to introduce a voucher system for holidays. “We are in complete agreement with our coalition partners that the voucher system should be introduced in our country and we are actively working to make it happen. Another important topic is the creation of a unified tourism organisation, because business and the state need to work together to achieve good results. At the moment there are more than 200 organizations in the tourism industry,” the Bulgarian minister said.Among the topics discussed by the two delegations was the introduction in Bulgaria of a guarantee fund to compensate tourists in case of failed trips and holidays. Minister Prodanov was adamant that during the coronavirus crisis the need for the creation of such fund was proven, especially with the sudden suspension of travel and in cases when tour operators fall into difficulties.In the talks of the expert group, apart from Minister Prodanov and his colleague Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, took part Deputy Minister Irena Georgieva, Ilin Dimitrov - Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism, Nikolay Kostov - Attaché for Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria in Poland, Karol Biedrzycki - Advisor to Secretary of State Gut-Mostowy, experts from the Bulgarian and Polish side.

Germany is a priority tourist market for Bulgaria. Before the Coronavirus crisis, German tourists reached 1 million a year and were the third largest group after Romania and Greece. Our country is known as a seaside destination, but we have potential for winter, cultural, spa and rural tourism. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov during a meeting with Claudia Müller, Commissioner for Tourism of the Federal Government and Member of the Bundestag.He stressed that Bulgaria ranks third in Europe in terms of cultural and historical landmarks and second only to Iceland in the presence of mineral springs. “The Bulgarian SPA Association has signed a contract with the German Association of Health Insurance Funds and our wish is to offer this service to more health insurance funds in order to reach more Germans,” the minister added.During the meeting were discussed the advantages of the Bulgarian winter resorts, which are not inferior in quality to the Austrian resorts and offer a good price for the service. “We have very good and healthy Bulgarian cuisine and more than 200 wineries with quality wine at a good price and all this we want to provide to the German citizens, the minister added.According to Commissioner Müller, there is great interest in this type of tourism in Germany. Moreover, the capacity of their resorts is not sufficient and they cannot provide service to all Germans in need. Opportunities for the development of cruise tourism between the two countries on the Danube were also discussed.Minister Prodanov was on a working visit to Germany with the Bulgarian MPs Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, Chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, and Snezhana Apostolova - Deputy Chairperson of the Committee. Minister Prodanov and Ilin Dimitrov invited Commissioner Müller for an official visit to Bulgaria. The purpose of the visit is to assure the German side that Bulgaria is a safe destination and offers a quality complex tourism product.A meeting was held in Berlin with the President of the German Travel Association (DRV) Norbert Fiebich and the General Manager Dirk Inger. According to the Association, the desire of German tourists to travel to safe and friendly countries like Bulgaria has increased. “There is fake news that Bulgaria is close to military action. This is one of the reasons why I am in Germany to assure our German guests that the situation in Bulgaria is extremely calm and secure,” Minister Prodanov said.According to him, the Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria will again ensure the safety of tourists, and this year the police will be increased in the resorts.Part of the agenda of the delegation was a round table with representatives of the tourism industry in Germany. Bulgaria’s marketing campaign to attract tourists from Germany was presented at the meeting and future work with German tour operators was discussed. The tourism industry is interested in the possibilities of a combined product in Bulgaria - a good experience with health care, which is not known enough on the German market.

The Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov held a working meeting with H. E. Mrs Tekla Harangozó, Ambassador of Hungary to Bulgaria. During the conversation, opportunities for tourism development between the two countries were discussed. “Hungary is a very important market for inbound tourism in our country. We hope that this year the relations between our two countries will be built upon and be even more intensive,” said Minister Prodanov.He recalled that in 2020, the two countries celebrated 100 years of diplomatic relations. “No political decision can bring peoples together as much as the good feelings between them. We have extremely great potential to develop the bilateral relations. According to the latest data, our trade turnover exceeds 1 billion euros,” said Minister Prodanov. He added that there has been an increase in bookings of Hungarian tourists this year.H. E. Mrs Tekla Harangozó extended her gratitude for the good relations between the two countries and expressed her readiness for cooperation and support in the implementation of future initiatives. H. E. Mrs Tekla Harangozó added that tourism in Bulgaria is well developed and her compatriots know about the opportunities for the various forms of tourism and would be happy to go on holiday in Bulgaria.Among the topics of discussion was Minister Prodanov’s upcoming visit to Hungary in June to promote tourism opportunities and joint initiatives between the countries. As well as the signing of a tourism cooperation agreement between the two countries.

Football legend Hristo Stoichkov is one of the new ambassadors of tourist destination Bulgaria. The USA ‘94 legend filmed a video address for a Romanian lifestyle show on a major TV channel as part of a campaign to promote our country.In the video, Hristo Stoichkov invites Romanian tourists to visit the country in the upcoming summer season. “You know how hospitable we are, you are always welcome in Bulgaria. I’ve been to Romania many times and I know how you welcome me, that is why this year we expect you on our Black Sea coast”, says the great talent and winner of the most prestigious football awards.In addition to focusing on the summer resorts, Stoichkov emphasized the various tourism products that can benefit Bulgarian and foreign guests - spa and balneo treatments, gourmet and wine tourism. The legend also draws attention to the winter holiday opportunities in our resorts. “Bulgaria is a preferred destination both by me and by millions of tourists from all over the world. We look forward to welcoming you,” further says the football legend.The aim of the campaign is to strengthen and maintain the visibility and presence of Bulgaria in the most important target markets which generate tourists. The personality of Hristo Stoichkov is of world scope and brings the much sought after added value to the promotional activities carried out by the Ministry of Tourism. The video was filmed for free.The Ministry will continue to cooperate with prominent and well-proven Bulgarians who glorify our country worldwide in all spheres of public life - science, culture, art, sports, innovation, to contribute to the positive image of Bulgaria as a safe and rich destination.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva participates in the 104rd meeting of the Board of Directors of the European Travel Commission (ETC) The event took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. As part of the Board of Directors, with a mandate until the end of 2023, Bulgaria will take part in solving important subject-matters, issues and problems for the industry, accepting new members, approving the action program and the budget.The main topic of discussion during the meeting was the state of the tourism sector in Europe and the risks for its restart after the pandemic. Deputy Minister Georgieva pointed out that the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria are aimed at using all opportunities to preserve the tourism sector in an emergency epidemic situation and its recovery after Covid-19. The Ministry is in constant contact with all stakeholders to achieve cooperation between institutions and business to restore Bulgarian tourism.The topic of short-term rentals and platforms was discussed during the general meeting of the member states. Discussions are underway to standardize the measures and vote on a unified legal position on the legalization of this type of accommodation. Bulgaria is among the few Member States that already have a law on short-term rentals. Deputy Minister Georgieva presented a summary of the law to be used as a basis for future uniform regulation in the European Union.The event took place before the summer, which will be critical to the recovery of the European tourism sector after the pandemic. According to the ETC survey, there is optimism in the expectations of the travel sector as 77% of Europeans have travel plans between April and September 2022. Over half (56%) of them plan to visit another European country, while 31% opt for domestic travel.Despite the optimistic prospects for tourism recovery in the upcoming summer, the new challenges facing Europe’s tourism sector, including global inflation and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian military conflict, cannot be ignored. ETC has committed itself to widely promoting the most affected destinations in the conflict in Ukraine in order to attract tourists, with the message of restoring travel and the normal rhythm of life.On the agenda was the ETC's Industry Forum on Sustainable Tourism. Participants agreed that the implementation of sustainable practices in tourism should remain a key focus in the sector amid the current crises. Deputy Minister Georgieva stressed that Bulgaria seeks not only to restore maritime and ski tourism, but also to develop mountain, eco, rural, nature and other forms of tourism. The main advantage of mountain, eco, rural and nature tourism is that they are not associated with a concentration of tourists in one place and are environmentally friendly.

 “Our ambition is to establish destination Bulgaria as a year-round, safe and attractive not only with the traditional types of tourism - sea and mountain, but also with the specialized ones such as cultural, congress, balneo and spa tourism, health and others, through which not only to overcome the seasonal nature of tourism in Bulgaria, but also to deconcentrate the tourist flows from the sea and mountain resorts to the interior of the country.” This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva in an online welcoming speech at the opening of the international scientific conference “Contemporary Challenges in Tourism”.“We are changing our marketing and advertising campaigns to find the best solutions to increase inbound tourist flow despite the crises. We are also introducing new approaches to improve the national tourism advertising, through communication activities in domestic and external target markets against set outcomes committed to economic, social and environmental sustainability objectives,” the Deputy Minister said.Prof. Modeva welcomed the organizers and participants in the conference on behalf of Minister Hristo Prodanov. This year’s event is attended by more than 160 representatives of the scientific community from 28 countries around the world, making it the largest in the field of tourism in Bulgaria. Foreign participants are over 70%. Among them are a number of distinguished professors and scholars of great prestige in the academic community.The organizer of the conference is St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, in partnership with the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography - BAS.

“313 applicants have received BGN 10 509 867, VAT included, funding from the State under the Humanitarian Aid Program for people seeking protection from the war in Ukraine. 241 052 overnight accommodations have been paid for under the aid rules”. This was announced at a briefing by Deputy Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva.For the first payment under the Program, 395 applications were submitted by applicants - persons operating in 506 sites (hotels, guest houses, etc.) within the meaning of the Tourism Act, and 15 sites owned by government institutions and municipalities, the Deputy Minister announced.Of these 395 applications, 13 were withdrawn by the applicants or cancelled due to resubmission. Another 54 have been submitted with invalid data /including invalid electronic signature, applicant’s UIC/ and have therefore not been processed before the first payment, but are currently being clarified and completed.Under the Program, 328 applications of applicants for funding have been processed, of which 15 are for state and municipal facilities and the funds for these will be disbursed in the third and final payment under the Program in June. BGN 10,509,867.20, VAT included, were paid under the remaining 313 applications.Of these 313 applications, 85 applicants received aid at the amount requested and the remaining 228 received less than the amount requested. The most frequent reasons are requested overnight accommodations for the whole period until the end of the Program, not only for the period 24.02-31.03.2022. This was observed for 100 applicants, the Deputy Minister further announced. There is also a complete match of the identifying data of 3700 Ukrainian citizens and their periods of stay in different establishments.Specific questions have been prepared and are now being sent to 115 of all applicants, including persons with both pending and partially assisted applications, for further clarification of their cases.“Our aim is, after clarification and verification of the data, to prepare a Decision of the Council of Ministers for additional payment of amounts due to applicants before the second payment cycle in May. If a total of more than 85 000 overnight accommodations are verified, more than BGN 3.7 million, VAT included, will be paid,” Deputy Minister Georgieva further said.

“Spa tourism and balneology can apply for support from grants and financial instruments for millions of leva within the Recovery and Sustainability Plan”. This was stated by Tourism Minister Hristo Prodanov during a round table on the topic, which was held in Hisarya.He stressed that such options are available and the plan is generally structured for funding by objectives rather than by sector. It includes the pillars “Green Bulgaria”, “Innovative Bulgaria”, “Connected Bulgaria” and “Fair Bulgaria” - all this with a better activity on the part of the industry, it can benefit from these projects, the minister said.The Plan foresees investments of BGN 2.937 billion in the form of grants and financial instruments to Bulgarian enterprises to facilitate their transition to a digital, low-carbon and resource-efficient economy. The funds are mainly earmarked for technological modernisation and energy efficiency. It is expected that applicants from SPA and balneology will be eligible for funding, Minister Prodanov explained.Then he added that there are funds earmarked for energy renovation measures for non-residential buildings, including buildings across the entire sector “Tourism”, including balneotourism. Eligible beneficiaries cover micro/small, medium and large enterprises with a maximum intensity of 50% for the grant aid. “Funds will also be invested in e-administrative services and registers, including the digitization of such in the field of tourism,” the minister added.With regard to the Program for the accommodation of Ukrainian refugees in hotels on the Black Sea coast, the minister announced that by the end of this week, the funds would be paid to the hotel owners for the period from 24 February to 31 March.

“We expect a difficult summer with moderate optimism. Data show that the interest in summer vacations from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and our neighbours is recovering. There is interest in bookings from the UK and Germany, but we should not neglect the domestic market on which we have rightly relied over the past two years.” This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva on BTV.According to her, our vacations will hardly be cheaper this summer, but one of the advantages of our Black Sea coast is the offer of options to suit every pocket. “The hotel-keepers, who have gained a lot of experience, unfortunately also because of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, are well oriented in the market and I believe there will be good offers for everyone. It is normal to expect some rise in the prices, but it is too early to commit to an exact percentage of higher prices,” the deputy minister said.Mrs Georgieva also commented that the loss of Russian and Ukrainian tourists after the war could not but have an impact: “These were very important markets for us, but with an active advertising campaign we will be able to compensate for their lack to some extent.”Asked whether free umbrellas and sunbeds would be offered at the seaside this year, the deputy minister did not rule out the possibility of providing them. “Some of the concessionaires of the sea beaches have asked for support measures to be implemented, but we do not envisage them at the moment,” Georgieva said.Anti-epidemic measures will be implemented according to the health recommendations of the Ministry of Health, as they are mainly related to self-discipline and precaution. “I have to say that the measures lifted by the Minister of Health’s latest order from yesterday, 13 April, are a very good prerequisite to make us a preferred destination by our traditional markets. Because tourists from neighbouring countries, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Israel and Egypt can enter the country without presenting a certificate. This is a long and joint activity between the health and tourism ministries,” the Deputy Minister summed up.

Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov met with H. E. Baia Bensmail, Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to Bulgaria.“Tourists are the best ambassadors of the countries, when people travel they learn about cultures and make friends. In times of war we must do everything possible to improve cooperation, and tourism is the basis of good relations,” Minister Prodanov said. He added that in the last two years, connections have been difficult and visits have been severely limited. “Our joint task is to increase the number of tourists between our two countries. There is potential for an increase in visits,” the minister was categorical. For his part, the ambassador thanked for the meeting and specified that the diplomatic mission to Bulgaria aims to revive the connections between the two countries in the field of tourism. Н. E. Baia Bensmail shared the opportunities for Bulgarian investments in places for accommodation in Algeria. According to her, visitors to the country are interested in various visits such as desert and health tourism. “During the short time I have been in Bulgaria, I have noticed the closeness of the two countries in terms of crafts. I like Bulgarian embroidery,” the ambassador concluded.During the meeting, the possibility of exchanging visits with the Algerian counterpart of Minister Prodanov Yassin Hammadi was discussed.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva held a working meeting with the Minister of Tourism of Israel Yoel Razvozov. The two talked at the International Tourism Exhibition - IMTM 2022 in Tel Aviv.  Prof. Modeva emphasized that Bulgaria and Israel have traditionally good relations in historical terms, which is a good basis for building on and increasing tourism in both countries. For his part, Minister Razvozov said that Bulgaria is a promising market and thanked for our country’s participation in the exhibition. During the meeting, they discussed the possibility of concluding an agreement between Bulgaria and Israel for cooperation in the field of tourism, as well as the organization of a joint business forum. Deputy Minister Modeva also handed over a letter of invitation to Minister Yoel Razvozov for an official visit to Bulgaria this year on behalf of Minister Prodanov.During the working visit to Tel Aviv, Deputy Minister Modeva held working meetings with representatives of the business community in the tourism sector, and the delegation led by her held a meeting with the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Israel H.E. Rumyana Bachvarova and her team. Future prospects for Bulgarian tourism in Israel were also discussed at the meeting at the embassy, outlining specific steps and an action plan.  The delegation took part in the conference “Innovation and New Technologies in Tourism” organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Israel.IMTM is the oldest tourism exhibition in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Israel. In terms of importance, IMTM ranks among the top international trade fairs in the region, with a steady increase in the number of exhibitors, professional visitors and end users, as among the countries in the region Israel has the highest number of tourist trips per year.Bulgaria participates in the exhibition with an information booth of 49 sq.m., as the Ministry of Tourism organizes the presentation of the country as a year-round tourist destination with emphasis on winter and summer holidays, opportunities for balneotherapy, cultural and sightseeing tours, leisure travel, etc.

Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov met with H. E. Dong Xiaojun, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria. “I am in favour of our relations to develop well and to deepen more and more”, Minister Prodanov said. He added that it is important for the Ministry of Tourism and the Embassy to work together and thoroughly in this direction. According to him, tourism is at the heart of the good relations between Bulgaria and China and “for this reason I believe that the more efficiently we work, the better results we can achieve”, the minister was adamant. For his part, the Ambassador thanked for the meeting and specified that he highly appreciated the relationship between the two countries in the field of tourism and expressed hope that the joint efforts will build on the cooperation established so far. Dong Xiaojun shared ideas for promoting Bulgaria to Chinese tourists through popular social networks in China. According to him, guests from China are interested in various tourism products, as well as various festivals and activities. “It is good to consider joint routes between Bulgaria and neighbouring countries to attract even more tourists from distant countries like China,” he concluded. During the meeting, the possibility of launching a direct Sofia-Beijing air line and easing the visa regime for Chinese tourists was discussed. 

The European Commission approved the re-introduction of state aid for tour operators using air carriers with a valid operating license to carry out charter flights to the Republic of Bulgaria for tourism purposes.The resumption of the State subsidy measure of €35 per seat under Article 26 of the Act on the Measures and Actions During the State of Emergency SA.102193 (2022/N) - Bulgaria COVID-19: State aid for tour operators (re-introduction of scheme SA.58050, as amended by SA.60082 and SA.63497) was approved by European Commission Decision C(2022) 1846 of 22.03.2022.The measure is a grant aid to provide operating capital for tour operators who carry out organised tourist trips by air to the Republic of Bulgaria.The subsidy of EUR 35 is for each seat occupied by a person using a tourist service in the Republic of Bulgaria, only for flights with a capacity of at least 100 seats.The state aid is provided for flights carried out from 01.06.2021 to 14.05.2022 and applications will be accepted from the launching of the scheme on 30.03.2022 to 31.05.2022.Applications for state aid will be submitted electronically by completing a web-based application form through the Management System of National Investments (NIMS) https://enims.egov.bg, via the “E-application” module.The application guidelines for this scheme will be published in Bulgarian and English in the Management System of National Investments.

Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov participated in the “Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Tourism”, held on 17 and 18 March in Dijon, France.Minister Prodanov discussed with his European counterparts the future of tourism in Europe and making Europe a leading global destination for sustainable tourism within the working session “Tourism for Europeans in Europe”.  The Bulgarian position shared at the forum supports the inclusion of a wider range of social groups of tourism service users. There are also tourism niches with untapped potential such as cultural and historical tourism. Its development will enable European tourists to get to know the history, traditions, way of life and customs of Europe better. Our country is ready to partner with other EU Member States in developing and promoting tourism packages and routes based on similarities between countries. Minister Prodanov also paid special attention to the introduction of innovations and increasing the speed of business processes in Europe. He focused on goals and guidelines for the digitization of the industry by 2030 - one of the goals is to have three quarters of tourism offers online and by means of digital applications.The meeting also addressed messages on the need to ensure the safety of tourists and travellers, putting the tourism sector in the focus of the sustainable economic development of EU countries and supporting it. An important prerequisite for the successful functioning of the sector and its recovery from the negative effects of the pandemic is the promotion of destinations within the continent less known to European tourists.  The need to adapt tourism to the new realities after the crisis and to reopen it among the countries in Europe was emphasized.  It was suggested to look for untapped niches for the development of cultural, ecological tourism and active presentation of the historical values and monuments of the old continent. The staffing of the sector was also more actively discussed. Tourism professionals should have the ability to adapt and respond to the current expectations and needs of tourists seeking a modern and attractive tourism product. The process of human resource development should be closely integrated with the support of small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector. They underpin the competitiveness of the tourism offer.Participants from EU member states united in the message to work together for the development of tourism in Europe and the document “Tourism Transition Pathway” will outline its current guidelines and policies. Within the framework of the forum in Dijon, Minister Prodanov held a short informal meeting with his counterpart, the Minister of Tourism of Greece Vassilis Kikilias. The ministers discussed a future joint programme for cooperation between the two countries, as the current one is effective until the end of 2022. Greece is among the priority partners in the field of tourism, Minister Prodanov pointed out. For his part, Minister Kikilias expressed readiness to welcome his Bulgarian counterpart at a working meeting in Athens.  

At the invitation of the Libyan diplomatic mission to Sofia, the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov discussed the opportunities for the development of health tourism between Bulgaria and Libya. Minister Prodanov pointed out that one of the priorities of the ministry is to facilitate the process of issuing visas for third-country nationals and is actively working on the issue. Deputy Minister Mariela Modeva added that working meetings are already being held and an inter-ministerial working group on the issue has been established, as it is an important prerequisite for increasing the tourist flow to Bulgaria.    Specific steps and actions for the preparation of an Agreement on Development of Health Tourism between Bulgaria and Libya were discussed. The foreign diplomats shared their impression that Bulgaria has a well-developed practice in health tourism and its traditions in the field are well known.At the invitation of the Head of the Libyan diplomatic mission - Moftah Dareni, the meeting was attended by the Ambassador of Qatar - H. E. Fahd bin Ibrahim Al Mushiri, the Ambassador of Iraq - H. E. Lina Omar, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia - H. E. Khalid Kamal Fakih and the Ambassador of Palestine - H. E. Ahmed Al-Madbuh, who welcomed Minister Prodanov and expressed their support and readiness for cooperation in the field of tourism and its development between Bulgaria and the countries of the Arab world.Zhivko Ivanov from the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism shared the experience of the association and emphasized that Bulgaria is an internationally recognized destination in the field of health tourism, rehabilitation and recreation, that complies with the highest criteria and standards of work. He also expressed the organization’s readiness to cooperate and collaborate with tourism organizations from the Arab countries.

By decision of the Bulgarian government, all fugitives from the military actions in Ukraine, who entered the territory of Bulgaria on February 24, receive temporary protection, according to Council of Ministers Decision No 144 of 10.03.2022 for granting temporary protection to displaced persons from Ukraine and amending of the National Action Plan for Temporary Protection in the Republic of Bulgaria.The control for entering the Bulgarian territory at all border checkpoints has been eased, as additional capacity has been provided for reception 24/7.All Ukrainians who left the country after 24.02.22 have the right to temporary protection, and the persons must register by 31.03.22 in order to be issued a registration document (laminated card) with a photo and a QR code. The registration takes place at the border checkpoint.The necessary conditions are provided for information, meeting urgent needs, assistance for adults and children, security, mobile communication, secure transport area and referral to places for accommodation.Recipients of temporary protection are entitled to assistance for accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in places for accommodation - a total of 40 levs per day without VAT (the condition also applies to persons under 18 years), including tourist tax for a period of 3 months. The same assistance is received by persons who have expressed a desire to access the labor market in our country, but for a period of 1 month from the date of application.The amount will be provided to hoteliers providing accommodation and meals for displaced persons from the Republic of Ukraine in categorized or registered accommodation places entered in the National Tourism Register. The aid is also planned to be used at the sites of the National Social Security Institute, hospitals, medical centers and rest stations owned by the state and municipalities. If possible, school and university student dormitories, personal development centers, sites of the Ministry of Education and higher education institutions will be used for accommodation.All accommodation places, entered in the National Tourism Register, must enter the data in the accommodation registers according to Article 116, para 1 and para 5 of the Tourism Act in the Unified Tourist Information System (UTIS), given that when requesting funds, verification will be carried out through the system.The funds will be paid monthly from the budget of the Ministry of Tourism after approval by the Council of Ministers, on a proposal from the Minister of Tourism on the basis of actual expenditure incurred.The applications for disbursement of funds will be submitted electronically through the Management System of National Investments (MSNI), and admission will start as follows:For the reporting period from 24.02.2022 to 31.03.2022, it will start at 10:00 on 01.04.2022 until 16:30 on 05.04.2022.For the reporting period from 01.04.2022 to 30.04.2022, it will start at 10:00 on 01.05.2022 until 16:30 on 05.05.2022.For the reporting period from 01.05.2022 to 31.05.2022, it will start at 10:00 on 01.06.2022 until 16:30 on 05.06.2022.  

The Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov held a discussion with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco H.E. Zakia El Midaoui.  “It is important to work on joint projects aimed at increasing the bilateral tourist flow,” the minister said. According to him, before the pandemic of COVID-19 there was interest in both countries, but the restrictive measures introduced in Morocco and Bulgaria have disrupted this rhythm. He expressed hope that the pandemic will end and we will soon be able to live, work and travel normally.“I believe that the situation will be restored so that we can cooperate and work together for tourism,” said Minister Prodanov.For her part, H.E. Zakia El Midaoui said Morocco is an international tourist destination but has been hit hard by climate change. According to her, the coronavirus has affected tourism and many other economic sectors in the country, but the embassy is still open for joint projects. “Moroccans value Bulgaria as an attractive destination for ski and spa tourism. It is important for us to stimulate tourists from both Bulgaria and Morocco to get to know the landmarks in both countries,” said the ambassador.During the meeting, future joint initiatives and marketing activities were discussed, which would contribute to the restoration of tourist exchange.

“We are collecting offers from hotel owners who are willing to provide their accommodation to the Bulgarians evacuated from Ukraine.” This was said by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov in the program “Wake up” on Nova TV. He explained that there are no restrictions and that offers can be provided by hoteliers from all over the country who want to provide accommodation and support. We have turned to the branch organizations and the National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, which also have accommodation. A coordination center will be located in the Council of Ministers, which will distribute those arriving from Ukraine.The state is currently covering the costs of accommodating the refugees. “We want to offer accommodation and full board with meals. We will also count on European solidarity, because as the closest country to Ukraine, it is normal for those fleeing military action to turn to us. The leading factor should not be money when helping people fleeing war,” said Minister Prodanov.According to the Minister of Tourism, the imposed sanctions will affect small countries such as Bulgaria. Bulgarian tourism will particularly suffer, he stressed. He added that sanctions do not work and do not have the impact that is expected and that military actions must definitely stop. “We had the potential to welcome about 500,000 Russian tourists and over 200,000 Ukrainians, not including those who own real estate in Bulgaria – over 1 million citizens to come in the summer and spend their money in the country,” said Hristo Prodanov.According to him, the winter season was twice as successful as last year. It is only the high price of electricity that overshadows the good results, because the profits made by most tourists go to pay for electricity.Regarding the summer booking, he said that until last week the booking was going relatively well. However, we cannot expect thriving tourism in an area where military conflict is taking place, Hristo Prodanov said.

We have always had good neighborly relations and cooperation, and we must do everything possible to encourage tourist travels between the two countries. The Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov stated this during his meeting with H.E. Brândușa Predescu, Ambassador of Romania to Sofia.“We cannot imagine the summer season without Romanian tourists on the Black Sea coast. It is for this reason that our relations and ties are so important and I hope to continue them in the future, so that we can quickly and efficiently solve the emerging problems,” Minister Prodanov said.Ambassador Predescu congratulated the minister for the stable government Bulgaria currently has, wishing Minister Prodanov a successful job and informing him that the political dialogue between the two countries is exceptionally good. “Romanians continue to choose Bulgaria as their first destination due to the high quality of service, not only on the Black Sea coast,” the ambassador explained. She added that in recent years, Romanian tourists are starting to visit our winter resorts for their vacations, as well as spa tourism, which is also at a very good level.In the context of the upcoming summer season, the topics of the transit of buses through Romania with Ukrainian, Moldovan and Polish tourists wishing to spend their holidays in Bulgaria were discussed, as well as the passage of Romanian tourists through Bulgaria and the payment of the so-called toll fees. 

Bulgaria and Spain have always enjoyed excellent partnerships in a number of key areas of mutual interest, including tourism. We attach great importance to the development of our bilateral relations and I will be happy for the future cooperation between Bulgaria and Spain to be mutually beneficial, to work for the realization of specific goals and ideas. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov to H.E. Alejandro Polanco, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Spain to Bulgaria.The Minister shared that the ambition of the Ministry of Tourism is to restore the tourist flow between the two countries from the levels before the Covid-19 pandemic. “The Ministry of Tourism is actively working for the smooth running of the winter tourist season and is preparing for the summer in 2022, so that we can welcome our tourist guests and business partners from Spain”, said Minister Prodanov.H.E. Alejandro Polanco said that the Spanish side is preparing to launch another airline of the air carrier “Iberia” with direct flights Madrid - Sofia, which will increase the opportunities for tourist connections and travel. He emphasized that he would be happy to cooperate with the Bulgarian Ministry for the development of specialized forms of tourism, for which Bulgaria has great opportunities - golf tourism on the Black Sea coast and Mallorca and Málaga on the Spanish side.  He also sees potential for hunting tourism, which falls within the scope of the high price sector.Minister Prodanov and the Ambassador also discussed the issue of organizing and conducting journalistic tours in both countries, cooperation in training personnel for tourism and working meetings of tour operators from both countries.Bulgaria expects to receive Spain’s support for its candidacy to host the 68th meeting of the WTO Regional Commission for Europe in 2023.

Azerbaijan is a very important and strategic partner for us and I am optimistic for our future cooperation. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov to H.E. Hussein Husseinov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Bulgaria.The Minister clarified that Azerbaijan is a promising tourist market for Bulgaria, and most often, our country is a preferred destination for family vacations by Azerbaijani tourists. “The Covid crisis has had a negative impact, but we still need to keep working to achieve results,” he said.H.E. Hussein Husseinov clarified that the main priority in his work is to strengthen the contacts between the two countries. As for tourism, he believes that this is the best way to bring the nations together, as it gives people the opportunity to become acquainted in more detail with foreign culture, customs and cuisine. “We have many opportunities for joint cooperation, the only barrier at the moment is the pandemic,” he further added and talked about the initiatives organized by the embassy to promote Bulgaria in Azerbaijan, and vice versa.Minister Prodanov and the Ambassador also discussed the issue of the rate of vaccination in both countries, as well as the possibilities for holding a future joint meeting with the tourism business. The two also united on the topic of restoring the direct line Baku-Sofia-Baku, which was terminated at the onset of the corona crisis. 

Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva participated in the 103rd meeting of the Board of Directors of the European Travel Commission (ETC) The event took place in Engelberg, Switzerland. As part of the Board of Directors, with a mandate until the end of 2023, Bulgaria will take part in solving important subject-matters, issues and problems for the industry, accepting new members, approving the action program and the budget.The main topic of the discussion during the meeting was “The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on tourism in Europe. Measures for its recovery and resilience.” Deputy Minister Georgieva pointed out that the global pandemic is changing the travel attitudes and placing a strong emphasis on human health. This change in tourist demand will continue to affect the tourism product and preferred destinations in the next few years. The COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to restart tourism in a more sustainable way.The expectations of a number of analysts are that there will be a change in tourists themselves, highlighting the trend of the tourists who practice “conscious travel”. They will be looking for more safety, less negative impact on the environment and a more personalized, intelligent and maximally contactless product. Deputy Minister Georgieva stressed that it is important to ease the restrictions on travel in Europe, ETC to re-emphasize the promotion of European destinations for European tourists with the message: “Travelling in Europe is interesting, safe and easy.”

The Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov held a working meeting with the Ambassador of the State of Israel, H.E. Yoram Elron. The two discussed the bilateral relations between Israel and Bulgaria, as well as the ways to improve tourist flows between the two countries.The Minister told the Ambassador that our relations are extremely friendly and he will be happy to continue the close cooperation in the future. “I hope this is the last COVID-19 wave so that we can return to our normal lifestyles and free movement,” he said.  For his part, H.E. Yoram Elron pointed out that our country is an extremely popular destination among the citizens of Israel and thanked Minister Prodanov for the fact that the Bulgarian government removed the restrictions on entry from Israel. According to him, the number of Israeli tourists coming to our country is constantly increasing. “Bulgaria is a strategic partner and we have the potential to expand the areas of cooperation,” he said. According to him, there is room for the development of health and spa tourism - tourist products, which the citizens of Israel are also interested in recently.Minister Prodanov and Ambassador Elron also discussed the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries of tourism.

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in the tourist flow between Bulgaria and the UAE and I will be happy if we develop this potential together. In this regard, I look forward to a fruitful and successful cooperation with you in the future. The Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov stated this during his meeting with H.E. Sultan Rashid Sultan Alkaitoob Alnuaimi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to our country.Minister Prodanov assured the Ambassador that despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Tourism is working to ensure the smooth running of the winter season so that we can welcome guests from the UAE. He explained that talks were held with the management of Sofia Airport, according to which there is a serious potential for a double increase in the number of flights from the Middle East. “One of our main priorities is to introduce electronic visas, because this is a perspective we can develop,” the minister further specified.For his part, Ambassador Sultan Rashid Sultan Alkaitoob Alnuaimi said that the United Arab Emirates sees Bulgaria as a strategic partner and hopes that 2022 will be a good year and will contribute to the development of the relations between the two countries, especially in the field of tourism.  According to him, Bulgaria offers very good conditions for tourism and wonderful places to visit and currently many UAE citizens choose our country to practice winter sports. Their preferences are related to the large winter resorts of Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets.The two also discussed the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of tourism with the UAE Ministry of Economy.

Minister Hristo Prodanov held a meeting with the Organization of Expert Managers in Tourism, with Frank Quante – Chief Executive Officer of Fraport Bulgaria and Martin Zahariev – Deputy Chairman of the National Board of Tourism.The meeting discussed issues of the industry related to the personnel in the sector, insecurity, infrastructure and advertising. The natural features of Bulgaria were discussed and how they can be used to attract more tourists and how to improve the quality of the services offered.Hristo Prodanov stated that he agrees with the representatives of the branch and according to him, it is necessary to change the overall perception of Bulgaria by tourists. A new logo, slogan, and an overall new marketing and advertising strategy is needed. It is necessary not only to increase the budget for advertising and marketing of the Ministry, but also to change both the marketing and advertising strategies and implementation channels in order to achieve maximum effect. At the present time, digital advertising has remained in the background, and this should change as well.Minister Prodanov said that it was very important for him to unite the sector and said that in the future, the marketing and advertising strategies should be consulted with the industry in order to maximize the outcome of the campaigns. The idea is not only for the Ministry of Tourism, but also representatives of all types of tourism in Bulgaria to get involved. “In this way, as a result, we will have better quality target groups of potential customers and will be able to provide them with the information they want to receive in the most appropriate way,” he said. It is appropriate to have experts in the ministry to be responsible for segmentation in tourism, the minister stressed.More meetings with the tourism industry are forthcoming. The working groups will be formed as soon as possible in order to start work on business problems as early as possible. 

On 06.01.2022 and 07.01.2022, at the invitation of the Minister of Tourism, informal meetings were held at the Ministry of Tourism with the representatives of the tourism business in our country.On 06.01.2022, the meetings with the Association of Incoming Agencies in Bulgaria and the Association of Bulgarian Tour operators and Travel Agents were held. The problems of the branch and the joint future work were discussed.Minister Prodanov said that it is important for the sector to be united, because in this way, both the sector and the industry will be stronger and more authoritative and it will be easier to achieve the common goals. In this regard, it is particularly important that decisions are taken in common forums and supported by all. It is important for the ministry to have a clear idea of ​​where and how it can help, and the aid should focus on really significant business issues. It was agreed to organize a small working group with representatives of the sector and the ministry in order to be able to solve problems faster and better. The countries agreed that Bulgaria’s advertising be in accordance with the needs of the market and the opinion of the sector.The model of the guarantee fund, the aid under measure 60/40, as well as the 35 euros per seat, which is currently suspended, were discussed at the meeting. Minister Prodanov said that all efforts will be made to restart the measure, and it is expected that by the end of this month, the bills submitted to the National Assembly will be adopted and the payment of the promised aid will be launched as soon as possible.On their part, the industry representatives shared concerns about the insecurity and unpredictability in the country. They expressed their opinion that the orders issued by the Minister of Health in connection with restrictions related to the pandemic situation must have sufficient time for enforcement. When the deadline is at the last moment, without a grace period, the industry is extremely negatively affected. This uncertainty on the one hand has a negative effect on the country’s image and on the other hand leads to serious financial losses. Some of the problems to be solved are the lack or poor quality of the infrastructure, the aggravated visa regime, the representation abroad.Minister Prodanov said that the purpose of these informal meetings is to hear first-hand about the problems in the industry so that the Ministry of Tourism can know how to most effectively help the sector. Meetings with the representatives of the tourism sector are forthcoming.

Minister Prodanov: The program “Support for Tourism” will provide an opportunity to improve the liquidity of the companies so that they are more competitive and work more calmlyThe Ministry of Tourism and the Bulgarian Development Bank have signed a memorandum of cooperation, which will provide direct financing to micro, small and medium-sized companies in the hotel and restaurant industry affected by the pandemic. The signatures were affixed by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov and the executive directors of BDB Vladimir Georgiev and Zhivko Todorov. The Minister of Innovation and Growth Daniel Lorer also attended the event.To provide greater access to liquidity in difficult situations, BDB is creating a new program “Support for Tourism”, which will help hoteliers and restaurateurs, including start-ups, to meet their needs, manage overdue debts and alleviate their current payments to financial institutions and suppliers.The volume of the program is 60 million levs, and the bank will offer two products – “Liquid aid for restaurateurs” and “Liquid aid for hoteliers”. The advantage of the new terms is that they provide access to financing for companies overdue for up to 90 days according to the CCR (up to 5% of the total wallet) and up to 60 days (up to 45% of the total wallet), refinancing their liabilities. Refinanced loans can be rescheduled for up to 2 years, easing the burden of their repayments.This new program is of direct benefit to about 25,000 micro-, small and medium-sized companies in the sector, with grace periods of 18 months for hoteliers and 12 for restaurateurs. The projected interest rates will be 2.82%, according to the profiles of borrowers.Minister Prodanov said that tourism was the worst affected sector of the COVID-19 crisis and that is why many economic sectors found themselves in an extremely difficult situation. “Commercial banks, given their difficult situation, distrust the representatives of the tourism business. For this reason, during the coalition negotiations with the coalition partners, we decided to create a special product for the tourism business with BDB,” he said. According to him, the product will provide an opportunity to improve the liquidity of the companies so that they are more competitive and work more smoothly.On his part, Minister Lorer said that the Bulgarian Development Bank will continue to work with Bulgarian business to support it where it is really needed.BDB’s Executive Director Vladimir Georgiev clarified that the main problem in tourism is the lack of working capital and that is where the bank will try to help. “This is where the role of the BDB is to intervene and support the sector, which is going beyond the normal lending in other banks,” he concluded.At the end of the meeting, Minister Prodanov thanked the BDB leadership for the constructive talks and for the fact that the pre-election promises are being fulfilled one by one. 

“The registrations are going well at the moment, and both Bulgarian and foreign tourists are interested in our winter resorts.” This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov during the opening of the winter season 2021/2022 in Bansko.The Minister clarified that the Bulgarian tourists are always a priority for the country and are of great importance in both summer and winter tourism and added that it is a great advantage for the tourism business, money made around the world to be spent in the country, which is a prerequisite for a prosperous and rich country. “The state will fully cooperate with the business so that there are fewer obstacles and a more successful season,” he said.The marketing director of the concessionaire of the Bansko ski resort, Ivan Obreykov, explained at the start of the season that the resort already has tourist groups from Great Britain, Serbia and Macedonia.Currently, all ski slopes in the resort are open and treated with natural snow. All anti-epidemic measures are observed in order to ensure the health and safety of both the employees of the resort and all guests.The opening was attended by the Chairman of the BSP parliamentary group Georgi Svilenski and the mayor of Bansko Ivan Kadev.

At the inauguration ceremony, Minister Hristo Prodanov took over the office from the caretaker Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova.Hristo Prodanov thanked for the warm welcome and said that in a spirit of continuity he will rely on the opinion and expertise of Assoc. Prof. Baltova.The former Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova wished success to Minister Prodanov and expressed hope that everything that has been done so far will be continued and upgraded so that our country can establish itself as a year-round tourist destination. 

The Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova, the Minister of Economy Daniela Vezieva and the Deputy Minister of Culture Borislava Taneva held a meeting to discuss the possibility of signing an agreement to unite the efforts of the three ministries for the development of cultural, creative and recreational industries.Its aim is to develop a framework for long-term administrative relations, mutual exchange of information and the creation of an effective mechanism for coordination between the parties. At the meeting, concrete steps and actions were agreed for the implementation of joint activities for prioritization of these industries, which would improve access and funding opportunities in the cultural, creative and recreational sectors.“We offer an innovative approach to the cultural, creative and recreational industries. The idea is to make a working mechanism with concrete steps and actions in order to prioritize these industries”, said the Minister of Economy, host of the meeting. According to her, they are a priority in the next programming period, as well as in the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization 2021-2027, in which the potential for growth is greatest and support should be directed there.“The innovative strategy for smart specialization must take on new dimensions. Digitalization, artificial intelligence and innovation open up completely new opportunities for development – such as building a virtual reality that recreates our cultural and historical heritage,” said Minister of Tourism Dr. Stela Baltova.She pointed out that we have a large resource and variety of tourist products, many archaeological, ethnological, historical sites, religious sites and cultural institutions – museums, galleries, community centers, and many events related to intangible heritage, which are held throughout the year.“In Bulgaria there is a rich cultural, event, festival tourism, which attracts many visitors and at the same time covers a wide range of activities in the field of art, cultural heritage and cultural and creative industries. Within this environment, with their participation, tourists and the local population themselves create culture and become a real part of it, bringing added value to this “creative” tourism,” said Minister Baltova.During the meeting, the parties expressed the conviction that the intensive interaction between economy, culture and tourism is an engine for the economic growth of Bulgaria and it is necessary to strengthen the coordination between them. An agreement is to be signed, with the three ministries making a clear commitment, based on an integrated approach, to ensure sustainable conditions for current and future cultural, creative and recreational industries.

Today the 41st edition of the international travel exhibition World Travel Market in London was opened, which this year is held in a hybrid format – present from 1 to 3 November 2021 and virtually in the period 8-9 November. A total of eight co-exhibitors – tour operators and two municipalities – Sofia Municipality and Varna – are presented at the national stand together with the Ministry of Tourism. The United Kingdom is one of the priority markets for our country, and Bulgaria’s participation is in line with the National Tourism Advertising Program in 2021. A team of the Ministry of Tourism, led by Deputy Minister Irena Georgieva, took part in the exhibition. meetings with some of the leading tour operators on the UK market.World Travel Market / WTM / is the largest exchange for professionals in the tourism industry and the second largest tourism exhibition in the world after ITB – Berlin. Traditionally, the forum gathers tens of thousands of visitors – professionals in the field of tourism. All participants – both visitors and exhibitors represent a wide variety of companies and sectors, products, services of workers in the tourism industry.Our country is known among the citizens of Great Britain as a destination offering mainly vacations at sea and ski vacations. In 2021, the trend was confirmed among British tourists vacationing outside their country to choose a well-known destination, with 53% of them believing that testing for COVID-19 when traveling abroad is very important for their safety (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/bulletins/attitudestowardscovid19amongpassengersarrivingintotheukfebruary2021tojune2021/september2021#main-points). In this regard, Bulgaria has great potential to increase the number of trips from the UK for cultural tours, spas and wellness, combined sea and mountain tours and other specialized forms of tourism such as eco and rural tourism, adventure, golf, business and congress tourism / MICE /, festival and others, which will be presented on the Bulgarian stand in front of the thousands of spectators during the tourist exhibition.

The Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova held a working meeting with leading Polish tour operators. The talks were attended by Deputy Ministers of Tourism Irena Georgieva and Maria Belkoleva.Minister Baltova stated that tourism has been raised as a priority by the Caretaker Government and is constantly working for its development, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. According to her, Poland is among the top 10 countries for inbound tourism in Bulgaria. She cites data according to which in 2019 about 421 thousand Polish tourists visited Bulgaria.After the overall decline in 2020 due to the pandemic, Poland was one of the surprises last summer, after ranking in the top 3 in foreign markets and recorded a growth of 96% of Polish tourists in Bulgaria compared to summer 2020.At the same time, for the summer season 2021 our country was third in sales on the Polish market for organized trips through tour operator services.“Even in October we have flights from Poland. You know that Bulgaria is a well-known destination for Polish citizens and we would like to invite them to our ski resorts, as well as spa and wellness destinations,” the Minister told the leading tour operators on the Polish market. According to her, the citizens of the Central European country can become acquainted with our centuries-old history, rich culture or enjoy a spa and balneal vacation, as our country has more than 600 mineral springs.Minister Baltova assured the representatives of the Polish companies that the Ministry of Tourism maintains constant contact with the health authorities and monitors the development of the pandemic. She assured that Bulgaria is taking all necessary anti-epidemic measures in order to provide optimal support for the sector, as well as to ensure maximum safety for the guests in the conditions of the ongoing pandemic.Deputy Minister Georgieva acquainted the Polish tour operators with the current conditions that came into force with the introduction of the green certificate and explained that within days the so-called Health protocol for work in tourist sites.The Polish representatives announced that they currently offer various tourist packages – ski vacations, spa vacations, as well as many other different opportunities for tourism. They also shared that this year the summer season was long, lasting until mid-October, and the registrations for the upcoming winter season are going very well. Tour operators expressed optimism and confidence that next year’s season will be even more successful than summer 2021.Another important topic of the meeting was the ways to enter the country – according to them, it is extremely important that the rules are not changed so that there is predictability and registrations are not interrupted, as well as the outflow of tourists.During the discussion, upcoming marketing activities that the Ministry of Tourism is planning for the Polish market were discussed, as well as the measures that are being taken to support the tourism business.

Bulgaria has been chosen an Honored Country at the 8th Athens International Tourism & Culture Expo 2021, which will be held in Athens, Greece from November 25-27, 2021.For the first time the Ministry of Tourism organized the participation of the Republic of Bulgaria with an information stand on an area of 88 sq. m. The interest of the Bulgarian tourism sector to participate in the stand of Bulgaria is great, as seven companies, municipalities and organizations have so far: Bansko Municipality, Festivals in Bulgaria Association, Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recreation EAD, Ravadinovo Castle – In Love with the Wind, Rila Travel EOOD, Grand Hotel Bansko and Hotel Regnum – Bansko.8th Athens International Tourism & Culture Expo 2021 is the largest international tourism exhibition in Athens, which annually features exhibitors from all tourism sectors in Greece and abroad.This year over 120 exhibitors from Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark and others will take part, and 150 international buyers from 50 countries (Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East, Russia, Turkey, the USA and Canada) will take part in b2b meetings with exhibitors. The exhibition will offer an opportunity for all participants to increase their contacts, build new business partnerships and discover new destinations. The event will cover the tourist categories: Leisure, Luxury Tourism and Business Tourism (MICE) with an emphasis on cultural tourism.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition will be held in a hybrid form – on site and online. Through a virtual stand, each online visitor will have the opportunity to make a one-click teleconference meeting with exhibitors.Bulgaria and Greece are developing active cooperation in the field of tourism. Greece is the main target market for Bulgaria, and in 2019, it ranks second in the number of tourist visits in our country (over 1,100,000). Given the pandemic and anti-epidemic measures, visits from all markets, including Greece, have decreased significantly since the beginning of 2020, but are gradually recovering in 2021. Greece continues to be in the top 10 markets with the largest inflow of tourists to the country us.Bulgaria attracts Greek tourists mainly with winter holidays (skiing and snowboarding) and balneo and spa combined with health tourism. Summer vacations are also among the choices of our neighbors, followed by visits to acquaintances, as well as the practice of eco and rural tourism.        In 2020, the Ministry of Tourism launched an integrated communication campaign on the Greek market with a horizon of 2021, and in the period January – March 2021 a television and digital advertising campaign was implemented on the Greek market. Next month there will be a new TV and online advertisement of Bulgaria in Greece with a focus on the upcoming winter season and the safe conditions for vacation in our country.

The Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova and a team from the Ministry of Tourism held an online meeting in which they discussed the upcoming winter season and the conditions for entry into the country of tourists from Great Britain with representatives of Balkan Holidays.Minister Baltova highlighted the importance of Great Britain for winter tourism in our country and stressed that Bulgaria will present itself as a safe destination, in terms of providing good conditions and compliance with all anti-epidemic measures in the resorts.“We look forward to English tourists coming to our country. We have instructions for the operation of the winter resorts in the conditions of COVID-19, and next week the so-called Health Protocol developed by the Ministry of Tourism,” she added. The health protocol will be available on the website of the National Tourist Portal with up-to-date information on travel conditions, measures in accommodation and meals, which will ensure the safety of tourists.Representatives of the big tour operator Balkan Holidays, which this year marks 55 years of presence on the Bulgarian market, also said that the UK market is extremely important for Bulgaria and over the years our country has been used as the most affordable destination for skiing and snowboarding. “Our price-package-service has always been at a fairly high level, and most of our customers are tourists who return year after year in Bulgaria,” they said. According to them, thanks to word of mouth advertising, our ski resorts have managed to become even more popular. Destination Bulgaria is a preferred place mainly by young people and families with children who come to study in winter sports, said the representatives of the tour operator.During the meeting, the advertising and marketing campaigns undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism in the UK market were also discussed, in relation to the current epidemic situation and the opening of our borders to tourists from the island. The Ministry will participate in the upcoming major exhibitions – The International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) and The World Travel Market (WTM). Large-scale advertising campaigns are also being undertaken on BBC, National Geographic and 24 Kitchen, as well as on their digital platforms.Minister Baltova and the experts from the ministry discussed with Balkan Holidays the measures in support of the business that the Bulgarian government is taking to deal with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.They also discussed the place and ways to support the tourism sector in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, which the cabinet approved today and Bulgaria will submit to Brussels tomorrow.

Bansko is one of the faces of Bulgarian tourism. Therefore, it is of great importance to preserve the nature in the area so that it can be most effectively used for the development of tourism and the economic opportunities of the city. This was stated by President Rumen Radev during a meeting with the Mayor of Bansko Ivan Kadev and representatives of his team, which was attended by the Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova and the Regional Governor of Blagoevgrad Nikolay Shushkov. Later, they participated in a meeting with representatives of local authorities, businesses and members of the public from the region.The financial investments in tourism are insignificant against the background of the investment policy of the state, but they are of great importance for the development of many economic spheres, the President emphasized. According to him, in addition to establishing Bansko as a European destination for winter sports, the region has huge potential for the development of cultural, historical, spa, culinary and mountain tourism.Tourism was one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic, but it can become an engine for the country’s economic recovery, said Minister Baltova. She stressed that the recovery of the sector continues thanks to the efforts of business and socio-economic measures taken by the state to support it.Representatives of local authorities and businesses pointed out the significant limitations in the conditions of a pandemic as the main problems. One of the negative consequences of them is the significant increase in unemployment in the region, due to the quarantine and blockade imposed last year on the city, which is the economic center of the region. They also called for the timely announcement of the health measures that will be applied during the upcoming winter tourist season, as well as for the access of foreign tourists to Bulgaria. The issues of providing timely assistance to the business due to the increase in electricity prices, as well as the construction of a second line of the gondola lift of Bansko in compliance with all environmental requirements were also raised.Easing the visa regime for foreign citizens, charter flights and stepping up the fight against unfair competition in the tourism sector were also among the measures proposed by the business during their meeting with the head of state, Minister Baltova and representatives of municipal and regional authorities.Minister Baltova stated that the Ministry of Tourism maintains constant contact with the tourism business and makes every effort to bring the sector out of this unprecedented situation in which it is placed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to her, Bansko is a leading destination for ski tourism in Bulgaria and a year-round place for recreation and vacation. She cites data according to which from the beginning of 2021 to the beginning of September inclusive, more than 170 thousand tourists from Bulgaria, Romania, Israel, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Greece, France, the Czech Republic and etc., and the number of nights during the summer months exceeds the same period of 2019.The Ministry of Tourism is launching an active campaign in the markets from which tourists are expected during the winter season, as well as frequent online meetings with leading tour operators. The campaign focuses on Bulgaria’s opportunities for a safe vacation and the combination of mountain / winter tourism with specialized forms of tourism such as cultural, health, balneal and spa tourism, wine and culinary tourism and others, said Minister Baltova at the meeting in Bansko.She expressed hope that Czech tourists will return, tourists from neighboring countries are expected, as well as from Israel, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and others. “We are currently working actively to achieve reciprocity with the Israeli market, and the responsibility for the final decision lies with the health authorities,” the minister said. Rescue measures must continue for the sector as they continue to evolve as a function of the rapidly changing epidemiological situation and the respective restrictive conditions imposed by destinations and markets. The official cabinet is working very intensively in this direction, said Minister Baltova.At the same time, in response to a question posed by business, the head of state called for strengthening control over European funding in the tourism sector after the disclosure of abuses in the construction of guest houses, but to preserve the potential of this financial instrument for the development of sector.

Today, with great interest, the largest autumn tourism exhibition UITM was opened in Kiev, Ukraine. The event has been held since 1993, and since 2007, Bulgaria has participated in the stock exchange annually.At UITM 2021, our country is presented with an information stand with an increased area of 54 sq.m. Apart from the Ministry of Tourism as the main organizer of the Bulgarian stand, two tour operators will also take part. On the first day of the exhibition, the Bulgarian stand was awarded for the most creative design.The traditional exhibition continues to advertise Bulgaria on the Ukrainian market as an attractive tourist destination and a place for year-round recreation, and the focus of Bulgarian participation this fall is “ski vacation in Bulgaria” and “New Year’s programs”.Our presentation at this international tourism exhibition helps to promote the innovations in the Bulgarian tourist offer and to strengthen Bulgaria’s position as a tourist destination on the Ukrainian market, as the main demand from Ukrainian tourists is for summer and winter holidays, spa treatments and cultural trips.Ukraine is a generating market for Bulgaria, as for the period from January to mid-September 2021 the number of Ukrainian tourists spending the night in accommodation in Bulgaria is over 100 thousand, and their increase compared to the same period in 2020 is more than 2 times.The policy of the Bulgarian government in recent years is aimed precisely at creating favorable conditions for the tourism business to find adequate market approaches and meet consumer expectations. We also expect the large tour operators that offer on the Ukrainian market to find appropriate mechanisms to expand the offer and offer the full range of opportunities provided by our country.

As promulgated in the State Gazette No.77 of 16 September 2021 the Amendments to the Law on the State Budget of the Republic of Bulgaria for 2021 forced the Ministry of Tourism to terminate the application process under Phase III of the procedure for granting “State aid for tour operators who use air carriers with a valid operating license to perform charter flights to the Republic of Bulgaria for tourism, for the period from 01.06.2021 to 31.12.2021”The Ministry of Tourism envisages the resumption of the scheme by the submission of a proposal from the Council of Ministers for a legislative change, which would repeal the text of Art. 26 para 1 promulgated on 16.09.2021.This foreseen change will restore the scheme for tour operators that use air carriers with a valid operating license to operate charter flights to the Republic of Bulgaria for tourism purposes, without the requirement for the use of Bulgarian airlines.Despite the termination of Phase III, the period for which the state aid was notified (01 June - 30 November) will be included in the renewed scheme after the legislative change to the Law on the Measures and Actions during the state of emergency, announced by a decision of the National Assembly of 13 March 2020 and to overcome the consequences. In this way the negative consequences of the currently amended text of Art. 26 para 1 will be overcome.The Ministry of Tourism will use all possible means to maintain and implement the state aid for tour operators that use air carriers with a valid operating license to operate charter flights to the Republic of Bulgaria for tourism purposes because the scheme is an important part of the overall package of measures to encourage the travel to Bulgaria and to restore the position of your country as a preferred all-year-round destination.

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova talked to Patricia Schultz, American writer and author of the world bestseller “1,000 places to see before you die”. The book has been translated into dozens of languages and sold millions of copies.Patricia Schultz has traveled around the world as a journalist for more than 25 years and has published her experiences in various travel magazines and travel guides. She invests all her experience so far in this book, which took her 7 years to write.Minister Baltova presented before her guest the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria, highlighting some of the most interesting facts about Bulgaria.Our country is very rich in mineral springs and offers opportunities for spa treatment, which is why many visitors come to us, the minister explained. Bulgaria has the hottest geyser in Europe – in Sapareva Banya, which is 103 degrees and the highest mountain peak in the Balkans – Musala, she told about the climatic treatment in Bulgaria. The Rose Valley is one of our symbols and that is why our tourist logo is a rose, and for several years, Bulgaria has been a world leader in lavender production. And more interesting facts that Minister Baltova shared with her interlocutor about our cultural and historical heritage and its preservation, about the oldest gold field in the world, discovered in Varna, about the delicious typical local cuisine, and that Bulgaria offers wine tourism, such as in all parts of the country there are conditions for wine production, and the varieties Mavrud, broad Melnik vine and Gamza are very typical for Bulgaria.Many young travelers choose Bulgaria as their destination, commented Patricia Schultz. According to her words, many influencers and bloggers from the United States have chosen Varna and Bulgaria as their destination this year. Schultz pointed out that for them, here is paradise, because they have “the whole package” – culture, archeology, food, attitude, and a very affordable price, which allows them to stay for a longer period of time. Patricia Schultz commented on her latest book, in which she talks about the reasons why she travels. “Everyone travels for different reasons and for me, these reasons are many. Having something in your heart and mind is one thing, but try to write it on a piece of paper, it’s a great challenge,” said the author of the world bestseller, a real travel guide.During her conversation with the Bulgarian Minister, the world-famous writer revealed that she likes the Balkans but only now she encountered Bulgaria. Her trip to our country has inspired her with new ideas to present and promised surprises in her future book.

Within the framework of Toursalon 2021, an official presentation of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Poland was held under the title “Bulgaria: a year-round tourist destination”. The event, which was attended with great interest, was opened by Minister Baltova, and the presentation was made by Nikolay Kostov, Bulgaria’s tourism attaché in Poland. Our country was presented as a destination with a rich history and cultural traditions, offering great opportunities for cultural, spa, rural, gastronomic and wine tourism.Earlier, Minister Baltova held a bilateral meeting with her host, Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, Secretary of State for Tourism at the Polish Ministry of Development and Technology. She assured him that the Poland market is among the most successful and important markets for Bulgaria during the end of the summer season. The Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism annually implements an integrated communication campaign on the Polish market and thanks to the constant efforts, as for the period from May to early September 2021 we register an increase of over 90% in tourist visits from the Central European country compared to 2020. As a main priority of the Ministry of Tourism, the Minister pointed out the positioning of Bulgaria as a year-round tourist destination by promoting the diverse Bulgarian tourist product on the Polish market.During the meeting, Minister Baltova extended an invitation to her colleague Gut-Mostowy for an official working visit in Bulgaria, as well as for intensifying the activities of the Joint Working Group for Tourism between the two countries.During her working visit to the fair of regions and tourist products in Poznań, Minister Baltova held a number of other meetings with representatives of local business and regional organizations. Issues in the field of bilateral cooperation and the possible holding of a Congress of the Union of Polish Journalists were among the topics of conversation with Mr. Rafal Chaia, President of the Wielkopolska Tourist Chamber, Marek Traczyk, publisher of TTG and President of the Warsaw Chamber of Commerce, as well as with business representatives.The future cooperation between the Wielkopolska Chamber and the Varna Tourist Chamber was discussed at the meeting.

The main topic of conversation was the upcoming 24th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization, which will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, between November 30 and December 3. Minister Baltova stated that our country attaches great importance to the forthcoming session and the preparations for it are already underway.The Assembly will be a great opportunity to present the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria, to establish new partnerships and to build on what was achieved during the 66th meeting of the Regional Commission “Europe” of the World Tourism Organization, where Bulgaria was elected Vice President of the Commission with a horizon until 2023.Minister Baltova pointed out that due to the significant damage to the tourism sector, efforts are continuing to encourage and support it in the most efficient way possible. She declared that she maintains constant communication with the representatives of the tourism business, as well as with other stakeholders, in order to make the most appropriate decisions and implement the necessary measures.Minister Baltova assured Ambassador El Midawi that Morocco is among the promising partners of our country in the field of tourism in the region of North Africa. In order to encourage bilateral relations between public and private tourism counterparts, she proposed signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulgarian and Moroccan tourism authorities.Her Excellency Mrs. El Midawi welcomed this initiative of Minister Baltova and declared the readiness of the Moroccan Mission in Sofia to assist in the implementation of the necessary contacts and procedures between the parties. Ambassador El Midawi added that Morocco takes its mission to host the 24th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization very responsibly. She extended a kind invitation to Minister Baltova to visit Morocco.

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova talked with Alejandro Polanco Mata, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Bulgaria. The development of bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism and the opportunities for deepening the cooperation between the two countries were the topics of the discussion.Sofia is a leading destination for visits by tourists from Spain to Bulgaria, followed by Plovdiv, Varna, Bansko, Veliko Tarnovo and Burgas, said Minister Baltova and explained that we are already working on preparing for the winter season in Bulgaria. According to her, the summer tourist season has been extremely good for the business, reaching 70% of the levels of the sector from 2019.Minister Baltova and the Ambassador stressed that Bulgaria is a traditional participant in the FITUR exhibition, which took place this year in the period May 19-23 in Madrid.Ambassador Alejandro Mata expressed hope that Bulgaria will continue to participate in it in the future, and commented that our country is a well-known tourist destination for Spanish citizens, as traditionally about 90 thousand people visit it annually. He added that many Bulgarians also travel to Spain. The Ambassador informed Minister Baltova that the Embassy is participating in the organization of an event where the opportunities for golf tourism in our country will be promoted. From the words of Alejandro Mata it became clear that the diplomatic mission supports the issuance of travel guides that promote the destination Bulgaria.The forthcoming session of the General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, based in Madrid, was also discussed during the meeting. Minister Baltova pointed out that it is within the organization that the two countries have a successful partnership and expressed hope that the good cooperation will be maintained in the future.

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova held a meeting with Jesús Caballero, executive director of the Sofia Airport Operator – “SOF Connect” AD. The two discussed the possibilities for supporting winter tourism in Bulgaria through various upcoming initiatives, such as the opening of new lines and promotion of destination Bulgaria throughout the whole year.“We are working hard to expand travel opportunities and open new routes which to bring more tourists to the winter resorts of Bulgaria”, said Jesús Caballero. He shared with the caretaker Minister and the experts of the Ministry of Tourism the plans of the new management to turn Sofia Airport in a modern and competitive European airport, by improving the environment and the experience for passengers and tourists. In the meantime, it has the potential to develop and become a regional hub.Sofia Airport is also developing a new corporate website, which will present the logo with a hyperlink to the national tourist portal of Bulgaria Bulgariatravel.org.“Bulgaria is a beautiful country and has something to show all year round. Promoting it as a destination in Europa, the Middle East and North America is our common goal”, said the executive director of the airport operator.Minister Baltova pointed out that the exchange of data and information between the Ministry of Tourism and Sofia Airport would be extremely useful cooperation. The talks also discussed how, in the light of the pandemic, to ease the visa regime for travelers from third countries outside the European Union, especially those from the Middle East.

The Integrated Tourist Offer Project is under the Transborder Cooperation INTERREG-IPA CBC Bulgaria – Serbia Programme 2014-2020. It is implemented under specific objective 1.3 “People for people”. The total budget is EUR 117,431.27, and the part for the Ministry of Tourism amounts to EUR 59,944.92. The implementation period is 15 months from the grant agreement.With the implementation of the project and by increasing the tourism income, the local population will regain higher motivation to participate in the development of the region and its resources.The route of tourists and visitors who regularly travel to Sofia and Nis will also be enriched by the implementation of the Integrated Tourism Offer and will bring more specific opportunities for both local businesses and interested visitors who wish to extend their stay or to take advantage of the offers presented.The main target group of the project are tourism professionals, organizations related to the tourism sector, local authorities and the population in the cross-border region of Nishava Pčinja, Kyustendil and Pernik.The project had two main objectives:∙ To create sustainable networks and partnerships in the cross-border region between tourism organizations, local authorities and other interested parties and those working in the tourism sector, through training and a common integrated tourism offer.∙ To improve the visualization and public awareness of the tourism potential of the cross-border region through the use of a multimedia application.The project helped train 16 representatives of the tourism sector in the stages of creating and marketing an integrated tourism product, presented in 8 concepts. After evaluation by a committee, the creators of 4 concepts continued with training to work in a digital environment – with online platforms and publishing on the Internet. Another interesting stage was the Round Table with representatives of national and local authorities from Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as local tourist organizations. The Integrated Tourism Offer Project was presented at two tourism festivals on the two sides of the border.Within the initiative, a study of the cross-border region, a project website with a mobile app, and a video about the destinations of the final four concepts were developed. In order to promote the project and the cross-border area to future guests and potential tourists, promotional and information materials have been prepared, including a book on local legends and myths. With its implementation, the project puts the cross-border region stable on the tourist map of Serbia and Bulgaria.

More than 2.5 million tourists have travelled in the country since the beginning of the summer season, show the statistics from the Unified Tourist Information System. The main share of them are Bulgarians, reaching over 1,680,900 for the period from May 1 to August 8, 2021. In the same period, foreign visitors were 887,629.In the three summer months – May, June and July 2021, tourists in the accommodation facilities were over 2.2 million, which is an increase of about 2.2 times compared to the same period in 2020. Nearly 1.5 million of them are Bulgarians. Main travel destinations are Nessebar, Varna, Sofia, the SPA resort Velingrad and others.Approximately 750 thousand are foreign tourists during these summer months. Most of them are from the Romanian market – with 288 thousand tourists, followed by Poland – 74.7 thousand guests and Ukraine – 58.3 thousand. The Czech Republic and Germany rank after them, with 44 thousand and 43.8 thousand tourists, respectively.In the period from 01.07.2021 to 31.07.2021 only, over 1 270 000 tourists spent the night in our country. Of these, 738,277 were Bulgarians, and the other largest markets are ranked as follows:1. Romania                             222 9662. Poland                                59 2113. The Czech Republic          37 1264. Germany                            34 4615. Ukraine                              33 6116. Israel                                  14 4907. France                                9 9238. Turkey                                8 5159. Russia                                 7 36010. The USA                          5 33811. Serbia                               4 44812. Italy                                  4 11413. Great Britain                    3 80814. Northern Macedonia       3 38515. Greece                              3 120 

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova held a work meeting with Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives. They talked during his first work visit to Bulgaria. The discussions focused on the possibilities for deepening cooperation between the two countries, as well as current data on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic and the two countries’ strategies for dealing with it.“The Maldives is an attractive destination for Bulgarians, as it attracts high-class visitors,” said Minister Baltova. According to her, from November 2020 to May 2021, a total of about 10,000 Bulgarians traveled to the country. She added that, according to her, the trips will remain in the future, as the interest will grow.Minister Baltova presented to her interlocutor the current data on the development of the pandemic in the country. She explained that we have introduced health protocols, and a very strict control is carried out. Minister Baltova also explained that the government is constantly monitoring the distribution of new variants of Covid-19, which may require the implementation of new measures – both health and social and economic. The minister stressed that since the beginning of the pandemic, accommodation facilities have not been closed, even during periods of the most severe restrictions.“Bulgaria ranks 17th among inbound tourism markets for the Maldives,” Minister Shahid informed. He also commented that he hoped the interest would continue in the future. The Minister gave an update on the spread of the coronavirus in his country and outlined the measures being taken to limit the pandemic. He explained that they are actively working on a campaign for vaccination of the population, which is hoped to reduce the disease. “Over 98% of first-line workers have been vaccinated, we want tourists to feel safe and secure,” said Abdulla Shahid.During the meeting, specific initiatives to promote the bilateral partnership were discussed.  The ministers discussed the possibility of signing the memorandum of understanding with an emphasis on joint marketing activities in the field of tourism. They also agreed that the opening of a direct airline between Sofia and Mali will contribute to increasing the number of tourists.The meeting was also attended by Her Excellency Eleonora Dimitrova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to India and the Republic of Maldives.

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova discussed the possibilities for digital marketing solutions for the promotion of the tourist destination Bulgaria on the China market with James Liang, co-founder and chairman of the board of directors of TRIP.COM GROUP, who is visiting Bulgaria. Before James Liang, Minister Baltova presented the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria - cultural, winter and sea tourism, spa and wellness, adventure, golf, culinary and wine tourism, etc., and pointed out that Bulgaria is popular for the richness of its artifacts and mineral springs.“Promoting this wealth is a priority in our work and we will be happy if more Chinese tourists visit Bulgaria and get acquainted with its sights”, she added. According to her, our ancient history would be of interest to tourists arriving from China and this type of tourist products should be emphasized in planning future marketing activities.For his part, James Liang explained that in the next six months, Chinese tourists will start planning their vacations again. He noted that more and more Chinese citizens choose to organize their own excursions and travel alone or in small groups, so it is important to present different travel options, focusing on individual and small groups. The two agreed to explore various possibilities for cooperation and agreed that the promotion of destination Bulgaria on the Chinese market should start right now.Trip.com Group, formerly Ctrip.com International, founded in 1999, is one of the most famous travel groups whose shares are offered on the NASDAQ (2003). The company has over 400 million members worldwide and approximately 33,400 employees. Trip.com Group is a leading travel service provider consisting of major brands such as: Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner and Qunar. The group holds over 60% market share in China. On its platforms, Trip.com Group enables local partners and travelers around the world to make informed reservations for travel products and services, by combining comprehensive travel information and resources, as well as an advanced mobile transaction platform. applications, internet websites and 24-hour customer service centers. 

The tourist portal bulgariatravel.org has an updated vision in the section “Information and recommendations regarding COVID-19”. Visitors can now much more quickly and easily get acquainted with the current information for entering the Republic of Bulgaria, as well as with the Guidelines for the operation of accommodation and catering establishments in the conditions of danger of infection with COVID-19. The Rules for application of the anti-epidemic measures in the tourist sites in the summer season 2021 are also presented in a more accessible place through the active link “Tourism in the conditions of COVID-19: health protocol”.The information on the site is updated in a timely manner, including useful links to the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Single Information Portal for COVID-19 and RE-open EU, which provide information on the various measures in force, including quarantine and testing requirements for travelers.In the new vision of the site special attention is paid to #DiscoverBulgaria - Share the beauty of Bulgaria, where you can see various photos of landmarks in our country, published on the social network Instagram.

Minister Stella Baltova participates in the official opening of an expedition tour in order to present Bulgaria as a risk-free destination with a quality tourist product to some of the largest and most influential German tour operators and travel agents. The event takes place in Varna and the resorts on the North Black Sea coast, between June 20th and 22nd - at the beginning of the astronomical summer and just before the resumption of charter flights from Germany.The caretaker minister welcomed the guests, assuring them that the Bulgarian government is taking all necessary measures for the safe and smooth running of the summer season. The health and comfort of the guests and the staff in the tourist sites are a priority, and for days Bulgaria has permanently entered the green zone on the map of Europe, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, she said.Minister Baltova pointed out that the German market is extremely important for the tourism sector in our country, as in 2019 Germany took third place in inbound tourism with its 761 thousand visitors.The business, represented by many directors of companies at the highest level, during the three-day tour will be demonstrate the readiness to welcome tourists from Germany and the measures against COVID-19 in hotels and resorts in order for the guests to get personal impressions on the spot, useful discussions will be held between tour operators and the trends will be discussed. Over 120 representatives of German agents and tour operators, including directors of DER Touristik, LMX Touristik, FTI Touristik, Invia Group Germany, TUI and many others, discussed the recovery of the business after the long closure and expressed optimism about the destination Bulgaria. They united around the thesis that vaccination will return to normalcy, and now there is an increase in bookings and the effect of catching up is observed. During the event, Minister Baltova discussed with a number of business representatives the challenges facing the sector and discussed possible solutions for the resumption, promotion and development of the German market.The initiator is the main charter airline from the German market for Bulgaria - European Air Charter, and the media partner of the event is the most authoritative professional magazine for tourism in Germany - FVW, which largely sets the current topics and agenda in the German tourism sector. The presence of FVW will allow the coverage of the expedition tour and the messages broadcast from the destination to reach all nearly 11,000 passenger offices in Germany, as well as all German tour operators. At the same time, caretaker Minister Stella Baltova gave a special interview to the media, in which she once again highlighted the advantages and key role of destination Bulgaria - as the only country in the EU that did not completely interrupt work in the tourism sector during the pandemic, and so proved to be a sustainable tourist destination.A call for long-term investment for year-round tourism was called for. The participants wished that the corona crisis would be overcome quickly, and that Bulgaria would not be perceived as a cheap destination, but as a country worth visiting.

Albena Resort became the first resort on the Black Sea coast and in all of Bulgaria, which received a sticker "100% vaccinated". The sticker was prepared by the Ministry of Health and today was presented and symbolically pasted by the Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova. Prior to that, the caretaker Minister, together with the Chief State Health Inspector Dr. Angel Kunchev and the Director of the Regional Health Inspectorate - Dobrich Dr. Svetla Angelova got acquainted with the anti-epidemic measures in the resort and visited the temporary vaccination center there.At the moment, Albena is the only complex that has found a successful solution for providing accommodation for quarantined contact persons in case of detection of a person infected with COVID-19. Minister Baltova visited the designated villa part, where people, despite the isolation, will be able to continue their vacation and enjoy their holidays. The quarantined will be accommodated in separate villas, where they will receive the necessary assistance, ready meals or will be able to prepare it themselves.During the visit it also became clear that the central unit’s staff of the complex is 100% vaccinated and the average percentage for all staff is 75%. The aim is for it to become 80% by the beginning of July, and for entire hotels to be 100% vaccinated. For today, the number of vaccinated in the resort is expected to reach 140 people, among whom there are both Bulgarian and foreign workers on an employment contract with the status of permanent residents. On-site vaccinations are also available for guests who wish to vaccinate.Currently, the complex has 6 open hotels, and by the end of the week the number of guests is expected to reach 4,000. In addition to Bulgarian tourists, many Romanians, Ukrainians, Czechs and French are staying in the accommodation."We are where the best example in Bulgaria is," said Minister Baltova and shared her excellent impressions of the incredible harmony that reigns in the Albena complex, as the measures taken are unobtrusive but tangible. According to her, every stage of the tourists' stay is designed so that they feel safe and protected, but at the same time enjoy their vacation.The Chief State Health Inspector Dr. Angel Kunchev also expressed his good impressions of the preparation of Albena for Summer 2021. "Please do as Albena", he called on the entire tourism business in our country.Dr. Kunchev announced that Bulgaria has submitted a request for participation in the European fund of 100 million euros for the provision of free tests at border crossings at airports for entry and exit of tourists from the country.

During the forum of the World Tourism Organization in Athens, Minister Stella Baltova met with Mariana Oleskiv, Chairlady the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine. Minister Baltova issued an official invitation to Ms. Mariana Oleskiv, Chairlady of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine, to visit Bulgaria. The two agreed to hold the meeting in the coming weeks, before mid-July.Minister Baltova pointed out that Ukraine is an important tourist market and partner for Bulgaria. In 2019, Ukraine ranks 6th of all countries in the number of tourist visits in our country - over 471,000 have visited our country for tourism, which is an increase of 24% compared to 2018 and a kind of peak for the last 10 years .The Bulgarian Minister pointed out that since 2018 two communication campaigns have been conducted aimed at the Ukraine market, the second still lasting until September 2021.Minister Baltova and Mariana Oleskiv discussed the start of regular sessions of the joint working group on tourism. Bulgaria can host the first attendance session if the epidemic situation allows, the Bulgarian minister said. If the situation does not allow it, the two agreed that the session will be organized online. The proposal for organizing a bilateral tourist forum in Bulgaria was also renewed.In a conversation with the chairman of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine, the situation with the difficult transit of Ukrainian tourists through Romania was also discussed. Earlier, in search of a solution, Minister Baltova also discussed the issue with Romanian Secretary of State for Tourism at the Ministry of Economy Paul Ene.

During the forum of the World Tourism Organization in Athens, Minister Stella Baltova held a number of bilateral meetings. In a conversation with Paul Ene, State Secretary for Tourism at the Romanian Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, she stressed the importance of the tourism sector and the excellent relations between the two countries. The two commented that for several consecutive years, Romanian tourists remain the most numerous in Bulgaria. More than 1.3 million tourists from Romania arrived in Bulgaria before the crisis with Covid-19. Even through the pandemic year 2020, the Black Sea resorts of Bulgaria have traditionally received a large number of Romanian tourists.These positive results are due to the joint efforts and partly to our successful campaign aimed at the Romanian market, said Minister Baltova.Minister Baltova and Mr. Paul Ene expressed satisfaction that the restriction-free travel between Bulgaria and Romania has been restored and described it as an important step towards a return to normalcy.Among the important topics of the meeting, the two discussed the difficulties with the transit of Ukrainian tourists to Bulgaria, and Minister Baltova expressed hope that a solution would be found soon.A number of bilateral initiatives were also discussed at the meeting, such as the offer of joint products and cultural tourist routes with the idea of ​​attracting guests from distant tourist markets, especially after the end of the global Covid -19 pandemic. 

Bulgaria was unanimously elected as a Deputy Chairman of the Regional Commission for Europe of the United Nations Tourism Organization (WTO) for the period 2021-2023. The vote took place this afternoon during the 66th session of the Regional Commission for Europe in the Greek capital, Athens. The participants in the forum congratulated the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova for the success of our country.The tasks for Bulgaria are to take all necessary measures for the implementation of important, global decisions in the field of tourism, protecting the interests of all countries, both in the region and around the world. The regional commission, in the management of which our country was elected, consists of 42 countries.

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova and the Deputy Minister Daniela Stoeva talked in a virtual forum with representatives of the leading German tour operators operating on the market in Bulgaria. The meeting in a working format was organized jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which called itself an "intermediary" and "ambassador" in tourism in Bulgaria.Minister Baltova is always a participant in forums, as the main priority of the Bulgarian government is to preserve the health of both guests and employees in the tourism sector, who offer a sustainable and high quality tourism product.The round table was organized in order for the interested German tour operators to receive specific and up-to-date information about the situation in Bulgaria - current controversial measures, the conditions for the arrival of German tourists and the conditions to be met when leaving Bulgaria and arriving in Germany. Participants receive information about the readiness of Bulgarian resorts and hotels to welcome German tourists, who then have to calm down that in Bulgaria they will be able to spend a safe summer.We would also like to know about the idea of ​​the Ministry of Tourism to organize in June an expedition tour for tour operators and travel agents with a focus on summer tourism, spa and wellness, health tourism, cultural tourism, gourmet cuisine and wine. The purpose of the trip is key for a market of partners from Germany, together with their own journalists, influencers and bloggers, to get acquainted with different types of tourism and the opportunities that Bulgaria offers, and then to share first-hand impressions with their audiences.After the last and specific presentation of Minister Baltova, the participants in the forum had the opportunity and assignment for a number of questions, which received comprehensive and specific answers. The round table is held on the day when Germany officially takes out Bulgaria from its list of risk areas and allows its citizens to travel freely to the country.

By order of the Minister of Health from today, May 27th, 2021, the requirements that were an obstacle for Romanian tourists to travel to Bulgaria fall off. Romanian citizens will be able to enter our country without having to present at the border checkpoints documents for vaccination, a positive result certifying past illness with Covid-19, a negative PCR or a negative antigen test.At the beginning of the summer season Bulgaria offers excellent conditions for tourism, sustainable, diverse and high-quality product as a safe, secure and preferred tourist destination.

Minister Baltova and the representatives of the business expressed readiness to work together in the name of the restoration of tourism - not only by naming the problems, but also by coming up with practical solutions on how to overcome these problems. It is important how the measures are adequately promoted, stressed the General Manager of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD Frank Quante and raised some of the pressing issues - a relaxed regime for tourists to enter Bulgaria, priority vaccination of employees in the sector, the conditions for applying for aid of 35 euros per seat.After discussing the need for urgent joint action to save one of the most affected sectors in the Bulgarian economy, at today's video conference it was agreed to establish an expert working group of representatives of the state, business and Fraport Twin Star. The meeting was also attended by the Chief State Health Inspector Dr. Angel Kunchev.

This week the second digital forum Bulgaria - Russia: Multifaceted Regional Partnership was held. The topic of the event was Tourism and Culture.The project is implemented jointly by the Industrial Center of the Republic of Bulgaria in Moscow, the National Tourist Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation and the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Moscow.The main goal of the forum was to present the readiness of our country to welcome Russian tourists during the summer season as a safe, quiet and attractive destination. New programmes and proposals prepared by the Bulgarian tourism business for guests from Russia, as well as a number of Bulgarian municipalities with their attractive sites for tourists and holiday events were presented during the conversations.At the bilateral meeting were exchanged good practices of companies from Bulgaria and Russia, interesting areas that are currently being developed by the Russian tourism business were also presented.The forum was attended by over 80 representatives of federal and regional administrations and tourism organizations, Bulgarian and Russian tour operators, hoteliers, universities, interested structures from Russia and Bulgaria, who presented their organizations and expressed interest in mutually beneficial cooperation.The topics for future partnership in the field of business tourism, balneology and health tourism, the partnership between municipalities and regions in Bulgaria and Russia as a basis for intensifying tourism exchange and cultural activities, strengthening contacts between higher education institutions, including those teaching tourisms, activating the exchange of organized children's groups, etc. aroused strong interest.An information package with the contact information of the participants and the presentations made during the online event will serve as a good basis for facilitating future contacts and the preparation of joint meetings and events.

The new cabinet sent a clear signal that it focuses on the development, support and promotion of Bulgarian tourism. A new banner with an active link “Tourism in Bulgaria” on the official website of the Council of Ministers will now forward each visitor of the government's website to the National Tourist Portal www.bulgariatravel.org, thus facilitating access to it.This new communication channel will focus attention and increase the transparency of the National Tourist Portal, which presents not only the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria and the unique nature of our country, but also the latest information useful for all travelers.The idea was implemented on the initiative of Minister Stella Baltova. The well-known banner, which with its stylized rose is a trademark of Bulgaria, is located in the upper left corner of the page of the Bulgarian government.

Minister Stella Baltova outlined the restoration of the tourism sector as a key priority, emphasizing the need to stimulate the sustainable development of the tourism ecosystem by improving skills, green growth and promoting digitalization and innovation. The importance of national recovery and sustainability plans as a fundamental tool for achieving the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism was emphasized.Minister Baltova pointed out as key pillars of tourism the green transition, the digital transformation and the multidisciplinary framework based on knowledge and skills, ensuring the integration of tourism in other related EU policies. With regard to the sustainable challenges and emerging problems related to the liquidity of entities in the tourism sector, specific activities were called for to promote a favorable environment for the development of the tourism sector, including the support of financial resources.  Another critical point for tourism, highlighted by Minister Baltova, is the restoration of mobility and connectivity, where the application of internally compatible tools such as the digital green certificate is considered an important building block.At the High Level Forum on Sustainable Tourism, organized by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, EU tourism ministers discussed the challenges ahead for the tourism sector and the need for a strategic instrument at EU level to boost the sustainability of the tourism ecosystem and that will increase the competitiveness of destinations in the European Union.The forum was attended by Mr Pedro Siza Vieira, Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition, Mr Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the EU Single Market, Ms Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, and Mr Virginijus Sinkevicius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.Ministers agreed on the idea of creating an “EU 2030/2050 Agenda” based on shared priorities, objectives and actions to stimulate the green and digital transition of the tourism ecosystem and increase its competitiveness, sustainability and endurance, focusing on key strategic challenges such as:- green transition of the tourism industry and destinations as an integrated and holistic system focused on sustainable and responsible tourism;-  digital transition of the tourism industry and destinations, using the value of data and all available digital tools;- developing multidisciplinarity, knowledge base and necessary skills of the tourism industry and all other stakeholders targeting value-added services, contributing to the prosperity of local communities;- strengthening the resilience of the tourism industry in the light of the lessons learned from COVID-19, while increasing global competitiveness;- reflecting tourism in wider EU policies, such as transport, health, consumer protection, environment and culture.A number of Member States called for special attention to be paid to small and medium-sized enterprises, employment, the various regional and local challenges, islands and outermost regions, the EU periphery, the economic and social role of less developed regions, tourism pressures and other areas, facing specific challenges.A key finding of the Sustainable Tourism High Level Forum is the need for an integrated approach to tourism policy, with input and support from industry and civil society, in order to meet the opportunities and address the multilateral challenges, facing the tourism sector.

On the eve of the summer season of 2021, I would like to assure you that the Ministry of Tourism will make every effort to ensure the comfort of British citizens vacationing in our country, for whom Bulgaria is a well-known and diverse holiday destination. I give a clear message that our country has taken all necessary measures to strengthen its image in a safe place for tourist visits. This was stated by the resigned Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Mariana Nikolova during her conversation with HE Rob Dixon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Minister Nikolova clarified that traditionally hundreds of thousands of British tourists enjoy every year on our Black Sea coast, in our winter resorts, in Sofia and our largest cities. “Taking into account the above and the fact that Bulgaria is coming out of the third wave of coronavirus and the number of newly infected is decreasing with each passing day, and that the pace of vaccination in our country is accelerating, I believe that the British authorities will classify our country as a “green destination” with the forthcoming easing of measures in the United Kingdom”, the minister said. According to her, this will be an extremely useful solution in the direction of increasing the tourist flow, and another indisputable act of friendship and solidarity by one of the most important partners of Bulgaria.The Deputy Prime Minister explained that the United Kingdom is one of the most important markets for tourism and explained the possibilities for entering Bulgaria during the upcoming summer season. “I hope that the authorities of the Island will also facilitate the ways for Bulgarian citizens to enter the UK. That would be a very useful solution”, she said.The Minister also drew attention to the fact that great progress has been made regarding the vaccination of workers in the industry, which gives great hopes for a calm and safe summer. “The local health authorities and the Ministry of Tourism have taken the necessary measures in Bulgarian resorts and tourist destinations to extend the holiday period without the risk of infection with COVID-19 for guests”, she explained.For his part, the British Ambassador Rob Dixon said that the situation in all countries is changing very dynamically, and it is expected that on May 10th the British authorities will announce the so-called Traffic Light System, according to which the different countries and, accordingly, the ways of entering the United Kingdom will be classified. „ This system will be updated every two weeks”, he said. According to him, Bulgaria is traditionally visited by a large number of British citizens and he hopes that this trend will continue in the future.

The Ministry of Tourism has launched an advertising campaign entitled “Safe Summer 2021”. For this purpose, advertising videos were made in four languages - Bulgarian, English, German and Hebrew, which will be distributed in all structural and priority markets for our country.Bulgaria takes all necessary measures for the highest security so that guests feel protected and safe during their stay with us.  And the observance of the sanitary-hygienic prescriptions is one of the key conditions for our country to keep the green Safety and hygiene travel stamp, issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).The advertising videos will be distributed through the main communication channels in more than 18 priority markets, Bulgarian embassies and tourist offices, so that they reach the widest possible circle of people. You can find the videos at the following links:BG: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOcFcMPM_TFp38MWDi3cueJBkrahsVrQ4DE:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOcFcMPM_TFpmCwHXzaTOd87RAsCZgDIhEN: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOcFcMPM_TFpajG-rkH1Ss-0A8vM7uIDFIL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOcFcMPM_TFoDiXdm8FbDZP49q_YL7jg4

Over 300 tourist offices in Germany, 27 specialized media and 77 tour operators were informed about the security and safety measures that Bulgaria is taking in relation to tourists. Among them are the largest and most important for Bulgaria on the German market tour operators, such as DER Touristik, TUl, Schauinslandreisen and others. The popularization of our country is due to the cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Dissemination of a message about the measures of our country is one of the steps that the chamber takes in the framework of the cooperation with the ministry.In an official letter, the organization informs about the initiatives it has implemented so far to promote the country, as a safe destination and up-to-date information for the upcoming summer season. They point out that they have disseminated information to the target group of tour operators and travel agencies on the development of security measures to limit the epidemiological situation in Bulgaria for the summer tourist season, starting from May 1st, 2021, and their legal provision in Bulgaria.We have appealed to the German partners to pass this targeted information to their clients in order to create more transparency and security in this time of pandemic, the chamber's letter reads. It also states that with its support for ensuring the safety of travelers in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism makes possible holidays in the country for German tourists.In mid-March, the Ministry of Tourism selected the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce as a partner and ambassador for information exchange related to the security of German citizens traveling to our country for tourism. Our common goal is for the information to arrive on time and correctly to the institutions in Germany - the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Robert Koch Institute, responsible for publishing information related to COVID-19 when German citizens travel abroad in the coming months.

‘The European Health Certificate will facilitate safe travel and thus give an important incentive to the revitalization of the tourism ecosystem.’This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Mariyana Nikolova at the round table on "European Digital Green Certificate", organized by Elizabeth Koestinger, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Regions and Tourism of Austria.‘Safe, hassle-free travel and maintaining open borders is essential for the revitalization of the tourism sector. This is why mutual coordination, support and solidarity is needed both within the EU and internationally. We should actively establish the necessary environment for the development of the tourist industry in accordance with the fundamental right of free movement’, said Deputy Prime Minister Nikolova. She added that the Bulgarian government is supportive of the ‘Green Corridors’ for vaccinated people, with a negative PCR test, and for people who have already recovered from the virus, aiming to provide free travel for all. Minister Nikolova was confident that the certificate should lead to the revival of the tourist ecosystem and restore international mobility, providing freedom of movement and eliminating the possibility of restricting non-essential travel.During the meeting, Mariyana Nikolova confirmed that Bulgaria was among the initiators for the introduction of a Health Certificate, and that all people, who need to travel internationally should find a solution in the very near future. 

We highly appreciate the relations and the political dialogue between the two countries. We are ready for them to continue even more actively with the exchange of high-level visits. This was stated in Zagreb by the Deputy Prime Minister Mariyana Nikolova at a meeting with Branko Garchik, chaitman of the Croatian Parliament Tourism Commission. The Bulgarian Minister of Tourism is on a working visit to the country.The Covid crisis and related protective measures were discussed in detail at the meeting in the Croatian Parliament. The pandemic has put to a serious test not only the tourism and transport sectors, but also the economics on a global and European scale, said the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister. Minister Nikolova emphasized that despite the strong negative effect of the epidemic, Croatia has managed to have a relatively good summer season. We take into account that the structure of Croatian tourism is different from the Bulgarian one and we are interested in specific measures of the government, which contributed to the good result in the summer, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.Authorities of both countries have taken urgent measures to limit damage from the pandemic and from the closed to the tourism sector borders. In Bulgaria, they were broad-spectrum and included legal changes, financial support and social changes. Our country remains among the least infected countries in the Balkans, which makes it a safe tourist destination. The timely and strict anti-pandemic steps and the strong sanitary control contribute to this, the Minister of Tourism pointed out.There are no universal solutions to the crisis, said Branko Garchik. Each country takes different measures, but the exchange of information and experience can help limit the negative consequences. Due to the collapse of air transport, we mainly welcomed tourists by car, we did not have distant destinations, arriving by plane. It is time to start talks on opening air connections on the basis of common safety protocols. Bulgaria and Croatia are competitors, but in the field of health tourism we can be partners. We should establish contacts at different levels so that our people get to know each other, added the chairman of the Croatian Parliament Tourism Commission.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Mariyana Nikolova held a work meeting with Nikolina Brnjac, Croatia`s Minister of Tourism and Sports. They discussed the possibilities for joint initiatives between the two countries. Some of them envisage the creation of common tourist products for third markets and the development of health, cultural, winter and sports tourismWe highly appreciate the active dialogue at the highest level in recent years, the relations between Bulgaria and Croatia are based on long-standing historical traditions and friendly relations between the two peoples, said Minister Nikolova during the meeting. Every year the number of Croatian guests visiting Bulgaria increases. In 2019, the growth was 31,1%.At Minister Nikolovas` suggestion, the topic of resuming the activities of the Joint Working Group was also discussed. The first meeting will be held online, and in the spring of 2021 an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting in Sofia will be sought. Minister Nikolova invited Croatia to participate in tourist exhibitions in Bulgaria.Before her homologue, Minister Nikolova presented the measures taken by the Bulgarian government in support of the tourist sector to overcome the difficulties caused by the global pandemic.Minister Brnjac pointed out that the decline in the tourist sector in Croatia is about 60%, and this year the country was visited by only 7.4 million tourists. On her opinion, Croatia has achieved good results against the background of the crisis caused by the spread of COVID-19 and the earthquake, which caused material damage in some areas of the country.Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Demographic Policy and Minister of Tourism Mariyana Nikolova is on a working visit to Croatia.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Mariana Nikolova had a telephone conversation with the Minister of Tourism of the State of Israel Asaf Zamir. In the conditions of the continuing pandemic, the government is making serious efforts to ensure the smooth running of the tourist season, said Minister Nikolova. She stressed that all necessary measures are being implemented to ensure the safety and health of tourists. On the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, the spread of the virus is the lowest and it can be considered a safe area, as so far there is no infected tourist, said the Deputy Prime Minister.Israel is a priority tourist market and a strategic partner of Bulgaria, the minister said. In 2019, nearly 245 thousand visits of Israeli tourists to Bulgaria were registered. Negotiations were held for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of Bulgaria and Israel for the adoption of special measures to support civil aviation in the conditions of COVID-19. The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications agreed on the project without any notes, and the Ministry of Health provided notes on the medical aspects, the Deputy Prime Minister informed his interlocutor.Israel is expected to ease the travel regime from August 16, and a week earlier a meeting will be held between the ministers of health, foreign affairs, transport and tourism to discuss how to travel, Minister Zamir said. He specified that he would participate in the council, as his position would be for Bulgaria not to have restrictions that would affect tourism, and for the country not to be included in the red list of countries for travel.The Deputy Prime Minister thanked for the conversation and stressed that Bulgaria attaches great importance to good relations with Israel in a number of key areas, including tourism. She also added that despite the ongoing pandemic, the Ministry of Tourism is working actively for the smooth running of the upcoming winter season and summer 2021 and assured that we rely on Israeli guests, who increasingly prefer Bulgaria as a destination.

We are expanding contacts with companies working with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, for us they are very important destinations for inbound tourism. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Mariana Nikolova at a working meeting with leading companies that operate in Russian-speaking markets and meet most of the tourist flow from them. Among the participants in the discussion were representatives of "Bon Tour"/"Biblioglobus", "Go to Holiday"/"Annex Tour", "Solvex", "Teddy Kam" and "Tural".Minister Nikolova noted the huge losses suffered by inbound tourism due to the coronavirus crisis, especially in relation to countries for which there are restrictive measures for travel and other restrictions. The Ministry of Tourism has urgently taken initiatives to support business and through dialogue with tourism managers, diplomats and other experts is doing everything possible to ease the conditions for tourism exchange and encourage business. However, the situation is dynamic and depends reciprocally on the epidemic situation in the countries concerned. The opening of the borders is a key prerequisite for the resumption of tourism activities and is an essential priority for our joint work, she said.Among the first steps in this direction, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out the conference conversation with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Bulgaria Anatoly Makarov, as well as with the Ambassador of Ukraine Vitaly Moskalenko. Bulgaria reacted very quickly and on my initiative the restriction for Ukrainian tourists to present a 72-hour PCR test when entering our country on July 16 was lifted. With regard to Moldova, its citizens have been allowed to enter Bulgaria since July 28, but such a test is needed, she stressed.The Minister recalled that the European Commission recommends extending the restriction on non-essential travel in the EU and introduces an approach to gradually lift the restrictions from 1 July 2020. Russia and Belarus are third countries, for which, unfortunately, at this stage there are no exceptions to the temporary ban on non-admission in our country.She promised assistance through the Ministry of Health to assess the possibility of dropping the requirement for a negative PSR test for incoming tourists from Moldova and Belarus. With such a change, it is possible that nearly 80,000 Moldovan citizens will choose Bulgaria for their holidays in August and September. According to the participants in the conversation, Russia has been opening its airlines since August 11, and it is very important that the dialogue between the two countries helps to exchange tourists. The Deputy Prime Minister also confirmed the importance of travelers from the Russian Federation for tourism in Bulgaria in the upcoming winter season and stressed the importance of sanitary measures that are taken to ensure the safety of our destination.At the same time, efforts are continuing through diplomatic channels to facilitate the issuance of visas, which will stimulate the flow of tourists, it became clear from the words of Minister Nikolova. She drew attention to the government's support for the tourism industry, which is among the most affected in the economy. The measure for financing the tourist charters with 35 euros per seat, the pilot project for a grant scheme of BGN 10 million under OPIC for tour operators and travel agents, the 80:20 scheme and others are of direct benefit to the business. Despite the coronavirus, our work on anti-crisis advertising and marketing activities to the countries with which you partner does not stop, said Minister Nikolova.

The company highly appreciates the measures of the Bulgarian government against COVID-19 and the possibility of subsidizing tourist flights, this is its first flight in more than three months  We have not performed a single flight with tourists for more than three months, we are glad that our first flight is to Bulgaria.An important reason for choosing your country as a first destination is the information from your government that flights will be subsidized. We immediately informed our customers and filled out this flight. This was stated in Burgas by Sjoerd de Kort, Director of Product, Yield & Contracting at Corendon (Touroperator), who arrived in Bulgaria together with 189 tourists from the Netherlands on board, including families with children.He expressed his satisfaction that he is here and stressed that Bulgaria is one of the most important destinations for the company. “Tourists do not worry. Everyone wanted to come. We have explained to them in advance that they should follow the local protocols. They are almost the same as in the Netherlands, so there should be no problems with mutual trust”, De Kort added. In addition to him, his colleague Rene Oue Groeniger, Purchasing manager, also arrived on the flight.Among the greeters of the first charter guests were the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova and the Mayor of Burgas Dimitar Nikolov.I welcome the tourists from the Netherlands who have chosen Bulgaria for their summer vacation. The planned flight of Corendon, which we talked about 2 weeks ago, has come true and we hope to be lucky as the beginning of the active summer season.“In Burgas we expect 4 flights from Germany on Sunday, said Minister Angelkova. Thus, we gradually forecast the restoration of part of the charter program at the airport. The company will fly 4 times a week and we hope that with this 35 euro subsidy for an airplane seat for tourist flights we will be able to expand the flight program, it is already planned with this company until October 5. Our partners appreciate the timely and effective measures taken by the Bulgarian government, we expect with their strict observance to implement the summer season, which will be different and difficult given the global pandemic”, she added.“At the meeting with the managers of Corendon, we emphasized that Burgas and the Black Sea coast are a safe destination for tourists. According to a study on the spread of COVID-19 in the region, which was conducted by the municipality of Burgas, less than 1% of people here have encountered the coronavirus. The measures are observed, the water is clean and the weather is with us, said Minister Angelkova. We really hope to have a good season, despite the difficulties and the crisis. The company's program is until October 5, but a possible increase is planned depending on how the registrations develop”, became clear from the words of the Minister of Tourism.The representatives of the company explained that for this and each subsequent group the measures are explained in advance. Everyone is familiar, they are strictly committed to following them.“We do not expect to have problems in this regard. People accept everything extremely calmly. We have explained to them in advance that they should follow the local protocols. They are almost the same as in the Netherlands and there should be no problems with mutual trust”, said the tour operators. On the Bulgarian side, the hotel teams are prepared to provide additional information.The mayor of Burgas Dimitar Nikolov explained that the campaign for the region was presented at the bilateral meeting. “We will expand our study at the end of the season, we will expand the circle of people who will be tested for the spread of the virus, so as to help both the Ministry of Tourism and business. We commented with our Dutch colleagues that we will intensify the promotion of the Southern Black Sea coast through bloggers. We are already working with Dutch bloggers, they will help us increase this network. The Ministry of Tourism will assist us to increase the information. We take this opportunity to invite these guests to the island of St. Anastasia and to see for themselves how many wonderful places there are in the area”, added the mayor of the municipality Dimitar Nikolov.  

With the support of the charters we expect tourists on the Black Sea coast for balneal and SPA until the end of October, the focus of the advertising campaign is the low spread of COVID-19 in our country. We expect the first charters with foreign tourists on June 26 at Bourgas Airport from Amsterdam, the others will be from different cities in Germany. On June 27, TUI and Der Turistick flights from Germany will follow. The first flights to Varna will be also from Germany, but on June 29. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during a briefing before the start of the active summer season on July 1 in Bulgaria.At the moment, the planned flights at our sea airports until the end of September are about 10,600 in Bourgas and 6,400 - in Varna, she said and recalled that Bulgaria was the first to open its borders without quarantine for foreign tourists on June 1, and from June 15 there are already 34 countries with access. We have maintained continious communication with my fellow ministers and the leading tour operators that work with the Bulgarian market, and I expect a gradual restoration of the flight program from our main tourist markets, said the Minister. The anti-crisis measure for subsidizing 35 euros per seat in the charters is positively accepted among our partners. This allows charters with tourists for health, balneo and spa tourism to extend the season until the end of October. The flights are expected to be confirmed in mid-July for October, she clarified.  Preliminary meetings have already been held with all control bodies and local authorities to ensure the safe stay of tourists in the new situation. I appeal to every representative of the sector to make every effort in their work. It is important to follow the laws, because any illegal action leads to damage to the image of the country. The control will be uncompromising, the minister warned.I would like us to be positive despite the unusually difficult situation. We had a good season last year and that's why I focus on flights. It is difficult to make a comparison. The fact is that there is a decline at the airports, and in early January we expected 10 percent growth in the sector. The hotels that will open for the season are currently about 60-70% according to information from the business in Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, but the situation is dynamic, the minister stressed. Another important point, which she drew attention to, is the epidemic situation in the respective countries, which we must take into account when receiving their tourists and pointed out as an example one of our important markets, Russia.There is still a movement in the tourism and this is shown by the data of Uniform Tourim Information System. From May 22 until today, more than 91,000 tourists have spent the night in accommodation places, of which 93% are Bulgarians, said Minister Angelkova. The ministry has been working continuously on the anti-crisis advertising campaign for Bulgaria. The first events started at the end of April on social networks and other channels. A campaign is being implemented for the neighboring countries, Germany, the Visegrád Four and others for one year. An important focus is the balneo and spa tourist services. A separate campaign for our country is being conducted under the signed agreement with the German health insurance funds. We hope that these contacts will greatly support the charter program in October with tourists for health and spa tourism. Our integrated campaigns will start for all target markets on Monday. The focus of the campaign is that Bulgaria is one of the countries with the lowest spread of COVID-19 and this is reported by the international community. Our country has received and can now use the Safe Travels stamp, adopting the health and hygiene protocols of the World Travel and Tourism Council WTTC. This initiative makes it possible to globally identify destinations with enhanced standards for safe travel, the minister stressed.She also spoke in detail about the measures related to liquidity and employment taken by the government and the ministry to promote businesses. The 60:40 measure should be transformed to 80:20, as the ministry suggested, and the details of the change are currently being analyzed with the European Commission and the Ministry of Labour and Social Politics . BGN 50 million will be allocated for tourism to attract the unemployed registered in the labor offices thus, the employers will be additionally supported. A grant scheme for medium-sized enterprises in the sector will also start operating with specific assistance from BGN 30,000 to BGN 100,000 for faster overcoming of the crisis.

Bulgarian Minister and her Egyptian colleague Dr Rania Al-Mashat opened a business forum in tourismThe focus of today's forum is the exchange of good practices in the field of tourism, in particular in the field of digitalization. The event is also a platform to promote our cultural and historical wealth and to share experiences for the sustainable development of the sector. This was stated by Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova at a business forum in Egypt. The Minister is on a working visit to Cairo, accompanied by a group of delegates, including representatives of local government and business, as well as members of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy and Tourism. The discussion was opened by the Bulgarian Minister and the Minister of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Dr Rania Al-Mashat. The forum was hosted by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, local government, the heads of many industry associations and companies operating in the sector.During the meeting, we had the opportunity to comment on the twinning between Bulgarian and Egyptian cities, which would further support the regional growth of the sector, said Minister Angelkova. She added that it is planned to hold thematic days of Bulgaria in Egypt and of Egypt in Bulgaria, which will help to increase the tourist visits in both countries.I am glad to be here and I believe that today's forum will have a positive impact on the development of the sector in both countries, said Minister Angelkova. She also noted that in the recent years Bulgaria has achieved excellent results in tourism, and for the first time last year we reported more than 9.2 million foreign visits. She thanked Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his cabinet colleagues for the assistance they provided to the sector. Minister Angelkova congratulated her colleague Dr Rania Al-Mashat on the achievements of Egyptian tourism last year.During the forum, Minister Al-Mashat announced that Bulgaria could be an example in the management and growth of various tourism products. A very good model for progress is balneo and spa tourism in Bulgaria, so we would like to learn from your experience in developing and promoting it, she further informs. And he commented that in both countries tourism is structurally determining.We could cooperate in the field of categorization of accommodation, said Ahmed el-Vasef, chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Federation. He stated that they were interested in our gourmet and culinary tourism products. It became clear at the forum that the introduction of uniform requirements for the all-inclusive is being prepared in Egypt.The Chamber of Private Companies congratulated the ministers on the good work and the increase in the number of tourists in both Egypt and Bulgaria and reiterated the importance of the sector for GDP of both countries. They pointed out that Varna has been a well-known destination for Egyptian tourists over the years.Egypt is a key country for us and I am glad that after some delay our economic relations are recovering, said Zhelyo Boychev, MP from the Committee on Economic Policy and Tourism. He added that tourism is a major economic sector for both countries and therefore it is crucial to work consistently to increase visits to the country. The deputy also said that there is a very good dialogue between the two ministries, which is the basis for beneficial work between Bulgaria and Egypt.Member of Parliament Ivan Mihovski emphasized the fact that tourism in Bulgaria is a national priority and is supported by all government representatives.Galina Stoyanova, Mayor of Kazanlak thanked for the opportunity to be among the delegates and to improve the economic relations of the municipality with Egypt. She presented to the participants in detail the tourism opportunities in the city and the sights in the Kazanlak region.A further working visit was discussed during the forum to conduct a broader discussion on the exchange of experience and good practices, with investment as the main focus. Minister Angelkova invited all participants to be guests within the second investment forum, which the Ministry of Tourism will organize in Sunny Beach next year.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting in London with top executives from Dutch tour operator Corendon, which has a strong presence in Benelux and owns an airline. She offers charter flights to Bourgas from Amsterdam, Maastricht and Brussels, with some of the longest summer seasons in Bulgaria with 9 flights per week. The interview took place at the 40th WTM International Tourism Exhibition in the British capital.In the summer of 2018, over 20,000 tourists travelled to Bulgaria via Corendon, but the opportunities are much greater among families and young couples. The company proposes a joint marketing campaign for our country in Benelux and forecasts an increase of its trips to Bulgaria for the summer of 2020 to 40,000.Minister Angelkova assured that there is potential for expanding the cooperation to other cities in our country as well as in the wings of the seasons, because the aim is to establish Bulgaria as a year-round destination.Speaking to the representatives of the Beautiful Destinations management team, Jeremy Jonesy, CEO, and Elizabeth Linder, CEO, Minister Angelkova presented the rich potential of our country as a destination for four seasons and recalled that despite the challenges this year, very good results in the sector are reported. In the first nine months of 2019, national statistics recorded over 7.8 million foreign visits to Bulgaria, which is a decrease of only 0.8% compared to the record for tourism in 2018.Bulgaria is becoming more and more attractive to foreign tourists not only with its well-established summer and winter vacations, but also with various offers for cultural, historical, balneo and spa, culinary, golf, adventure, eco and rural tourism, the minister emphasized. Our country is an increasingly preferred place for doing business, and especially for tourism the opportunities are extremely promising. In the spring of this year, an international forum for sustainable investment in the sector was held in our largest tourist complex in Sunny Beach. The aim was to attract the attention of leading brands in the tourism industry to the potential of Bulgaria and Southeast Europe. A second edition of the conference is to be held.Managers from Beautiful destinations have presented their operations in a number of markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa. Of interest to them is Bulgaria, which they like very much as a route, they shared and expressed their willingness for active cooperation in the field of digital transformation, contacts with social networks, online marketing, etc. Beautiful Destinations has wealth of experience with its Egypt marketing destination campaign.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Corendon is a leading tour operator, airline and hotel chain in the Dutch and Belgian tourist markets. Corendon Airlines flies to 45 countries and 145 airports, carrying around 2.5 million passengers annually. The airline also offers charter flights to leading European and Asian tour operators.Beautiful destinations is a worldwide travel organization brand. The company has created the world's largest social media travel community. More than 20 million people in 180 countries contact Beautiful Destinations on various international platforms every day.

Within the World Travel Market, the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism also talked with her Greek colleague Harry Theoharis and Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the WTO until 2017.Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with the Minister of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Dr Rania Al-Mashat. The two spoke at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London. The main focus of the debate was the discussion of measures to encourage tourism exchanges between the two countries.The organization of an official visit to Egypt, involving representatives of the state administration, the Bulgarian tourism business and local authorities, is being discussed, said Minister Angelkova. B2B meetings are expected to be held between delegates from both countries to comment on initiatives to increase travel in Bulgaria and Egypt. The working visit will be in continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt signed in May in Bulgaria.Minister Angelkova and Dr Rania Al-Mashat also discussed the possibilities of organizing a Bulgarian-Egyptian tourist forum with representatives of the industry from both countries. At the meeting, Minister Angelkova also raised the issue of setting up a joint working group, whose first session would be held in Bulgaria next year. This will deepen cooperation and allow for the exchange of experience and good practices that contribute to the sustainable development of tourism.During her working visit to London, Minister Angelkova also met with the Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Greece, Mr. Harry Theoharis.Greece is a key tourist market for us, with the number of visits from our southern neighbour ranking it second among the top destinations for inbound tourism, said Minister Angelkova.For the period January-September 2019 tourist visits from Greece to Bulgaria are over 892 thousand and increase by 4.7% compared to the same period a year earlier.The two ministers discussed the creation of joint projects to attract tourists from distant markets such as China, Japan and the US. Minister Angelkova emphasized that an important accent in our work is to encourage visits from those countries that traditionally choose to travel to several neighbouring countries.Minister Angelkova also spoke with Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization at the UN in 2009-2017. They commented on the progress in tourism as well as initiatives that could contribute to even greater achievements in the sector.

The country's UK marketing campaign has received new recognitionThe Ministry of Tourism was honoured with silver by the Bulgarian Association of Advertisers (BAA) during the sixth edition of the BAAwards competition.The Bulgarian Tourism Campaign in Great Britain The Great Swap has won the prize in the category "Brand activation campaign for a product or service to achieve a specific business objective". This is another award given to the Ministry in connection with this initiative. Earlier this year, the project was honoured with two awards in the 19th edition of the PR Prize 2019 Influencing the Influencers and two honours from the prestigious PHARE 2019 Advertising and Communication Festival.The Great Swap campaign is part of our country's communication as a travel destination, which began in September 2018 and ended on April 15, 2019. It was conducted in two waves and in various communication channels.The project is one of the most distinctive features of the British - their sense of humour. To that end, we offered them the best deal - the barter. Therefore, the game The big bargain was a trade - sunny weather in Bulgaria for English humour. For this purpose, the site www.thegreatswap.co.uk was developed. Any UK citizen could tell a British joke on the site, in return for playing for 3 one-week winter or 3 one-week summer vacations of their choice in sunny Bulgaria. Thus, in the exchange of "good time for English humour", the campaign managed to achieve excellent results according to the set goals.Even if they do not win, the consumers are acquainted with the numerous opportunities and variety of tourist products that Bulgaria offers. Thousands of jokes are uploaded to the site and there are hundreds of thousands of visits. Online advertising reached over 20 million impressions and outdoor advertising reached over 9 million.Last year, tourist visits of UK citizens to Bulgaria amounted to over 389 thousand, which is an increase of 15.2% compared to 2017. For the period January-August 2019, 362 127 visits from the UK were recorded, which is an increase by 21.3% compared to the same period of a record 2018

The focus is aimed at increasing the tourist flow; the forecasts of the world tour operator indicate sustainable growth of the market of Bulgaria and more tourists for our country Preparation of season 2020 and the possibilities which Bulgaria has to achieve a serious rise of the tourists from abroad was the topic of the workshop in Berlin between Minister Nikolina Angelkova and Thomas Ellerbeck, member of the Executive Committee of TUI Group and Group Director Corporate & External Affairs. The minister is on a working visit in Germany“Following the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook  - the oldest international tour operator, it is of extreme importance for us to have Bulgaria positioned successfully and to strengthen its positions of a stable destination for organized tourism”, said the Bulgarian minister. “Germany is the main tourist market for our country. We are working on the organization of a large Bulgarian-German tourist business forum. The main focus in it will be on summer and winter tourism as well as the possibilities of the Bulgarian historic and cultural, and balneo and SPA tourism” Minister Angelkova pointed out. “Our aim is to lengthen the active seasons, to increase the number of the tourists and their stay in our country and thus to win recognition for Bulgaria as a four-season destination”, commented Minister Angelkova. She presented the possibilities of our country to support the organized tourism via direct advertising aiming at the leading tourist markets.     Minister Angelkova informed her interlocutor that on 27 September – the World Tourism Day, it was officially announced in Sofia that an agreement had been signed between Bulgaria and the German health insurance companies which had been subject of years of hard work. This agreement will allow the German citizens who have health insurance to undergo treatment in our country.Thomas Ellerbeck said that the forecasts of TUI Group indicated a sustainable development of the market of Bulgaria. He emphasized that the company worked very well with the Bulgarian business and that the country was very well accepted among their clients. According to him an increase in the number of the tourists who will visit Bulgaria with TUI Group can be expected  next year.……………………………TUI AG with its hotels, air lines, cruise ships and tour operators is the biggest tourist enterprise in Europe. The abbreviation TUI means Touristik Union International. The company has 27 mill. clients/tourists on 31 target markets all over the world. It has 150 air planes under the brands of TUIfly, TUI Airways, TUIfly Nordic, TUI Airlines Belgium, Corsair International and TUI Airlines Nederland. The company also possesses 330 own hotels with a total of 11 696 rooms and 241 207 beds, as well as 16 cruise ships sailing under the brands of TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and  Marella Cruises. The turnover of the company as of the end of last year amounted to 19,52 billion EUR. The total number of the employees in the group is 69 000.

“The country is an extremely important market for us, within Top 3 for inbound tourism’’, said Minister Angelkova who is on a working visit in the Federal Republic. “I would like to thank the Bulgarian government for their reaction. You were one of the few countries who acted this way following the bankruptcy of the tour operator Thomas Cook”. These were the words of Ulrich Nussbaum, State Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany during the meeting with the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova. She is on a working visit in Germany where today she is having a number of meetings with regards to the possibilities for negotiations for season 2020 and the circumstances following the termination of the activity of the world tour operator.“We reacted in good time, a working group was formed in the ministry for the purpose of continuously following the situation,” Minister Angelkova pointed out. “Experts from the ministry were sent to the Black Sea coast to assist the tourists and the business and to help for the fast solution of any arising difficulties. It was important for us not to let the tourists from Germany and the other countries experience additional difficulties following the bankruptcy of the tour operator and to leave in them such impressions from Bulgaria which will make them visit our country next year again.  I am happy that they had a trouble-free holiday, this is of extreme importance for the image of the country as an attractive destination for organized tourism”, commented the Bulgarian minister. She announced in front of her host the readiness of the government to help the business in attracting more tourists via advertising. “The important thing is our two governments to work together which will contribute for the encouragement of the visits in both countries”, commented Minister Angelkova. “Tourism is a national priority for the Government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov thus a separate Ministry of Tourism has been established and its main aim is Bulgaria to win recognition as a year-round tourist destination.”The two interlocutors discussed the situation following the bankruptcy of the oldest tour operator and the possibilities of the respective legislation to decreases the damages of its partners. Minister Angelkova assured the State Secretary Nussbaum that Germany was among the Top 3 leading markets for inbound tourism in Bulgaria and that the attraction of the interest of the German tourists  was one of the main aims of the Ministry of Tourism. She also reminded that last year we had more than 9.2 million foreign tourist visits in our country and that tourism was a key sector for the development of economics as it formed 12% of the GDP.The minister pointed out that the German tourists mainly organized their trips via tour operators or international booking platforms. She added that Bulgaria and Germany had long-term and well-developed bilateral relations. “I would like to thank you and your colleagues for the good partnership over the last years which has helped us achieve this big success and already given the green light for joint work with the German health insurance companies“, said Minister Angelkova. “Thanks to these agreements, the health insurance companies will send to Bulgaria those German citizens who want to use the services of our health and SPA tourism and the rich natural resources of Bulgaria in terms of mineral springs. The private hotels can also offer those services of theirs which are certified and in compliance with the decrees of the Ministry of Health Care and the Ministry of Tourism.”

Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and President of “Petra National Trust” , took part in the forum“Bulgaria is using all possibilities to strengthen the role of tourism and through it to help for the long-term development of the Danube region. Culture and tourism are essential for the success of the EC strategy for this part of the continent and have the potential to make us stronger and more united.” These were the words of the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during the opening of the conference in Sofia on: Establishment of new cultural routes in the Danube region.Dana Firas, Princess of Jordan, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and President of “Petra National Trust”, took part in the forum organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the Council of Europe. Her Royal Highness is in the country at the invitation of the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism. The Minister of Culture Boil Banov also took part in the discussions. Minister Angelkova emphasized the significant contribution of our country to the establishment of three different types of thematic destinations – cultural-historical, wine-culinary and balneo- and SPA which had considerably increased the interest of the tourists. “This is also a way to bring people together. The number of visits to these sites has increased significantly – for some destinations the rise exceeds 100%”, announced she. “As an European initiative the Danube cultural platform aims to expand the cultural routes. Despite the big international competition, our country is winning bigger and bigger recognition as a destination of strong tourism and the whole government supports the sector,” added the minister. “Almost 12% of the GDP is formed by tourism and last year it attracted for the first time over 9 million foreign tourists,“ pointed she. “Bulgaria is getting more and more attractive on the geographic map. Tsarevets, Panagyurishte, the bridge of Kolyo Ficheto, Veliki Preslav, Pliska, Nessebar and many others are among the most visited places of interest. The routes are our chance to obliterate the borders and prejudices,” said Minister Angelkova.The Princess of Jordan Dana Firas drew attention to the fact that the cultural heritage is our identity but it also connects us to all parts of the world. “The investments improve the possibilities of tourism and the quality of life. The Danube region is very important as it unites member states of the EU and states which are not part of it. Our discussion is happening at a time when we can clearly see the damages from the short-sighted thinking on development. When tourism is well organized, there is balance between its development and the preservation of the cultural heritage. Here I have seen exactly this. It is an honour to be in Bulgaria – a country rich in cultural and historical heritage,” said Her Royal Highness. “It is important to meet and discuss various initiatives. I am impressed with the vision of Minister Angelkova,” she summarized.After the end of the conference Minister Angelkova announced before the media that the ministry was ready to start a pilot initiative – preparation of memorandum for cooperation with “Petra National Trust” for training of the coming generation how to preserve the cultural heritage by using the experience of the organization. The establishment of public councils for the large cultural sites  which would help their preservation and promotion was also considered.“Culture and creative sectors play an important role for the development of the country and I am sure that our cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism will continue,” said Minister Banov. “Our joint work will contribute to the expansion of the collaboration of the countries in the region as well as for exchange of good practices. The government recognizes cultural tourism as a key topic. It is a main priority and we will continue to work on it and to upgrade the achieved”.“I am happy because this conference is held in Sofia – a city of millennial history where cultural tourism holds an important place,” these were the words of the deputy-mayor of the capital, ass. prof. Dr Todor Chobanov. “A huge part of the tourists visit Bulgaria precisely because of the cultural tourism in our country. I greet the efforts of both ministries as the number of the tourists who have chosen the cultural tourism is increasing every year. Our museums are very interesting for the foreigners,” said ass. prof. Chobanov. Constanze Metzger, Routes4u senior project officer of the Council of Europe, emphasized the importance of the Danube region which is rich not only in natural and cultural resources but also in great cultural variety. “We are talking about two new route projects – the Iron Age and Cyril and Methodius,” said she. “The cultural routes cross at least 3 countries and are trans-national, they preserve their heritage. Europe is not just a political and economic union but a union of cultures,” commented Metzger. “The two routes will turn out to be successful only if we collaborate and thus transfer the past into the future. They will be most efficient if the local communities are included and if we all benefit from our strengths,” summarized she.

Today we celebrate 27 September – the World Tourism DayDear colleagues and partners,I would like to congratulate you on the World Tourism Day - 27 September which has been celebrated for more than 40 years under the  aegis of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) with the UN. On this date we express our gratitude to all people for whom tourism is a cause and who have accepted this difficult and responsible profession with both their head and their heart.  This profession is destiny of thousands of men and women in Bulgaria and is now hereditary for whole families. It requires a lot of effort, great working capacity, feeling of entrepreneurship, but also imagination as tourism is not simply a serious business, but also experience, emotion, even philosophy and attitude.I would like to congratulate the foreign tourists who have chosen our country as their destination – for many of them this is not the first or even the second time to be here. Bulgaria always has lots to tell and show them from its nature, history, culture, way of life, traditions, authentic folklore. Our country can guarantee to its guests a calm but interesting visit, and contact with a large number of artifacts, plentiful mineral waters, picturesque terrain, various accommodations and entertainments for every taste. And all this – during all four seasons. I congratulate those Bulgarian tourists who have voted for the Bulgarian resorts choosing to spend most of their vacation in Bulgaria.Bulgaria has huge potential to develop the sector which, together with the connected subbranches, generates almost 12% of the GDP and 11% of the total employment in Bulgaria.On behalf of the tourist sector I would like to thank Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and my colleagues from the government for their support of tourism which has become a priority for the national economics. Thus the efforts of many institutions and organizations were focused for the sustainable development of its horizontal structure.Throughout the years following the establishment of a separate Ministry of Tourism excellent results were achieves regarding the number of tourists, accommodation and the receipts from them for the whole history of the sector. In 2018 for the first time we exceeded the limit of 9 million foreign tourist visits. The income from the inbound tourism exceeded 7.3 billion BGN. More than 4 million people were accommodated in high-class hotels which comes to indicate that we offer a quality product at an attractive price.Now, despite the strong international competition, we continue to build on our achievements in a number of markets. From the beginning of 2019 till July inclusive, our country attracted more than 5.1 million visits of foreign tourists. In the period June-July 2019 the NSI recorded a 2% rise of the foreign tourists staying in hotels of 10 beds or more along our Black Sea coast. During that period the visitors from Ukraine were with 26% more in comparison with June-July 2018, from Moldova – with over 14%, from Great Britain and Greece – over 9 %, from Turkey – over 6%, from the Netherlands – over 9%, from Hungary – almost 35%, from Slovakia – around 17%, from Ireland – almost 45%, from China – over 13% etc. This was the strongest June-July period according to number of Bulgarians staying in hotels with 10 or more beds over the last years. The overall increase among our fellow countrymen is almost 13%.I believe that with joint efforts we can continue this positive trend in the tourist industry although today, at the end of season summer 2019, we are facing a critical situation of international scale which will inevitably affect Bulgaria as well. We are confronted by extremely difficult and complex challenges. We depend on collaboration with the responsible business so that together we can minimize the possible negative consequences for tourism and to overcome the case of the bankruptcy of one of the biggest world tour operators. I believe that we will act like real professionals and will protect the interests of all tourists in our country as well as of the Bulgarian tourist companies in order not to damage the image of our country as a destination for organized tourism which provides secure and comfortable stay.This year the topic of the world celebration of 27 September is “Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all”.   According to data of the WTO the sector generates 10% of the work positins in the world and participates actively in the aims for sustainable development because of its potential to offer worthy jobs and to  stimulate the local culture and the typically regional products. According to the International Labour Organization the accommodation and restaurant activities together with the services of the private sector will create most employment possibilities over the next five years. The micro-, small and average enterprises are the main driving forces in our professional sphere. The international researches indicate that about half of the teams work in companies of less than 10 people and about three quarters – in companies having personnel of less than 50 people. This sphere creates more employment possibilities for youths and women than any other sphere and opens more job positions in the rural and distant regions.In our country there are about 27 000 enterprises in the hotel and restaurant industries. In 2018 the total number of the people in Bulgaria engaged in tourism and  the connected economic activities are over 346 000, but more joint efforts are required to increase their number and skills in order to “secure” the business with enough qualified personnel. The aim of the competitive product is uncompromising quality. These and many other issues regarding the preparation and engagement of the employees are dealt with in the Inter-Agency Council for Personnel in Tourism which we established with the Ministry of Tourism. We apply good world practices and the experience of leading countries when taking decisions and for all legislative initiatives.The tourist industry is one of the most powerful levers to stimulate the economics of the planet. According to data of the World Tourism Organization, in 2018 the countries around the world have reported a total of 1.4 billion visits of foreign tourists and the rise in comparison with 2017 is more than 5%. According to World Travel & Tourism Council tourism and the connected subbranches  have created in 2018 a global GDP of 8.8  trillion dollars which is 10.4% of the world GDP and thus have accomplished a 3% increased in comparison to 2017. Tourism and its accompanying activities provide for about 10% of the work places on the Earth – last year 319 million people were occupied in this sphere.These achievements must be encouraged and developed in each country. New, dynamic ideas are required to increase the potential of tourism, to open more and better work positions via digital transformation and modern technologies.Life confronts us with new challenges and their successful solution guarantees good future of all people via tourism. We can and we will do it together!Congratulations! I wish you all health and excellence!

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova had a working meeting with H.E. Meceij Szymanski, Ambassador of Poland to Bulgaria, at her invitation. The main focus of the discussion was the termination of the activity of the tour operator “Thomas Cook” and its associated companies, one of which is “Neckermann Polska”, but they also discussed the possibilities for development of the tourism between the two countries.Poland is a very important market for inbound tourism in our country and we will fully cooperate for the overcoming of the situation following the bankruptcy of “Thomas Cook” as well as for the stimulation of the visits of tourists from Poland. During the meeting it became clear that there are 92 Polish tourists who are currently in Bulgaria via the services of “Thomas Cook”.Ambassador Meceij Szymanski commented that they had also learned the news for the bankruptcy of “Thomas Cook” with regret. He pointed that the companies had insurance and warranty fund thus not only the return of the Polish tourists could be organized if necessary, but also the continuation of the services for them through the fund. Ambassador Szymanski also pointed that so far no requests for assistance had been received in the embassy from Polish tourists in Bulgaria which meant that they hadn’t encountered problems.Minister Angelkova discussed with H. E. Szymanski the possibilities of our hotel keepers to address the warranty fund of Poland and their possible establishment as debtors if a common claim was prosecuted. “As a government we are doing our best to minimize the damages for the Bulgarian business and to ensure the successful return of all tourists following the termination of the activity of the big tour operator,” said the Bulgarian minister. “It is very important for the image of Bulgaria as a destination for organized tourism to work together and solve the situation in the best possible way. That’s why our teams are on site in the hotels and assist them and the tourist,” commented the minister.

170 Bulgarian municipalities with their history, culture, lifestyle and culinary art are presented in 27 destinations; the digitalization of this product presents them before the world.”Tourism is a branch policy and depends on all of us – business, state and local authorities. By presenting before the world the natural resources and riches of our country and the various tourim possibilities based on them – historic and cultural, balneo and spa, sport, cognitive, culinary etc, we create the conditions for the economic development of the local municipalities and means of livelihood for the people there.” These were the words of the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova  at a conference on “The Role of the Sustainable Innovative  Tourism  for the Stimulation of the Incorporating Growth, Commerce and Economic Co-operation”, organized by the embassies of the Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Korea and Republic of Turkey in Bulgaria as an initiative of MIKTA. The forum took place in the University of Sofia “S.Sv. Kliment Ohridski”.“The Ministry of Tourism has established 27 thematic destinations in total, including 8 cultural and historical, 12 wine and culinary and 7 balneo and SPA destinations for the purpose of supporting the local communities by stimulating the interest in the specialized forms of tourism,” said the minister. “About 170 Bulgarian municipalities are included in them. The popularization of various destinations,  every one of which reveals the specifics and culture of the region is of considerable importance to promote growth and economic development. The digitalization of the presented destinations popularizes the uniqueness of each region before the world. All these help for the sustainable development of tourism which the prime minister and the government turned into an economic priority”, said Minister Angelkova and reminded that the sector and its connected activities contributed for the formation of almost 12% of the gross domestic product of Bulgaria and for approximately 11% of the total employment.“This is the reason why the digitalization in tourism is among the main priorities in our activity as it will turn Bulgaria into a much more attractive destination not only for the foreign tourists but for investors as well. The fast internet connection in our country and our favorable geographic situation contribute for the image of Bulgaria as a sustainable and innovative tourist destination with the potential to stimulate the incorporating growth, commercial and economic cooperation. The policy aiming at the decrease of the administrative burdens in tourism is also in favour of the business and investors. 19 types of documents have already been abolished and all services of the tourist administration can be requested online 24/7 from all parts of the world”, said Minister Angelkova.She emphasized on the developed National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism and the Action Plan which is part of it. “Our aim is to attract visitors from distant markets such ad China and India, but also to build on our achievements so far. My team and I are working not only to popularize Bulgaria as a destination but to establish a sustainable and high-quality product,” concluded the minister.………………………MIKTA – Association for cooperation in the sphere of economics, safety, environment preservation and sustainable development, founded during a meeting of the UN as a non-formal structure/platform for negotiations in 2015 from Mexico, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Turkey and Australia.

The excellent results of the last years will be confirmed if, in the difficult 2019, together we convincing our partners in the potential of a Bulgaria destination   Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelova held a work meeting with representatives of leading tour operators in the Golden Sands Resort. In addition to taking an actuale picture of the situation on the different tourist markets and outlining measures to attract organized tourists in the late booking segment and the "last minute" for summer 2019, the meeting also discussed the preparation of the forthcoming summer 2020 season, which is usually done a year earlier.The purpose of the discussion is in an operational format to see what we have as bookings and reservations and what we have set for the next season. We will consolidate the excellent results of the last years if, in this difficult year, we can jointly convince our partners about the potential of a Bulgaria destination, the Minister said.  Forecasts show declines in some markets. That 2019 will be challenging and there will be a battle for every tourist in the region, we warned at the beginning of the year, Minister Angelkova noted. After three years of joint work, which saw very high growth rates in tourism, we are counting on concrete actions to justify the big expectations for the Bulgarian tourist product, Minister Angelkova said.  Participants in the conversation reaffirmed the picture with the strong competitive environment of countries in the region that lead a massive policy for returning tourists by direct subsidizing charter programs. As an EU member, Bulgaria can not afford subsidies, but ways to support organized tourism are being sought. The Minister reminded that the department has commissioned an analysis of the authoritative Ernst & Young company, and even the most conservative version of it shows an excellent effect for local economies and the state of attracting more tourists. The analysis will be presented for public discussion in a short timeframe and with the mechanisms adopted, we will give a clear signal to our partners. Minister Angelkova remarked that the focus should now be on promoting early registrations for 2020..In addition, in the Tourism Act, we have made changes to the status of the national resorts that will determine the activities and responsibilities on their territory. Despite the decline of youth tourism in some of our major resorts like Sunny Beach and Golden Sands from the last year, we have to develop the youth segment and attract young people as a trend.Minister Angelkova assured that good practices for expanding the wings of active seasons through higher employment during May, June and September will be promoted, which is essential for tourist services along the Black Sea coast. She pointed out that the proposals were made after analyzing the positive experience of other countries in this regard, including Greece, Croatia and others.                                                                    The business drew attention to the need to spend more on advertising the destination. She also noted that the funds should be targeted to promote the tour operator activity. Target-oriented advertising is also our focus, the Minister said, emphasizing the importance of identifying the exact targets in this activity. At the moment hotels and tour operators are pending. By the end of August the flight programs should be made, said Grigor Fidanov of "Hotel-Management Company" Ltd. He also focused on ways to show Bulgaria's potential to the dicision makers so that they could help the country's image.

7 offices of our country will be opened in the largest cities, the first one launched in 2017 in the Shanghai metropolis  Bulgaria has two new tourist information centers in China – in Beijing and Chengdu, Sichuan province.On June 20th, 2019, a tourist information center was set up in Beijing, whose task is to promote the opportunities for tourism in our country to Chinese citizens and to make contacts between Bulgarian and Chinese tour operators. The official opening ceremony was attended by prominent representatives of China's tourism business.  Greetings and wishes for the center's success were expressed by Secretary General of the World Tourism Alliance, Liu Shijun, Bulgaria's Ambassador to the Asian State, Grigor Porozhanov, and the director of the "Programs and Projects in Tourism" Directorate at the Ministry of Tourism - Milka Nanova. On June 21st, 2019, Bulgaria's Tourist Information Center was also opened in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.At the opening of the two centers, Mrs. Nanova stressed their importance for promoting a destination Bulgaria to the enormous Chinese market and pointed out that they are the result of the Ministry of Tourism's efforts to make our country even more recognizable in the distant market. She handed over to the Chinese partners the determination of Minister Nikolina Angelkova and her team to deepen cooperation with China as one of the important and extremely promising markets for Bulgarian tourism. The opening of the centers in China is the result of a public-private partnership after a signed Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Chinese Hiseas Tourism Development Group. The company works with tour operators and travel agents on the Chinese market, which book travels to their tourists in Europe. With the Memorandum, the Chinese partner has committed to jointly open with the Ministry of Tourism information centers for tourists in major cities of China, while at the same time helping to promote Bulgaria through various information channels in China. The agreement provides for the opening of 7 tourist information centers in China.The Ministry of Tourism is also taking part with its stand at the big international tourism exhibition, which opened on June 18 in Beijing. We presented films about Bulgaria, distributed Chinese language advertising materials, held many fruitful talks and meetings in which we established professional contacts, said the Director of Programs and Projects at the Ministry of Tourism, Milka Nana. An interview with the Bulgarian representative was broadcast on the Chinese TV travel channel.Since the establishment of the Ministry of Tourism as an independent institution, there has been a focused policy for Bulgaria's representation on the Asian markets, especially the Chinese. Back in September 2017, the first Bulgarian tourist information center was opened in the Shanghai metropolis. Then the top executives of China's tourism, aviation, finance and trading business were present in the financial capital of China.

Minister Angelkova spoke with Algeria's Minister of Tourism and Crafts Abdelkader Benmessaoud. The two discussed future joint initiatives in the framework of the International Conference on Sustainable Investment in Tourism in Sunny Beach, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation in Tourism between the two countries..Minister Angelkova said that if Algerian investors wish to invest in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Tourism will cooperate fully.She added that investment in tourism contributes to the long-term and sustainable growth of the sector nationally, as well as to attracting more visitors from distant markets to Bulgaria and the Old Continent.Mr Benmessaoud, on his part, congratulated Minister Angelkova on the success of the International Forum in the largest Bulgarian resort and explained that he was impressed with Bulgaria's progress in the economy and tourism. He added that our country has positive development in the quality of tourist services and SPA tourism.The Minister of Tourism and Crafts of Algeria also said that his country has a large number of international airports, which undoubtedly allows Algerian tourists to get acquainted with the beauties of Bulgaria and vice versa.

Top entrepreneurs from Bulgaria outlined the potential for investments in our tourism and proved with examples how this venture is successful According to international forecasts, 40% growth in the tourism sector of Bulgaria is expected over the next 10 years. This is a huge potential, the realization of which depends entirely on the joint efforts of all of us - institutions, business, local authorities. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during the panel “Investment Opportunities in Bulgaria”, which is being held at the International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Investment in Sunny Beach. The discussion was moderated by BBC journalist Rajan Datar.Bulgaria has very good conditions for business and outsourcing, especially in tourism, said Minister Angelkova. She recalled that the most favorable tax regime in Europe was created in our country. The corporate tax rate is 10% - the lowest in the EU. Individual income tax is fixed at 10%. In the high-unemployment industry, the tax rate is 0% and legal incentives have been introduced for large investments, she said, pointing out Prime Minister Borisov's government's contribution of making the industry a national priority.Tourism, together with related industries, accounts for about 12% of our country's GDP and approximately 11 percent of total employment. It is important to have a good environment for businesses with 100% compliance with Bulgarian and European legislation, said the Minister. She drew attention to the consistent efforts of her team to reduce administrative burdens for businesses and citizens through a number of legislative initiatives.Representatives of leading tourism and construction companies, resorts, industry organizations participated in the discussions.In his speech, Konstantin Boyadzhiev, CEO of Galaxy Investment Group, noted that ever since the existence of an independent Ministry of Tourism, the burden on business has been relieved. We work very well with the Ministry. The Bulgarian InterContinental opened in Sofia only 2 years ago, and today it is second in results in the group for Europe and we are proud of it. It is worth investing in Bulgarian tourism, he was adamant.Minister Angelkova confirmed that the electronic services offered by the Office as a single portal from 2018 provide 24/7 administrative service from anywhere in the world within 3 minutes.The business representatives also confirmed the great potential for investment in balneo- and SPA resorts and in the utilization of mineral springs - not only in the most visited resort areas, but also in the smaller settlements, which besides these natural features have many cultural and historical landmarks.

The country is consistently facilitating the business, we are working to attract global tourism brands to the region It is important for all of us to show the prospects for investing in tourism in Central and Southeastern Europe and in the Mediterranean region, but also to provide a platform where business representatives, global hotel chains, investment funds, banks, social media, universities, local authorities to establish contacts, communicate with each other and thus to attract interest in Bulgaria and the region. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova at the opening of the International Conference on Sustainable Investment in Tourism in Sunny Beach with the participation of experts from more than 20 countries.The event was attended by the Minister of Tourism and Crafts of Algeria Abdelkader Benmessaoud, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic, the Minister of Tourism of Egypt Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, the Secretary General of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Michael Christides, leading representatives of the tourism and related industries from different countries. Moderator of the ministry panel Tourism in Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean was BBC journalist Rajan Datar.We launch the forum in the biggest Bulgarian resort complex in the year of its 60th anniversary to show its opportunities for business partnership. Today's conference will create not only good professional relationships, but also lasting friendships through which we will be able to realize specific initiatives, said Minister Angelkova.She stressed the efforts of the tourist administration to draw attention to other major Black Sea resorts in the country such as Golden Sands, Albena, Dunes, but also to our winter resorts with their potential for various conference events. All of them would successfully contribute to the achievement of our main goal - making Bulgaria a year-round tourist destination and expanding the wings of the seasons, stressed the Minister.Minister Angelkova noted that tourism was raised by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the government among the priority sectors of the national economy. The branch and its related industries contribute to the formation of nearly 12% of gross domestic product and about 11 percent of total employment. Revenues from international tourism in 2018 in Bulgaria amount to over 3.7 billion euros. Over the past three years, the industry has been delivering record-breaking results throughout its history. For 2018 over 9.2 million foreign tourist visits were registered and the border of 9 million such visits was crossed for the first time.Tourism in Southeastern Europe is also developing at a rapid pace, with the region welcoming over 120 million tourists in 2018, with tourism revenues amounting to over $ 100 billion, said Minister Angelkova. In essence, this represents 11.7% of total Gross Domestic Product for Southeast European countries. The huge potential of the tourism industry in this part of the world provides new opportunities for investment in business projects in tourism and travel, acting as an important driver of economic growth, development model and higher employment throughout the region.Bulgaria can offer many years of experience in the field of summer sea and winter mountain skiing. For us, they are a major source of revenue for the industry. In order to develop the potential of a year-round tourist destination, we have focused our efforts in promoting our cultural and historical heritage, combined with balne- and spa tourism. Through the development of common tourism products between the countries, we give an excellent example of how we can find the desired synergy in tourism regionally, explained Minister Angelkova, and presented the good base on which our country steps - the most favorable tax regime in Europe and legal incentives for big investments.The country is making efforts to facilitate business, there are incentives for the regions as well. We also want to attract the big brands and we already have the confidence of Marriott that they will expand their presence in Sofia, we hope this will happen on the Black Sea as well, it became clear from her words. Bulgaria is among the three countries in Europe together with Italy and Greece in the number of discovered artifacts from at least 7 epochs. Our country is also second in the Old Continent after Iceland in mineral water reserves and resources, suitable for the treatment and prevention of almost all medical complaints. The Ministry of Tourism has developed a total of 27 thematic destinations for the territory of the country - 8 cultural-historical, 12 wine-culinary and 7 balneo- and SPA facilities, said Minister Angelkova.Egyptian Minister Dr Rania Al-Mashat said from the tribune that tourism is an important sector that has an impact on the economy of all countries. We are working hard to invest more in developing its capacity and qualification of people working in the sector. We will discuss at the intergovernmental level the possibilities for initiatives in this direction, she said.Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization to the United Nations in 2009-2017 addressed the conference live. He appreciated the idea of convening the forum and wished successful implementation of the ideas discussed and future projects investments.

Developing a specialized route to promote major Jewish landmarks in the country would build on the Ministry of Tourism's efforts to promote Bulgaria's cultural and historical heritage.Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova and President of the Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom” Assoc. Prof. Alexander Oscar joined around this thesis.The promotion initiative will include key landmarks for the Jewish community in 13 municipalities across the country. It will be a strong sign of respect for the cultural and historical contribution of the Jewish community, as well as a consistent step in efforts to attract more and more tourists, not only from Israel, but also from the compact Jewish communities in Europe and the world that traditionally prefer specialized tourist products.Israel ranks 11th in terms of number of inbound tourists in Bulgaria in 2018 (245,000 tourists, or an increase of 17% over the previous year). Only for the first 3 months of this year nearly 45,000 Israel citizens have visited our country (also a 4% increase over the same period in 2018).Conversations with municipalities to consolidate information on specific sites to attract even more tourist interest to our country in this direction are forthcoming.

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a work meeting with HE. Doan Tuan Lin, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Vietnam to Bulgaria.The two discussed the idea of signing an agreement in the field of tourism to foster co-operation between the two countries, as well as increasing the number of tourists.Following the example of the open tourist information centers in China and Japan, the possibilities for opening such a information center in Vietnam were discussed, with the help of which the tourists' interest in the culture and the landmarks of Bulgaria would be enhanced.We need to create even better opportunities for promoting tourism. I believe that signing a cooperation agreement would be of great importance for both Bulgaria and Vietnam, said Minister Angelkova.She told the Ambassador of Vietnam that she is currently working on the creation of a Balkan tourist route, which is jointly implemented by 11 countries in the region and is intended for distant and promising markets.During the meeting the possibilities for joint organization of forums and conferences were discussed, as well as participation in exhibitions that would facilitate a good dialogue between business, tour agencies and organizations in both countries.H.E. Doan Tuan Lin congratulated the Bulgarian Minister on the successes in the field of tourism and praised the idea of an agreement to consolidate the foundations of a good partnership.

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a work meeting with the Ambassador of Italy to Bulgaria HE. Stefano Baldi. The two discussed the partnership between the two countries in tourism and their active presence in UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) initiatives at the UN.Italy is a very important market for Bulgarian tourism and our bilateral relations have long traditions, especially in promoting cultural and historical routes and landmarks, stressed Minister Angelkova. She reported that nearly 158,000 Italian citizens visited our country last year as tourists, which ranked 15th in our inbound tourism ranking, and assured the diplomat that the department was working consistently to increase their numbers.Minister Angelkova invited His Excellency and Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Tourism Gian Marco Centinho to participate in the International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Investment, which the Ministry has organized at the end of May this year in Sunny Beach. A special guest of the forum will be Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the WTO from 2009 to 2017. Our goal is to present Bulgaria not only as an interesting destination on the tourist map for four seasons, but also as a promising place for doing business and offering high quality tourist services, she said.Ambassador Baldi congratulated Minister Angelkova and her team on the results achieved and presented various initiatives of the embassy that could attract tourists. Among them is an exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci, which will be presented to the National Library St. St. Cyril and Methodius in Sofia and in Bulgarian schools where Italian is taught. The interlocutors also discussed the cooperation between Plovdiv and Matera as European Capitals of Culture in 2019.

We follow the latest trends and try to meet the expectations of tourists with quality, innovative and interesting tourist products.This was stated by Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova during a conversation with Gary Knell, chairman of National Geographic Partners at the 19th Global Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Summit in Seville, Spain.She presented the rich cultural and historical heritage of our country. Bulgaria ranks third after Italy and Greece in terms of cultural monuments and artifacts - over 40,000. In this regard were discussed opportunities National Geographic Partners to support the promotion of the Bulgarian cultural heritage.The Minister said that at the end of 2019 a new wave of integrated communication campaigns is planned in the target markets of our country. They will use a variety of information channels to target specific focus groups directly.The Bulgarian Minister informed Mr Knell that in recent years our country has become more attractive among foreigners, with foreign visits exceeding 9.2 million last year alone. Their growth compared to 2015 is 30.6%, representing more than 2 million more foreign tourists. Revenues from them in 2018 were 34% higher than in 2015. Only in Sofia the overnight stays of foreign nationals in accommodation establishments with 10 or more beds in 2018 were over 767 thousand.Minister Angelkova also officially invited the chairman of National Geographic Partners to participate in the International Conference on Sustainable Investment in Tourism, to be held in Sunny Beach at the end of May.Mr Knell congratulated Minister Angelkova on the efforts she is making to develop the tourism sector and added that Bulgaria has huge potential to attract even more guests as a preferred destination.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova held a work meeting with Elena Kountoura, Greek Tourism Minister. The two spoke at the 19th Global Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Summit in Seville, Spain.Greece is a leading inbound tourism market for us, ranking second among the top destinations last year, said Minister Angelkova. She specified that the visits from our southern neighbor in 2018 are more than 1.116 million. Bulgarians who traveled to Greece last year were 1.4 million.The Ministry of Tourism works consistently to increase the number of tourists, the institution implements an integrated marketing campaign on the Greek market, in which Bulgaria is promoted with the opportunities for sea, winter, SPA and eco tourism.The Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism and Greece have joint initiatives to attract more tourists from the distant markets in the region, said Minister Angelkova. She explained that one of them was approved at the end of last year and refers to the project „Innovative instruments for the protection and promotion of cultural and natural heritage in the cross-border region – TOURISM-e". Greece is also among the 11 countries that have joined the initiative to create the so-called common Balkan tourist route. It is expected to be implemented by the end of 2019, the Minister added.An important focus of our work this year is attracting more investment in tourism, which is why on May 31st, 2019 in Sunny Beach the Ministry of Tourism organized an International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Investment, said Minister Angelkova. She invited her colleague Elena Kountoura to participate in the forum and specified that a special guest would be Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization at the UN in 2009-2017.

Bulgaria is among the countries with huge potential for investment in tourism, which is yet to be discovered by business, and we will encourage this interest. This was stated in Seville by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova before the participants in the dialogue of the leaders of the world tourism - one of the leading events at the 19th Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The forum is being held from April 2-4, 2019 under the title Visionaries in the tourism sector (Changemakers).Leaders' dialogue focused on good practices to maximize investment in tourist destinations by improving the business environment so as to ensure long-term sustainable growth and competitiveness of the sector.In her speech, Minister Angelkova noted that in the last few years Bulgarian tourism has noticed a significant increase in tourist visits and their revenues. In 2018, almost 9.3 million visits of foreign tourists were reported in the country, with a 31% increase in such visits over the last 4 years, and their revenue increased by 34%.The Bulgarian tourist industry employs over 26,000 companies. The sector, together with its related industries, generates 11.7% of the country's GDP and was raised by the government in national priority, said Minister Angelkova. She stressed that since its establishment as an independent institution at the end of 2014, the Ministry of Tourism has encouraged the attraction of investments for the sustainable and balanced development of the sector at national, regional and local level.In this respect, Bulgaria has a number of competitive advantages - the most favorable tax regime in Europe. The corporate tax rate is 10% - the lowest in the EU. Individual income tax is fixed at 10%. For high-unemployment industries, the tax rate is 0% and legal incentives have been introduced for large investments. The workforce is well-educated, highly skilled, accounting for over 62 percent of the population, she said.Bulgaria has a strategic geographical position providing direct access to the main tourist markets of the Black and Mediterranean Sea, said Minister Angelkova and emphasized that the natural and climatic conditions together with the rich cultural and historical heritage of the country are a prerequisite for a great variety of tourist services through the four seasons of the year. She also emphasized that Bulgaria offers the best value for money, offering high quality tourism products at reasonable value to different target groups, and this is one of the strong competitive advantages of the destination.The most developed tourism sub-sectors in Bulgaria are the maritime, recreational and mountain tourism, generating 95% of the revenues from our tourism industry. The country also offers excellent opportunities for cultural and historical tourism with its over 40,000 discovered artifacts, announced Minister Angelkova. She added that SPA and balneo-tourism also have huge potential for development in the future. Bulgaria ranks second in Europe in natural mineral resources, with about 1600 mineral springs.The Ministry of Tourism is ready to assist in attracting more investors in these areas, as well as in the provision of wine / gourmet, congress tourism, etc. in order to increase the progress in the regions. Promoting this business interest is a top priority this year. We have taken the first steps to upgrade a specialized map of investment projects in tourism that we have created, explained Minister Angelkova. The initiative looks at a variety of business start-ups in one of the most profitable and sustainable sectors of our economy. We are preparing a second edition of the map and its digital version. The Ministry also plans investment tours in the country to provide more information about Bulgarian and foreign entrepreneurs, it became clear from the Minister's statement to the forum.She also noted that one of the events in this direction is the International Conference on Sustainable Attraction of Investments in Tourism, which will be held at the end of May 2019 in Sunny Beach. The purpose of the forum is to raise awareness of the investment potential in the country and region of Southeast Europe, as well as to discuss a common vision for addressing challenges in this area. Minister Angelkova invited the attendees to take part in the upcoming event and to get acquainted with the various possibilities of Bulgaria as a destination.

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova talks in the Russian capital with Zarina Doguzova, head of the Federal Tourism Agency. The meeting was held during the work visit of the Bulgarian Minister of the International Tourism Exchange Intourmarket 2019.The two met only a week ago in Sofia on the eve of the Bulgarian-Russian Tourism Forum, which was opened by the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov and of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev. Zarina Doguzova congratulated Minister Angelkova on organizing the forum, which outlined important directions for future tourism cooperation between the two countries. „I am very pleased to welcome such dear guests as you. For me, good relations between Bulgaria and Russia are a priority”, said the head of Russian tourism.Minister Angelkova thanked for the warm welcome and declared readiness to implement the Program for Joint Actions in the Field of Tourism between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation for the period 2019-2021. The document was signed at the Russian Prime Minister's visit Dmitry Medvedev here.The Bulgarian minister said that efforts will be made to promote cultural and historical routes to Russian guests in Bulgaria. The tourism administration intends to create pilgrimage routes together with business and local authorities.During the meeting the possibilities for recreation in the children's camps on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast were discussed. We have started discussing a Regulation for them, the expertise of your specialists will be useful, said Minister Angelkova. She discussed with Zarina Doguzova and the measures, prepared with the Bulgarian municipalities, for stimulating charter flights with Russian tourists to Bulgaria.Minister Angelkova officially invited Mrs. Doguzova to attend the Bulgarian-Russian Regional Tourism Forum, which will be held in April in Veliko Tarnovo. The fact that the event will be in the Old Throne City will allow the Russian tour operators and the representatives of the regions to reconsider the rich opportunities for cultural and historical tourism in Bulgaria.The head of Russian tourism stressed that the implementation of the Bourgas-Novorossiysk ferry will further increase the exchange of tourists between the two countries.

In Russia, the Minister spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Altai region and the Minister of Economic Development Pavel Dityatev An agreement on tourism cooperation with the Altai region is to be signed. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during her conversation with Pavel Dityatev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Altai region Government and Minister of Economic Development, and with Evgeny Vitalievich Deshevich, Head of the Tourism and Resort Development Department.  They met during the work visit of the Bulgarian Minister to Russia during the Intourmarket 2019 international tourist exchange. Negotiations are currently underway and the details of the document are being specified.Work is also underway to organize a forum aimed at health tourism, Minister Angelkova informed. This is an area where we can very actively partner with the Altai region. Russian tourists most often visit Bulgaria in the summer and mainly at the sea, but our country is also known for cultural, historical and winter tourism. The Minister also said that joint cultural-historical routes could be developed to help increase travel.Representatives of the Altai region said they were interested in investing in tourism in Bulgaria. They stated that they are familiar with our rich culture and the many historical monuments that are under UNESCO protection.

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova met with the Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators in Russia - ATOR Maya Lomidze. They spoke during the work visit of the Bulgarian Minister to Russia during the Intourmarket 2019 international tourism exchange. The meeting also discussed the possibility of holding a joint conference between tour operators, ATOR members and representatives of Bulgarian business. This household will give additional opportunities for the representatives of the Russian tourist business to see on the spot the various opportunities offered by our country for vacations and trips, said Minister Angelkov. Maya Lomidze defined as very successful and fruitful the Bulgarian-Russian conference in the field of tourism in Sofia, which was opened by the Prime Ministers of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov and Russia Dmitry Medvedev.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova participated in the ninth ministerial meeting on the Silk Road project. The discussion is organized by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and is being held in Berlin at the ITB International Tourism Fair.Since its inception, the Silk Road program has made a significant contribution to establishing it as an internationally recognized, cultural and tourist route, and interest has grown steadily in recent years, the Minister said. She added that for Bulgaria, as a country part of the Western Silk Road, it is extremely important to be actively involved in all phases of the initiative's development.We hosted the second international seminar “On the Western Silk Road” and made a national analysis of our heritage, which is part of the initiative, informed Minister Angelkova. Our participation in this pilot project sheds light on the tourism potential of the Silk Road project and the overall benefits of promoting it.The Bulgarian Minister of Tourism also stressed that a project could be considered for collecting and summarizing information about the initiative, which could be used as a common database on the tourism potential of the Silk Road project.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova opened Bulgaria's national booth at the ITB-Berlin 2019 International Tourism Fair.Our presence at the largest tourist exhibition in the world is of great importance for presenting Bulgaria as a year-round destination, the Minister said. She emphasized the importance of the German market among the inbound tourism generators in Bulgaria and emphasized the active dialogue of the Ministry with leading tour operators and investors in the Federal Republic.The exchange is intended for both professionals and the general public and has been organized since 1966. Bulgaria is among the longest-standing participants in it, said Minister Angelkova. Our country is represented in the exhibition under the National Tourism Advertising Program for this year. This year's edition will continue until March 10th.Bulgaria participates in the prestigious Berlin Exchange with a national stand of 413 square meters, with the number of participants not only from the Ministry of Tourism exceeding 40. A total of over 10,000 co-exhibitors, 110,000 professionals from over 180 countries will be represented in the most prestigious event for the tourism industry, and about 160,000 visitors and an audience are expected. The exhibition is the leading B2B platform for all international tourism exhibitions.Bulgaria's Ambassador to Germany Elena Shekerletova was also present at the opening of the stand.

Bulgaria and Russia signed Joint Tourism Action Program between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation for the period 2019-2021. The ceremony was part of the official visit to Bulgaria of the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and a delegation led by him on March 4th and 5th. It is at the invitation of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova and Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, signed the document. The Program is in implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Russian Federation for Tourism Cooperation of 8th of May 2007.The program is another serious step to deepen the traditionally good relations between the two countries in a sector as important to their economies as tourism, said Minister Angelkova. She emphasized that Russia is one of the most important generating markets for the incoming tourism of Bulgaria and that the preferences of the tourists from the Federation are constantly in the focus of attention of the Bulgarian tourist administration and business in Bulgaria for conducting an active marketing policy and attracting more visitors.  With the new program, the two countries are keen to strengthen their ties, recognizing tourism's potential for their economic development. They will help increase the mutual tourist flow, it is also planned to establish direct contacts between the Bulgarian and Russian tourist organizations and exchange information on the legislation in the field of tourism.Bulgaria and Russia will contribute to the protection of the legal interests and rights of tourists, to ensure the safety of their stay, to improve the quality of service, as well as to take measures in extraordinary and emergency situations.The document will encourage the exchange of statistical information in tourism, including related to the development of tourism infrastructure. An exchange of information and experts will also take place between the organizations for the purpose of training and professional development of the professional staff for the tourism industry.It is envisaged that the two countries will also cooperate in the implementation of the state marketing strategy and projects in the tourism sphere, as well as in the implementation of innovations. The experience of tourism professionals and journalists will be shared. The program aims to organize a year of tourism in Bulgaria in Russia and Russia in Bulgaria. Relations between regional tourism organizations will also be encouraged.Bulgaria and Russia express their will to continue their cooperation in a number of international organizations, including the World Tourism Organization Commission for Europe (UNWTO), the Working Group for “Tourizm cooperatin” of the the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), etc.

Bulgaria ranks among the countries with growth higher than the EU average by nights in accommodation. This is evidenced by Eurostat's published preliminary data for 2018.According to statistics, the nights spent in accommodation establishments with 10 or more beds in our country exceeded 26.8 million last year, and the reported growth is 3 percent. The EU average increase is 2.2%. In terms of growth, our country is ahead of countries such as Denmark - 2.7%, France - 2.4%, Greece - 0.5% and Italy - 1.9%.Eurostat data proves that efforts to popularize the country as a destination for quality tourism with a variety of recreation opportunities are yielding results, said Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova. However, what has been achieved in the last 3 years must ambition us to fight for the confidence of every tourist, the Minister added.According to the other indicator, the nights spent by foreigners in accommodation establishments with 10 or more beds, the results for Bulgaria are over 17.7 million, an increase of 3.8 percent. The growth in Bulgaria again exceeds the average for the EU countries, which is 2%. The increase in the number of nights spent by foreign nationals in Bulgaria's competitors is as follows: Croatia 3.5%, Greece 2.5%, Cyprus 3.2%.The total amount of revenues from international tourism in Bulgaria for 2018 is over BGN 7.3 billion, which is an increase of 6.5 percent, shows the latest data of the Bulgarian National Bank.

Memorandum of Understanding in the sphere of Tourism between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia was signed in Belgrade by the minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova and Rasim Lyaich, vice president in our west neighbour. The ceremony took place immediately before the official opening of the 41st Belgrade Tourism Fair IFT in Belgrade where special emphasis was placed on Bulgaria as a partner country.The document shall encourage the business contacts between the administrations and tourist organizations of both countries via  various measures for increasing the two-way tourist flow, as well as joint initiatives for attraction of third country markets, far country markets included.“Bulgaria and Serbia are strategic partners in the sphere of tourism and we should develop even more actively our good relations in the sector which is a national priority for our economics, “ emphasizes minister Angelkova.The memorandum also provides for partnership in the organization of joint specialized events, tours for professionals and medias, participation in international exhibitions, exchange of statistics, advertisements, analysis and other information regarding the tourist potential of both countries, as well as collaboration for  the purpose of attraction of more investments. The bilateral support for initiatives of the United Nations World Tourism  Organization, the Black Sea Economic Co-operation Organisation, the EU’s Danube Strategy etc will be also broadened.During her visit in Belgrade minister Angelkova paid attention to the importance of the specialized types of tourism and our country’s offer to create a common Balkan route which can attract more visitors from Europe and the world to the region due to the joint competitive product and services in the sector. 11 countries showed interest to the initiative, including Serbia. The leading topic of the project is the rich cultural and historical heritage under the aegis of UNESCO in the region.

The minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova met in Moscow the Fist Vice-President of the Russian  State Duma  Ivan Melnikov. Representatives of the Bulgarian parliamentary delegation accompanying minister Angelkova during her official visit to the Russian capital also took part in the meeting.Minister Angelkova thanked the Fist Vice-President of the lower chamber of the Federal Assembly of Russia for the support of the Russian partners in the development of active bilateral relations with regards to tourism. She said that we would be happy if the two countries could increase with common efforts the interest of the Russian and Bulgarian tourists towards them.The Bulgarian minister assured her hosts that the safety and security of the Russian tourists were extremely important  in the policy for tourist flow encouragement. Minister Anglkova emphasized that meetings with the Council of the Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development were already held and that one of the main aims was cooperation with the Russian regions. Apart from popularizing the possibility of summer vacations, the advertising campaign of the ministry towards the Russian market is also focused on the cultural, historical, balneotherapeutic, SPA and recreational tourism.It became clear from her words that another important focus were the children’s recreation and the children’s holiday camps which we were familiar with from an early age. Minister Angelkova said that we were developing a decree in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Russia in order to satisfy the requirements of the Russian market in that respect and declared that we would depend on their support  in the future as well in order to promote Bulgaria as a leading and competitive holiday place for the Russian tourists.She announced the achieved record results in the sector over the last three years after the creation of a separate Ministry of Tourism.  For the first eleven months of 2018 the receipts from international tourism in Bulgaria amounted to 7.2 billion BGN and the foreign tourist visits during the whole last year were over 9.2 million which is almost a 5% rise in comparison to 2017. In comparison to 2015 the increase of the number of the foreign tourists is more than 30%, and with respect to the receipts till November included this rise is more that 34% in comparison to the same years.“Our citizens love having their holidays in Bulgaria,”  assured Ivan Melnikov and emphasized that the Russian country was well disposed for the further development of the relations between the two countries in the future. According to him our two countries were close in spirit and had good traditions. “We want to jointly encourage the cruise tourism and to work in such a way as to have good transport connections,” underlined the Fist Vice-President of the Russian  State Duma.The  Vice-President of the National Assembly,  Yavor Notev, who was part of the Bulgarian delegation, said that the development of tourism was supported on parliamentary level as well.

Bulgarian and Russian deputies gave prominence to tourism as one of the engines for bilateral relations Minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova held in Moscow meetings with representatives of the Council of the Federation and the Bulgaria Cooperation Group. The minister is on an official visit in the Russian capital, accompanied by a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation.“For me as a minister and for the Bulgarian government it is important to ensure the safety and security of each tourist. These were also the highlights of the meeting of the prime minister Boiko Borisov and the president Vladimir Putin last year in Moscow,” said minister Angelkova. She emphasized the great importance of the Russian market for the sustainable development of the inbound tourism in Bulgaria and ensured the people present that the department had made constant efforts to stimulate the tourist flow from the Federation.“The commitments to work for the increase of the tourist flow will be met. One of the highlights was a two-year plan for the tourist sector which was accepted at a meeting of the Working Group in October 2018. At that meeting possibilities were discussed to declare a year of Bulgarian tourism in Russia and vice versa in order to stimulate the tourist flow to our country, we will work with the Russian regions,” said minister Angelkova.“During the exhibition Intourmarket we expect a memorandum with the Association of the Regions in Russia to be signed. We are negotiating and finalizing agreements with the Region Altai. We will welcome your cooperation for representative of all regions to visit Bulgaria, to get acquainted with the cultural and historical tourism and the children’s holidays. There are many towns in Bulgaria and Russia with friendship agreements and we plan a number of initiatives in that connection. The programme “Bulgaria – a Country of Health” is also under development. Last year we had more than 512k Russian tourists who visited Bulgaria. In 2018 the results in the sector are record – more than 9.27 million foreign visits for the year and 7.2 billion BGN of receipts for the first 11 months of last year.”“We are having negotiations and organizing regular meetings with the tour operators working on the Bulgarian market.” Minister Angelkova thanked for the support which the institutions in Russia render for popularizing the bilateral relations  and the tourism in particular. “This economic sector in extremely important for Bulgaria and there are long traditions of good business relations between Russia and Bulgaria. We work to build on the results achieved and to ensure high quality of the services offered in order to become a competitive and desirable destination,” generalized the Bulgarian minister of tourism.A discussion took place under the authority of minister Angelkova with the following participants from the Russian side: Vasiliy Ikonnikov, Head of the Cooperation Group between the Council of the Federation and the National Assembly, Igor Fomin, vice president of the Council of the Federation on social policy and member of the group, Veleriy Kulikov, member of the Committee of the Council of the Federation on defense and safety and member of the group, Elena Popova, member of the Committee of the Council of the Federation on social policy, Vasiliy Zhelnov, head of the Department for Bilateral Interparliamentary Cooperation of the International Relations Department of the Council of the Federation, Lidiya Nikitina, responsible secretary of the Cooperation Group between the Council of the Federation and the National Assembly.The participants in the workshop from the Bulgarian side were the Vice-President of the National Assembly Yavor Notev, Krasimir Velchev, co-chairman of the Bulgaria-Russian Friendship Parliamentary Group, the deputies Hristo Prodanov, Hairi Sadakov, Polina Tsankova-Hristova. The Bulgarian and Russian deputies agreed that the achieved results in the cooperation in the sphere of tourism between the two countries would serve as serious ground for better business relations  between the two countries. They expressed their desire for cooperation for the purpose of encouraging the bilateral relations in tourism.“We did a lot to attract the Russian tourists. The revenue growth is indicative. This is undoubtedly a success for Bulgaria,” commented Igor Fomin.Later the Bulgarian delegation and minister Angelkova had a discussion with the vice president of the Council of the Federation Ilyas Umahanov. Igor Chernishenko, member of the Committee of the Council of the Federation on federative development, regional policy, local self-government and North matters, also took part in the meeting. From Bulgarian side the meeting was under the authority of the Vice-President of the National Assembly Yavor Notev.Ilyas Umahanov welcomed the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism to popularize Bulgaria as a destination among the Russian tourists.Yavor Notev announced that in the delegation there were representative of all parliamentary groups in the Bulgarian parliament and that choice of members was not incidental. He thought that the important thing was that Bulgaria and Russia had economic topics on their agenda and  that quite a big part of the achieved in the sphere of tourism was due to the good management of the Ministry of Tourism and the personal contribution of minister Angelkova.

The Ministry of Tourism got a prize for Bulgaria for long-term successful partnership during the 23rd edition of the exhibition  East Mediterranean International Tourism & Travel (EMITT), which is held annually in Istanbul, Turkey.“This prize is a great recognition of our work. I am convinced that with the common efforts of the state, the local authorities and the tourist business we are consolidating the position of our country as a four-season destination at an international level,” commented the minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova.The Ministry of Tourism participated at the international tourist event with an information stand of 108 sq.m. Besides the tourist administration of the forum, there were also 9 co-exhibitors from Bulgaria. The numerous visitors of the exhibition took a marked interest to the ski vacations and spa tourism in our country.Turkey is a generating market for Bulgaria. For 2018 it comes fourth among the top markets in our country and the total number of visits from our southern neighbour exceeds 625k. 

The minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova had a workshop in Madrid with Gloria Guevara, chairperson and senior executive director of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The meeting took place  within the 38th International Tourism Fair FITUR, one of the biggest in the world.Minister Angelkova described the importance and potential of the Bulgarian tourism for the sustainable development of the country as an all-year destination with an almost 12% contribution to the GDP. She emphasized the achieved record results with regards to the number of tourist visits and revenues from the sector for the years following the establishment of the institution in the end of 2014. “We consistently build on the achieved results and participate actively in initiatives of the international tourist organizations,” said minister Angelkova during the meeting.The Bulgarian minister drew attention to the role of the investments and activities for the popularization of the internal tourism which would be a leading trend in the advertising and marketing policy of the department for the current and following years. She emphasized that the ministry would depend on the support of the WTTC for the organization of the forum for sustainable investments in tourism, planned for the end of March 2019 in the biggest and most popular Bulgarian sea resort – Sunny Beach. It attracts not only many tourists of different age and preferences but also a big number of enterpreneurs.“Having in mind the first-ever forum of the European leaders of the WTTC which took place in Portugal last year, we have decided to organize a forum, devoted to unlocking the investment potential for tourism in South-East Europe with a special emphasis on sustainability,” said also minister Angelkova. “As WTTC is an international organization which represents the private sector, it will be our honour to have such a partner to stimulate the sustainable development of the sector,” emphasized the minister.She also advised that over the last few years there had been a considerable interest by foreign investment funds for potential projects in the region. “Regional key investors and representatives of countries with extensive knowledge and experience in attracting such investments in infrastructure and services will be invited for the event. The Ministry, with the assistance of the municipalities and business representatives, has already created a map of the investment tourist projects in the region as an initial stage of this process.”The chairperson of WTTC Gloria Guevara congratulated the team of minister Angelkova on the achieved excellent results. Such would undoubtedly be a prerequisite for sustainability. During the meeting it became clear that the World Council would continue to encourage similar policies as they encouraged economic growth, development of the regions and higher employment.According to data from the WTTC reports, the tourist sector in South-East Europe will grow considerably. The forecasts of the organization indicate that for Bulgaria the sector’s growth is expected to be over 50% for the next 10 years which will make it an essential part of the GDP of the country.

The minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a workshop in Madrid with Najib Balala, minister of tourism of Kenya, during the International Tourism Fair FITUR. The tourism forum took place in the Spanish capital Madrid in the period from 23 to 27 January. This year the event was organized for the 38th time and the biggest Spanish tour operators and tourist agencies and business representatives from hundreds of states took part in it.The two ministers discussed the role of tourism as a factor for the development of the relations between the countries as well as the future possibilities for cooperation between Bulgaria and Kenya for the purpose of attracting the interest of the Kenyan tour operators to our country and vice versa.Minister Angelkova emphasized that the purpose of all measures, applied by the Minister of Tourism, was Bulgaria to win recognition as an all-year tourist destination.The Bulgarian minister announced that the focus for 2019 would be investments in the sphere of tourism and invited her colleague to participate in the first edition of the forum for sustainable investments in tourism, planned for the end of May in our country.On his part minister Balala pointed out that Bulgaria was getting more and more attractive for visitors as it offered a diverse tourist product.

There are 48 winners in 16 categories – municipalities, organizations and media, these are not just awards but honours for dedicated work.Tourism in Bulgaria is competitive, offers very good services and examples of world-class sustainable development. It has all the prerequisites for growth – good facilities and strong presence of our country on the main generating markets as well as excellent prospects for attracting new destinations. This is what the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said at the Third Annual Tourism Awards ceremony. The awards were given during a sophisticated ceremony held in Sofia on Tuesday evening. The chairperson of the 44th National Assembly Tsveta Karayancheva, the deputy-prime minister Mariyana Nikolova, the minister of youth and sport Krasen Kralev and the minister of labour and social policy Biser Petkov were official guests of this event. About 300 guests, leaders and representatives of diplomatic missions, representatives of the tourist business, employers’ organizations and media attended the event. Niki Iliev and Dilyana Popova hosted the ceremony.We are giving not only awards but also honours for high quality and dedicated work in the sphere of tourism, said Minister Angelkova. She expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, the members of the council of ministers and the members of parliament for their support in everyday work, owing to which the industry has achieved these good results.Within the three-year period since the establishment of the Ministry of Tourism as an individual unit, the number of the foreign tourist visits rose by 31% and the revenue deriving from them increased by 38%, said Minister Angelkova. She added that these results can be achieved when all the institutions, the local authorities and the business are going in the same direction, pursuing the common goal to make Bulgaria a year-round tourist destination.The winners of the Annual Tourism Awards received a statuette depicting the symbol of Bulgaria’s beauty, which is also the registered mark of the competition – the Bulgarian rose, made by Dimitar Germanov especially for this ceremony. The winners – 48 in number, were elected by means of electronic voting, which lasted from 13th November to 5th December. 125 contestants were competing in the 16 categories of the competition as they had been selected as finalists out of 132 applications received at the Ministry of Tourism.Great interest was shown in the third edition of the awards ceremony by both the candidates and the voters who elected the winners, said Minister Angelkova. 122 624 votes in total were registered for all the categories – about 23 thousand votes more have been submitted for a tourism event, a destination, an attraction, municipalities for mountain, seaside, balneological and SPA tourism, journalists’ materials and so on compared to the previous year.The chairperson of the National Assembly Tsveta Karayancheva gave the special awards “The choice of the Bulgarians” to this year’s winner – the Belogradchik rocks and fortress. The award was received by the mayor of Belogradchik – Boris Nikolov. Pleven Epopee 1877 was second in this category and St. George Church in Kavarna ranked third.The winner in “The spirit of Bulgaria” category received an award from the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova. This year’s winner was Open Air Ethnographic Museum “Etar”, which ranked first. The statuette was given to Assoc. Prof. Svetla Dimitrova – the director of the museum. The Castle of Ravadinovo “In love with the wind”, located in the village of Ravadinovo, ranked second and the Tuida Fortress in Sliven was third.The Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA) is this year’s winner in the “Specialized Tourism” category. The chairperson of the parliamentary commission of culture and media Vezhdi Rashidov gave the award to Siyka Katsarova, the chairperson of BUBSPA. The information cycle track Iron Curtain Trail ranked second.The Minister of Youth and Sport Krasen Kralev gave the awards in the category “2018 Seaside Tourism Municipality”. The municipality of Primorsko ranked first in this category and its mayor Dimitar Germanov received a statuette and a charter. The municipality of Varna was second and the municipality of Balchik was third in this category.The winner in the category “2018 Mountain Tourism Municipality” is the municipality of Bansko. The award was given by the chairperson of the parliamentary commission of economic policy and tourism Petar Kanev and to the deputy-mayor of Bansko Asen Kiritsov. The municipality of Petrich ranked second and the municipality of Samokov ranked third in this category.The deputy-prime minister Mariyana Nikolova awarded the winner in the “Tourist event” category. The award this year was given to the Lion Heart Ultra Cross Triathlon and was received by Filip Shavov – the chairperson of the Lion Heart Association. The second place was taken by “Let’s set a Guinness record together: The largest egg painting worldwide – Arte Hotel Velingrad and “The national tourist hiking In the footsteps of Botev’s detachment-Kozloduy-Okolchitsa”.The awards in the “Tourist destination” category was given to the municipality of Sandanski. The award was given by Vasil Velev – the chairperson of the managing board of the Industrial Capital Association in Bulgaria and was received by the mayor of the municipality Kiril Kotev. The Southern fairytale of Bulgaria – Ivaylovgrad and Plovdiv ranked second and third, respectively.The municipality of Dryanovo won the award for “2018 Cultural Tourism Municipality”. The rector of Sofia University Prof. Atanas Gerdzhiekov gave the award to the chairperson of the Municipal Council Georgi Kazakov. The municipality of Plovdiv ranked second in this category and the municipality of Veliki Preslav ranked third.The Minister of Labour and Social Policy Biser Petkov awarded the winner in the “2018 Balneological and SPA Tourism” category. This year, the municipality of Velingrad ranked first as the award was received by the mayor Kostadin Koev. The municipality of Sandanski ranked second and the municipality of Mineralni bani Haskovo ranked third.The winner in the “Tourist attraction/sight” category is the Castle “In love with the wind” in the village of Ravadinovo. Boryana Manolova, the deputy-chairperson, gave the CRIB award to the site owner Georgi Tumpalov. The Belogradchik fortress ranked second, followed by Sapareva banya water facilities complex (Rila Mega Tour Ltd).The winner in the “Innovation” category was 3D added reality of the Beglik Tash Thracian sanctuary. The award was given to Dimitar Germanov, mayor of the municipality of Primorsko, by the Member of Parliament Dimitar Boychev. The Castle “In love with the wind”, 3D panoramic tours ranked second. TravelLine – Innovative services and technological solutions in tourist industry ranked third in this category.The winner in the category “Journalist material on tourism in Bulgaria for the year 2018 broadcast on television” is Zhivko Konstantinov, Nova TV with the material “Growing up but not growing old: Who is the architect that built Sofia’s symbolic buildings?”. The award was given by Radosvet Radev, chairperson of the Bulgarian Industrial Association. The second place was taken by “Danube – the human face of the river” – Tourism Television – Georgi Krumov. The film “The clang through the centuries” – Channel 3 – Iva Miloradova.Fokus – Miroslava Angelova information agency and chain of radio stations is the winner in the category “2018 Journalist material on tourism in Bulgaria broadcast on the radio”. The award was given by the Member of Parliament Hristo Prodanov. The tourism programme Via Pontica – BNR-Burgas - Valentin Atanasov ranked second in this category.The winner in the category “2018 Journalist material on tourism in Bulgaria published in a printed media” is “The covered bridge is the symbol of Lovech” by Natalia Malcheva, Trud newspaper. The award was given by master chef Petar Bachvarov – Uti. The publication called “The magic of Zlatograd”- Agrozona magazine ranked second and the third place was taken by “An ancient fortress in the Rhodopes built as Troy and Mycenae, published in 24 chasa newspaper. The award for “2018 Journalist material on tourism in Bulgaria in an online media” was given to travelbulgarianews.bg and the material entitled “Trayanovi Vrata Fortress” of Aleksandar Popkonstantinov. The statuette and the charter were given to the winner by the Member of Parliament Daniela Seveklieva. “Vila Ambra – the magic of the north has created unique amber on the sea coast” of Ruslan Yordanov ranked second. The third place was taken by Varna gold treasure – predecessor of the civilizations of Sumer and Egypt – brat-bg.The mayor of Vidin Eng. Ognyan Tsenkov gave the award to Marta Ros, who ranked first in the category “2018 Publication on tourism in Bulgaria on an Internet blog” with her material entitled “5 wonderful excursions you can have in Rila Mountain”. “Vidin, Bdin or a Danube treasure” of Dario Dionisi ranked second. “The monastery of Klisura or the place where the mountain, the river and spirituality have found its sanctuary” of Zhulieta Terzieva ranked third in this category.

During the traditional working meeting with the diplomats she gave them charters for their fruitful cooperation in this sectorBulgaria has been developing steadily as a four-season tourist destination and over the last years record-breaking results have been achieved. This is what the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said at her traditional meeting with the foreign diplomats in Bulgaria. She gave information about the statistics in our country and the number of visitors from the leading inbound markets.  The top five countries are Romania, Greece, Germany, Turkey and Russia. During the first ten months of the year 2018, Bulgaria was visited by over 8,4 million foreign tourists, which marks a 5% growth compared to the same period of the previous year. The revenues derived from international tourism are growing at an even greater rate, she said. They amount to 3,2 billion Euros for the period January-September 2018, which is a 7% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.Minister Angelkova also stressed that in summer, the foreign tourist visits to our country exceeded 5.4 million and this is the most successful season so far. We expect these record data to be further supplemented by the new winter season, which will be opened on 15th December and for which a 5% growth of the number of tourists has been prognosticated.These achievements are the result of the cooperation of the ministry with the business and the active support of the administration for facilitating the services offered to the citizens and the tourist industry, said Minister Angelkova. She also reminded that some of the changes that her team has initiated in the Tourism Act and the Act on the Black Sea coast spatial development have already been effected and others are about to be finally agreed on. They provide an updated framework of the activity in this sector and implement the priorities of the government for reducing the administrative burden. The European package travel directive has been transposed into Bulgarian legislation, which also contributed to the development of the business.Minister Angelkova pointed out that the Ministry of Tourism is the first state administration that will present a new generation of electronic services for all registration modes it offers under the Tourism Act on 1st December. They are already accessible for the users though a specially developed platform. The electronic signature on the documents is now possible via face recognition using a smartphone after making an initial registration. The services can be used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in all corners of the world. This saves time and money to the citizens and the entrepreneurs, said the minister. By March 2019, the electronic services of the ministry will have encompassed about 80% of the countries worldwide. Minister Angelkova also informed that in January 2019, the institution will also demonstrate the demo version of the Unified tourist information system, which will make the tourists’ stay in Bulgaria even safer and will be very beneficial for the statistics, the movement of visitors in markets and the revenues in the sector. The data will be collected on the common information platform, which entirely complies with GDPR, and the personal data will be fully protected.The quality of the offered product is crucial for our administration in order to be able to establish our country’s reputation, which attracts more and more solvent tourists, said Minister Angelkova. An identification code will be introduced for each hotel and restaurant, which will personalize its activity. A key element of our work is also the determination of the statute of the national resorts which are the face of Bulgarian tourism, the minister pointed out.She also described in details another major challenge in the industry – the preparation and the qualification of a sufficient number of executive employees to work in this sector. One of the short-term measures taken this summer in order to overcome this shortage was the employment of 7700 seasonal workers in tourism – twice as many as the previous summer. Such employees will be appointed during the new winter season. The ministry keeps working on the long-term measures for resolving this problem. An agreement was signed with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy for cooperation in this respect and work is currently being done on a pilot project with a Bulgarian-German vocational training centre. It will provide training to both unemployed and employed people who will acquire a qualification in the sphere of tourism, added the minister.Minister Angelkova made an overview of the work done by the ministry for the popularization of the tourist potential of our country before the Bulgarian and the foreign visitors. After the success of the initially established 8 cultural-historic destinations, the tourist administration, in cooperation with the business and the municipalities, has developed 12 wine-culinary and 7 balneological and SPA destinations, which were widely debated at round tables organized around the country. Next year we are planning to develop destinations that will promote pilgrims’ tourism, said the minister. We are currently working with 11 countries from the region to establish a common Balkan route which will attract tourists not only from Europe but also from more distant places.Bulgaria continues to participate actively in other international initiatives – under projects of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Danube Strategy and various projects of the World Tourism Organization. They will popularize even more actively our country as a destination offering a variety of services at an affordable price for the mass and specialized tourism as well, including culinary initiatives in the region.Minister Angelkova announced that a few investment rounds were being prepared in our country for leading companies in the sector. It is quite promising to work will all the countries showing interest in our country as a place for tourist visits and making business. Our marketing activities also contribute to this – the campaigns with leading global media, the presence in digital platforms, the popularization of our sights and services via the Internet platform I love Bulgaria, said the minister. She also stressed the significance of the dialogue with leading global tour operators and branch organizations from the partner countries, thanking them for the fruitful cooperation.When asked about the forthcoming year of Plovdiv as a European capital of culture, Minister Angelkova said that this extremely prestigious event will include over 500 performances presenting the region and the country as a cultural and historic destination.The minister said that efforts are constantly being made to satisfy the needs of the disabled tourists. We are doing our best, by means of urban planning, to ensure accessibility and comfort in the restaurants and hotels for the disabled people.  A number of beach concessioners have already installed the appropriate equipment providing access to such visitors where the terrain allows it. Over 300 hotels have been inspected to find out if they have special rooms and other equipment ensuring the comfort of these clients, said Minister Angelkova.The diplomats congratulated Minister Angelkova and her team for the achieved great results in tourism and supported Bulgaria’s efforts to become an attractive four-season destination, emphasizing the role of the international partnership and the initiative of the industry. They declared that they will continue to work together for the sustainable development of tourism.At the end of the meeting, Minister Angelkova gave each of the diplomats a charter for fruitful cooperation in the sphere of tourism. “You are not only ambassadors of your own countries, you are now ambassadors of Bulgaria to the world”, the minister stated explicitly.

Turkey ranks fourth among the destinations for inbound tourism in Bulgaria for the year 2017 g.Bulgaria has enjoyed the stable interest of Turkish tourists over the last years, which serves as evidence of the trust they have in us. Our countries are located in one and the same region and we have great opportunities to develop joint initiatives and projects supporting the growth of tourism in Bulgaria and Turkey. This is what the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said at the opening of the Bulgarian-Turkish business forum in the sphere of tourism in Istanbul. The Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Nadir Alpaslan took part in this forum as well as representatives of the Bulgarian and Turkish business.Within the period January-October this year, the number of guests coming from our southern neighboring country was 540 thousand and in 2017, the Turkish market ranked fourth among the top destination for inbound visits to Bulgaria with over 636 thousand visits and a 12,5% growth, said the Bulgarian minister. The emphasized the significance of the Joint Bulgarian-Turkish working group in the sphere of tourism, which was established a few days ago in Sofia. Its first session was held in mid-November on the eve before the International congress of global civilizations and historic routes, organized by the World Tourism Organization, which was hosted by Bulgaria for the second time. The working group was the first platform for discussion of the possibilities for strengthening our cooperation in the sphere of tourism.I am convinced that we will continue to work as partners for the development of tourism, said Minister Angelkova. She also added that there are debates about the possibilities to organize days of Bulgaria in Turkey and vice versa. Work is also being done on a joint Balkan project and a joint product between Bulgaria and Turkey, which will popularize the rich and varied tourist product of the two countries before tourists coming from distant markets.We are also planning to organize tours for investors interested in investing in Bulgaria, said Minister Angelkova. They are expected to be implemented in February next year and will cover sights with a potential for development. I guarantee my personal engagement and the support of the Ministry of Tourism in order to ensure maximum institutional cooperation in the implementation of investments, said the minister. She thanked the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism for organizing the forum and also for the opportunity to present the potential for investments and initiatives for joint development of tourism.The whole world has realized the meaning of the tourist sector and the importance for investments in this industry, said the deputy-minister Nadir Alpaslan. He added that he expects such international meetings to be beneficial for both countries. The forum included presentations of representatives of the Bulgarian and Turkish tourist business.

The access to qualified electronic signature for e-services of the institution will be free during the first yearAll the registration services that the Ministry of Tourism offers in accordance with the Tourism Act will be accessible with just one click and via a smartphone since Monday.  In addition to the usual method involving a personal identification number (PIN), the qualified electronic signature will also be placed by means of face recognition. This has become possible after the development of a special platform for electronic services for the ministry, said the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during its presentation today. She clarified that in this way, the requests for the issue of all types of permits and services of the institution can be sent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from all corners of the world. In order to use the platform, you need a preliminary registration which takes about a minute, after which the application will be submitted for about 15 seconds, explained the minister.We are the first state administration providing this type of electronic services in Bulgaria, we are also pioneers in the EU, where such a platform is to be introduced by the Ministry of Digitalization of Austria, said Minister Angelkova.The qualified electronic signature for the users of services in the institution is expected to be free during the first year following the launch of the platform. Then, the users will have the opportunity to have 5 free electronic signatures a year and after the cessation of this option, the monthly subscription will cost 2 levs, said Minister Angelkova. It can be terminated and extended at any time and the citizens and the business will not be obliged to maintain their subscription permanently. The minister also clarified that this platform had been developed in four months. All the requirements of the legislation and the norms of GDPR have been observed and the protection of all personal data is completely guaranteed.The platform has been developed in accordance with all the legislative requirements and is also very easy to use, said Prof. Georgi Dimitrov, a representative of the supplier of verification services Eurotrust, which is the author of the platform. He gave a detailed presentation of the method of registration and use of the services and also stated that after we specify the service we would like to use, we provide identification using our personal ID number, telephone number or e-mail address, all the necessary data are verified and automatically entered in the application. When registering via the telephone camera in case of face recognition, 84 facial points are analyzed in order to verify the identity.The new platform will significantly facilitate the access of the citizens and the business to the services of the ministry because they will not have to observe the working hours of the institution and this can be done in all corners of the world, said Prof. Dimitrov. He also added that the project significantly optimized the work of the administration and the applications will be processed after being submitted. This will save people thousands of working hours and, compared to the minimum hourly wage, the financial effect will be enormous. Prof. Dimitrov clarified that by the end of the month the electronic services of the Ministry of Tourism will be used by consumers in all EU Member-states.

The Bulgarian minister had a working meeting with George Tziallas, Secretary-General for Tourism Policy and Development of the Ministry of Tourism of GreeceThe partnership between Bulgaria and Greece in the sphere of tourism is developing and the two countries are working on joint initiatives to attract more visitors to the Balkan region. This was said by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova at a working meeting with George Tziallas, Secretary-General for Tourism Policy and Development of the Ministry of Tourism of Greece. This bilateral meeting was held during the second International congress on world civilizations and historic routes, which has been held in Sofia since yesterday and has been organized by the UN World Tourism Organization. Minister Angelkova said that the Greek tourists are among the most numerous groups of tourists coming to our country and added that Greece is one of the most preferred destinations for Bulgarians, as the exchange of guests is almost equal. Last year, the number of tourist visits from Greece to Bulgaria exceeded 1,1 million, which marks an increase of 8,5% compared to the year 2016 and the country ranked first on the chart of inbound tourism in Bulgaria. The number of visits of Greek tourists for the first nine months of this year exceeds 852 thousand.The initiative for establishing a Common Balkan tourist route, proposed by Bulgaria, is very promising and was supported by Greece at the meeting of 11 countries from the region held in Sofia in May 2018. The Ministry of Tourism will hold discussion meetings on this subject and will soon present the vision of the Bulgarian part of the route to the other members of the project working group, said Minister Angelkova. According to her, as two neighbouring countries on friendly terms, we will be able to popularize even more effectively the joint concept, which will make the Balkans a more attractive route.  The pointed out that the two countries cooperate with each other in the implementation of the initiative “Along the Western Silk road”, which is aimed at attracting visitors from markets that are far away from Europe. Bulgaria and Greece are members of the programme of the World Tourism Organization “Along the Silk Road”. In 2017, they hosted two working seminars under the new initiative “The Western Silk Road” and participated in the creation of a Road map under the project by means of national analyses. They were prepared by the Aristotle University is Thessaloniki and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The Bulgaria proposition envisages the creation of regional products related to silk, for example, by means of consolidating the tourist potential of Greek and Bulgarian cities with traditions like those in Soufli and Ivaylovgrad.Minister Angelkova suggested organizing a Bulgarian-Greek meeting on topical issues in the sphere of tourism before the ITB International tourism fair in Berlin, in order to discuss new possibilities for attracting more tourists from Greece to our winter resorts. This meeting is to be attended by representatives of the business and the local authorities of both countries.Secretary-General Tziallas expressed the confidence of his country in the usefulness of the cooperation and focused on the role of the joint work of the tourist administrations to mobilize the business and the experts for the implementation of these initiatives, whose host will be Bulgaria for the second time, as well as his satisfaction with the meetings held as part of the forum.

The Bulgarian minister opened the congress on historic routes organized by the World Tourism Organization and quoted and increase of 31% in the number of foreign tourists coming to Bulgaria compared to the year 2015We will make a proposition to the World Tourism Organization to establish a world destination called “Ancient Civilizations”. This initiative would contribute to a better knowledge of the world cultural heritage. I hope that this initiative would be supported by the World Tourism Organization and it will be very important for Bulgaria to initiate it. This is what the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said at the opening of the second International congress of world civilizations and historic routes. We will send a message to the regions with ancient culture to join the idea for establishing such a destination which will be open for a lot of participants. Minister Angelkova added that a good beginning of the implementation of this idea will be the inclusion of sites that are on the UNESCO world heritage list.Some of the official guests of the International congress on ancient civilizations and historic routes were the Deputy Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organizations Jaime Sanclemente, the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on culture and media Vezhdi Rashidov, the chairperson of the economic policy and tourism committee Petar Kanev, the deputy-minister of culture Amelia Gesheva, ministers and managers in the sphere of tourism, representatives of the public and private sector in this industry and its related industries, globally recognized experts in the sphere of culture and protection of cultural heritage. The forum was held on 15th and 16th November 2018 in Sofia as it was the second time Bulgaria had hosted such an event.The congress is aimed at exploring the way the link between culture and tourism creates opportunities for economic growth and social development, said Minister Angelkova. She added that tourism has proven its potential as one of the major generators of growth for the world economy and has been developing at a greater speed over the last decade. The sector has a share of 10,4% of the global GDP, providing employment to over 313 million people worldwide. In Bulgaria, it constitutes about 13% of the gross domestic product and is one of the leading economic sectors.We have been working hard to establish our country as a four-season destination with its winter and sea resorts and magnificent beaches popular worldwide, said the minister. According to her, our country is about to be discovered as a place that has a large number of mineral springs, SPA complexes and top-quality golf courses. More than 40 000 historic monuments and sites have been registered on the territory of our country, which makes Bulgaria one of the most attractive destinations for people interested in history and culture, added the minister.Of course, we have to continue to work hard in order to further develop our potential and this year we have promoted the initiatives for creating a Map of the 100 European tourist sites and a Common Balkan tourist product, said Minister Angelkova. The Ministry of Tourism has developed a new interactive web-based platform and a mobile application called iLoveBulgaria, which provides information about the major Bulgarian tourist sites. A Unified tourist information system is currently being developed.This measure as well as other similar measures have led to the achievement of record results for Bulgarian tourism, explained the minister. She clarified that in 2017, the total number of tourist visits of foreigners to Bulgaria was 8 882 747, which exceeds the number of the population of the country by 1,8 million.Based on the latest data for 2018, the number of visits of foreign tourists has risen by 31% compared to 2015, said the minister. She also added that Bulgaria has undoubtedly turned into a competitive and attractive year-round destination.The historic routes like “The Silk Road”, “Orient Express” and others have inspired numerous travelers and can play a major role for the popularization of the regions, said the Deputy Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organizations Jaime Sanclemente. He also added that we need to put joint efforts and exchange good practices and experience. One of the priorities of the World Tourism Organization is to generate a supplementary added value for all the countries, to guarantee the safety of travels, the digitalization and the innovations in the sector, said Sanclemente. He was certain that this congress will influence the development of tourism on a national and international level.This forum is very important and we have to be aware of the fact that the face of tourism in our country is its cultural heritage, said Vezhdi Rashidov, the chairperson of the parliamentary committee for culture and media. He also stressed the fact that Bulgaria has established its positions in world culture. He thanked Minister Angelkova for the organization of the forum and the subsequent initiatives for the popularization of the country and its historic heritage.

Bulgaria and Greece exchange almost the same number of tourists annuallyThe Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova had a working meeting in London with Elena Kuntura, the Greek minister of tourism, during the international tourism fair WTM. Despite working in a highly competitive environment, the two neighbouring countries have established very active relations in the sphere of tourism, said Minister Angelkova.The partnership with Greece and the respective ministry has long traditions and is developing steadily. A meeting of 11 Balkan countries was held in Sofia in May in order to prepare a common Balkan route with the participation of both countries. We are planning to include in this route UNESCO sites and other places of national and international importance, pointed out Minister Angelkova.  She announced that, after long and comprehensive discussions, our country will soon present its proposals for the Bulgarian section of the route.The two institutions and the business are considering other joint initiatives and exchange of information in order to attract distant and promising markets to this region. Bulgaria and Greece are members of the programme UNWTO Road Silk Road. The two countries participated in the creation of a road map under the project in cooperation with the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences-Sofia. Another purpose is to establish joint products under this project that will attract tourists from distant destinations to the Balkans, said Minister Angelkova.Minister Kuntiura was personally invited by Minister Angelkova to attend the second International congress on world civilizations and historic routes which will be held on 15th and 16th November 2018 in Sofia in cooperation with the World Tourism Organization. She stressed the major significance of the cultural-historic heritage of the two countries and emphasized the role of the timely exchange of information to support the tourists. Greece will participate in any promising joint initiative in this respect, said Mrs. Kuntura.At the meeting it was confirmed that the two countries exchange almost the same number of tourists annually. Based on the data provided by the National Statistical Institute, in 2017, Greece ranked first on the chart of inbound tourism with over 1,1 billion visits, which constitutes a 8,5% growth compares to the previous year. At the same time, Bulgarian tourists made over 1,3 million visits to Greece and it was the most preferred foreign destination for Bulgarian tourists.Traditionally, Greece is preferred by Bulgarians for summer holidays and the Greek citizens show a great interest in holidaying in our winter resorts.However, the data for the period June-September 2018 show that a substantial number of Greek guests visited Bulgaria in the summer as well. For the summer season of 2018, Greece has ranked third on the chart of international tourism in our country with over 464 thousand visits and the number of the visits of Bulgarian citizens to Greece was more than 628 thousand.

The global TV channel interested in studying our country’s treasuresThe Bulgarian tourism is on the rise, the growth of tourist visas for foreigners for the period January-September 2018  is 31% compared to the same period three years earlier.This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova in an interview for the National Geographic in London during the international tourism fair WTM – the largest one for professionals in the world. She expressed her satisfaction that the results marked a steady growth trend after the Ministry of Tourism was set up as an independent institution.Minister Angelkova also pointed out that the image of Bulgaria as a destination underwent a remarkable transformation, which was being developed in an innovative way and in active partnership with all the stakeholders - public, private, non-governmental ones. This sustainable progress should be understood as an investment for the growth of the destination as a year-round route and for the well-being of local communities.In addition to the investment map for tourism in Bulgaria, which we build on with a second stage for specific projects by regions, we also create conditions for the promotion of different types of tourism with a focus not only on the maritime and winter ones but also many specialized services for which we have prepared thematic destinations – thermal and spa tourism, cultural and historical tourism, wine tourism, gourmet tourism, etc. Urban tourism is also expanding because of the facilitated air links and the efforts to promote the vast material and spiritual heritage of Bulgaria from past epochs, commented the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism. The National Geographic team has expressed their interest in making a key study of the Bulgarian cultural and historic heritage with a focus on the treasures found on the Bulgarian lands.

Within the WTM International Tourism Fair in London, Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with Michael Ellis, Minister of Arts, Heritage and Tourism of Great Britain. They discussed opportunities for exchange of experience in digital marketing, as well as joint initiatives to stimulate the influx of tourists.Minister Angelkova noted the steady record growth of foreign tourists and revenues from their visits to Bulgaria over the last three years, as well as the strong interest of the British in Bulgaria as a destination. For the first nine months of 2018 Bulgaria has been visited by nearly 8 million foreign tourists, which is about 6 per cent growth compared to a year earlier. Revenues from the international tourism industry in the period January-August 2018 exceed 2.8 billion euro – a growth of 7.2% compared tot he same period of the last year.For the first nine months of this year our country has been visited by more than 347 thousand citizens of the United Kingdom, which is almost 16 per cent growth compared to the same period of last year, and so the country ranks 8th in the ranking of incoming tourism in Bulgaria. We expect the interest of British tourists to remain so high in the upcoming winter season as well, said Minister Angelkova.She pointed out the priorities of the tourism administration policy to develop the country as a destination for year-round tourism with a focus on the summer, winter and many types of specialized tourism – thermal and SPA, cultural and historical, eco, rural, adventure, golf, gourmet, hunt tourism, etc. This diversity will be presented with an emphasis on the cultural heritage in Bulgaria at the Second International Congress of World Civilizations and the Historical Routes in Sofia organized by the Ministry and the World Tourism Organization (WTO). An important moment in our policy is also the creation of joint tourist routes with the neighboring countries, her words revealed.Minister Angelkova introduced her interlocutor to the excellent business opportunities in Bulgaria. In order to attract strategic investments to the sector, we have created the first map of investment projects in tourism and we are already planning to build on it with a second stage, which will include specific investment opportunities in different regions of the country. Another important element in our activity is the implementation of the innovative approach through the digitalization of the tourism sector, which will speed up the work of the business and will make the image of Bulgaria more complete with the help of IT technologies, Minister Angelkova explained.She presented the results of successfully completed marketing activities with the leading tour operators Thomas Cook and TUI Group during this and last year. In 2017, the number of tourists traveling to Bulgaria with Thomas Cook was more than 404 thousand and 18% more than in the previous year.Minister Ellis expressed his satisfaction with the serious work of Bulgaria and the results achieved in tourism. He suggested bilateral contacts be made more often so the two countries can exchange more tourists and ideas. The British Minister of Tourism said he was fascinated by the Bulgarian nature.

Minister Nikolina Angelkova greeted Indonesia's Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya at the Bulgarian stand at the WTM exhibition in London and discussed with him topical issues of bilateral co-operation.Bulgaria has serious traditions in the sustainable development of summer and winter tourism and offers very competitive conditions for investments in the sector, Minister Angelkova said. Our country forms one of the best values for a tourist product compared to most countries in its region. The Ministry of Tourism has launched a second edition of the Tourism Investment Card, which will include new projects for different regions of Bulgaria, she emphasized.Minister Angelkova assured her colleague that distant and promising markets are becoming an increasingly strong focus in our country's marketing and advertising policy. Bulgaria and Europe are becoming attractive destinations for travelers from the Far East, who want to visit several countries with one travel, Minister Angelkova explained. She spoke about the prospect of creating joint Balkan routes for such tours that will include UNESCO sites from 11 countries in the region.The Bulgarian Minister also pointed out that in 2017 tourist visits from Indonesia to Bulgaria were nearly 4 thousand, which was 30% growth compared to 2016. The possibilities are much larger and I am convinced that we can work together to make this growth sustainable, she emphasized.Minister Angelkova invited Arief Yahya to visit our country this month, when the second International Congress of World Civilizations and Historical Routes, organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the World Tourism Organization at the United Nations, will take place on the 15th and 16th. Bulgaria’s cultural heritage advertising is the way to popularize the Indonesian market and thus increase the influx of your tourists, she also said, adding that winter tourism, SPA and thermal services, cultural and historical tours are also of great interest to guests of Bulgaria.The Ministers united around the view that digitalization plays an extremely important role for the growth in the industry. The tourist administrations of Bulgaria and Indonesia are willing to exchange information on new technologies and advertising to promote each other's tourist products.Minister Yahya congratulated Bulgaria on the high results achieved after the establishment of the Ministry of Tourism as an independent institution and expressed his readiness for closer cooperation between the administrations and business of the two countries.    

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova received the award for institutional partnership in the tourism sector at a ceremony for giving out the First Annual awards of the National Tourism Board (NTB). They are awarded in 15 categories for achievements in the sector. The award for the Ministry of Tourism was given by Radosvet Radev – member of the Management Council of the National Tourism Board and chairperson of the Bulgarian Industrial Association.It is a great honor for me and my team to receive the award, Minister Angelkova said and expressed her satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation with the NTB over the years. I believe that it will continue in the future because the sustainable growth of the Bulgarian tourism industry can continue only with the joint efforts of the tourism administration, the responsible business and the local government.Minister Angelkova emphasized that the tourism administration is working in dialogue and constant interaction with the business. Since the establishment of the Ministry of Tourism, we have been discussing all the topics with you and with the people who contribute to the development of the sector with their work every day. In me you have a partner and an ally for all initiatives that promote Bulgaria as a holiday destination during the four seasons offering quality tourism, Minister Angelkova also said. The desire of the business has always been to have a separate Ministry of Tourism, and I am glad that this has become a fact. For 4 years now, the National Tourism Board has worked very actively with the Ministry of Tourism and this encourages growth in the sector, Mr. Radev said.

By the level of tourism development in the summer season, our country is before countries like Cyprus and MaltaIn terms of number of nights spent in hotels and similar accommodation places by foreigners, Bulgaria is ahead of the Netherlands, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Luxembourg and many other destinations in June-July 2018.In the two summer months, more than 7.407 million were night stays in hotels by foreigners in Bulgaria, while in the Netherlands, these were 5.4 million, in Ireland - 2.9 million, in the Czech Republic and Hungary they were respectively 4.5 million and 2.6 million. Nights spent by foreigners in hotels reported in Belgium - 2.2 million, in Poland - 2.9 million, in Slovakia - 900 thousand, in Luxembourg- 267 thousand for the same period this year.These data are proof of the sustainable progress of the sector and the establishment of the country as a preferred place for vacations and trips of foreign guests, the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said. She also pointed out that during the summer months, the interest in sea-based destinations is greatest, but accompanying tourist products such as SPA, cultural and historical, urban and mountainous ones also have a contribution.Within the EU, for the period June-July 2018, Bulgaria ranks 10th in terms of nights spent by foreigners in hotels. According to the level of tourism development in the summer season, Bulgaria is ahead of destinations like Cyprus and Malta, and the number of nights spent by foreign tourists staying in hotels is not significantly smaller compared to Portugal.These statistics show that the consistent and intensive work of the tourism administration and the businesses to attract more foreign visitors to Bulgaria delivers good results, the Minister said. She also added that this motivates us to continue to actively and purposefully promote Bulgaria as a year-round destination in order to preserve the sustainable development trend.

EU Commissioner Corina Creţu: The region can become a motor of tourism, I would like to thank Minister Angelkova for the organization of the eventTourist visits to the Danube Region amount to 125 million each year, and a total of 600 million tourists visit Europe. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova after the meeting of Ministers of Tourism participating in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The discussion took place within the 7th Annual Forum of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region. The event was held in Sofia during the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, which was taken over in October 2017.Led by the understanding that the countries of the Danube Region should make full use of their potential, the Bulgarian Presidency aims to increase the visibility of the Danube Region and set among its top priorities “A Sustainable and Integrated Approach for the Danube Region,” Minister Angelkova said. She added that each country in the region has its own characteristics that determine their development, and one of the ways to overcome them is strengthening the importance of tourism and closer cooperation within the Danube Strategy among all stakeholders.One of the reasons for the growing importance of tourism on the Danube River is the general diversification of the tourist offer, which includes, among other forms of tourism, river cruise tourism as one of the most important forms of tourism activities in the region. We believe that joint initiatives to promote river cruise tourism will support the sustainable development of the sector, Minister Angelkova said. She explained that taking into account the importance of this product in the overall progress of the sector, an international seminar was also organized to discuss the possibilities of creating an integrated approach to the development of cruise tourism along the Danube.If we want to make full use of the opportunities offered by the Danube and at the same time we want to ensure greater socio-economic cohesion in the Danube Basin, we must act together and work in close partnership to deal with the challenges that exist in the area, whether transport, environment, economy or culture, the Minister stated. She specified that we cannot consider the Danube Strategy without confirming our support and our interest in further developing interregional and transnational cooperation in key areas such as tourism.“Minister Nikolina Angelkova is the driving force of the meeting here today where we can discuss the Danube Strategy. I want to thank her for placing the focus on a topic I feel so close to me”, said Corina Creţu, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy. She added that the Danube Region is one of the greatest and can become a motor of tourism.Investments in tourism will be more sustainable if they are a part of an common plan for a region, Creţu pointed out. In her words, the development plan for the Danube Region can be included as a leading one in the EC’s local economic development goals as well. The Danube and its tributaries have great development potential and are an example of how coordination and cooperation have a strong positive impact on progress, the EU Commissioner said.

There is still much untapped potential in bilateral contacts in tourism and many other industries between Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova at a meeting in Riyadh with Saudi Arabia’s first Deputy Minister of Economy and Planning Khalid Al Shonaifi. The talks  took place during her working visit to the Arab country at the invitation of His Royal Highness Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Prince of the Kingdom and chairman of the State Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. Saudi Arabia is an important business partner for Bulgaria.Minister Angelkova said that the tourism sector in Bulgaria has been developing steadily and ascendantly over the last four years since there is an independent ministry. Thanks to the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, the sector became a priority for the Bulgarian economy and as a result of this, the growth of international tourists significantly increased. Last year, they are over 8.8 million, said Nikolina Angelkova. There has been growth in a number of inbound markets, including from faraway countries such as India, the United States, the Philippines, Brazil.Tourism offers many opportunities for development - traditional winter and summer tourism, but also many kinds of specialized services - thermal and spa, medical, cultural and historical, gourmet, golf, mountain, etc. A large number of the significant artifacts in Bulgaria are located near mineral springs and attract many tourists for combined services, the Minister said and gave examples with the resorts Sapareva Banya, Sandanski, Hisarya and others. Bulgaria is well-known for its quality food, and therefore the Ministry has created culinary destinations encouraging not only domestic tourism but also the influx of many foreign guests. Each year, we conduct surveys and, on their basis, we implement various promotional campaigns to increase the number of tourists. IT technologies also help us for this in marketing and advertising - for example, through the online platform I Love Bulgaria which reaches a large number of users through the Viber application and not only attracts more visitors but also promotes our landmarks, Minister Angelkova commented.Two years ago, the two countries signed a memorandum on cooperation in tourism which provides opportunities for active partnership in offering diverse tourist services. In addition, Bulgaria is among the leading outsourcing destinations and I hope it will become an important and strategic partner for Saudi Arabia, Minister Angelkova assured. Attraction of more investments is a leading element in the tourism administration policy and therefore, legal changes have been initiated to facilitate and encourage business projects. Most of the documents needed by entrepreneurs are processed online. This is part of the strategy for sustainable development of the sector by 2030. Among the main priorities of the Bulgarian government in the field of tourism is the positioning of our country as a high-quality year-round tourist destination. The tourism sector in Bulgaria is expected to grow by over 40% in the next 10 years, which will be achieved by attracting more investments, the Bulgarian Minister explained.Khalid Al Shonaifi said that it is very important that the two economies deepen their cooperation. Tourism offers many opportunities for investment and I believe that this meeting is the beginning of benefiting from each other’s experience, he summed up.

The Bulgarian Minister is on a working visit to Saudi Arabia at his invitation, she presented the opportunities for investment in BulgariaThe Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova talked in Riyadh with His Royal Highness Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Prince of the Kingdom and chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. She is on a working visit to the country at his invitation together with representatives of the Bulgarian tourism business. During the meeting, the Minister stressed that the Kingdom is among Bulgaria’s desired partners for cooperation in different spheres, and the opening of a Bulgarian Embassy in Riyadh is forthcoming.A major event in the history of bilateral relations is the official visit of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to the Kingdom in November 2017, Minister Angelkova pointed out and thanked His Royal Highness for the organized visit to our delegation at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia. The Prince then acquainted guests with the exhibition “The Roads of Arabia”, part of the cultural institution’s fund, and discussed the possibilities for exchange of traveling museum exhibitions in the two capitals.During last year’s government visit, a political will was expressed to achieve rapid progress and decisive strengthening of the mutual dialogue between competent institutions of the two countries at different levels, Minister Angelkova emphasized. She pointed out that concrete steps are underway on the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Tourism that was signed in Sofia personally by the Prince during his visit to the Bulgarian capital in October 2016. He then managed to see some of the natural and cultural landmark in the region. In addition to Riyadh, Minister Angelkova had fruitful meetings with him during the last two years in major economic and tourism forums in Madrid, Chengdu, Buenos Aires.Our country provides extremely favorable conditions for business partners and foreign investors, said Minister Angelkova. In her opinion, a future air link between Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia will contribute to bringing the two countries together and exploring their potential as economies and tourist assets.Minister Angelkova also attracted attention to Bulgaria’s policy to develop sustainable tourism through the promotion of cultural heritage. Our idea is to create a common map of Europe’s cultural and historical landmarks as well as a Balkans Itinerary, the main themes of which are the UNESCO heritage, she said.The Minister also addressed a personal invitation to His Royal Highness for participation in the forthcoming Second International Congress of World Civilizations and Historical Routes, which is being prepared jointly with the UN World Tourism Organization in November 2018. In fulfillment of the commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding, a visit to Bulgaria of representatives of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage is forthcoming in 2019, during which the link between tourism, craftsmanship and arts will be discussed. A joint business forum is also foreseen. Bulgaria will also present itself as a competitive four-season destination at the Jeddah Intl. Travel & Tourism Exhibition and Riyadh Travel Fair next year, it was announced at the meeting.

The host of the talks in Riyadh was Dr. Saud Al-Mashari, Secretary General of the Council of Saudi ChambersTourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova met with investors from Saudi Arabia and representatives of the National Tourism Commission. The host of the discussion in Riyadh was Dr. Saud Al-Mashari, Secretary General of the Council of Saudi Chambers.The Bulgarian Minister is on a working visit in the country at the invitation of His Royal Highness Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Prince of the Kingdom and chairman of the State Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. The delegation also includes representatives of the Bulgarian tourism business.Bulgaria is a competitive place for foreign investment because it offers a favorable tax environment and promotes such projects through its legislation. We have government incentives, social security, we have highly educated experts and a skilled workforce, Minister Angelkova stated.She stressed that tourism is a priority sector for the Bulgarian government and is among the structurally determining branches of the economy. Thanks to the support of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, an independent Ministry of Tourism was established, said Minister Angelkova, and added that the sector is developing steadily and has record results in its history over the past three years. Nearly 7 million foreign tourists chose Bulgaria as a destination for the first eight months of 2018, an increase of almost 6% compared to the same period of the previous year. Over 2 billion euros are the revenues from international tourism in Bulgaria for the first seven months of this year - over 8% more than in those months of 2017.The Minister also noted the growth of tourists between the two countries achieved during the last two years. In 2017, 1,143 tourists from Saudi Arabia visited Bulgaria. For the first 8 months of 2018, they were already 946, which is a growth of 13.4% compared to the same period last year. Also in 2017, 267 Bulgarians traveled to the Arab country as a final destination, and this is 13.1% more than in 2016.Minister Angelkova presented to Saudi businesses the Map of Investment Projects in Bulgaria, created by the Ministry of Tourism and including mostly municipal projects with the possibility of public-private partnerships. They have an investment range between $ 500,000 and $ 200 million and include ideas for building spa centers in different municipalities. Investments in the construction of luxury 4- and 5-star hotels to which Saudi Arabia has a marked interest are an important prerequisite for attracting high-class tourists. This makes the destination competitive and sought after by many foreign guests, the Minister stressed.She also noted that Bulgaria is among the richest countries in Europe by number of artifacts, and pointed out that since its establishment, the tourism administration has supported businesses in their efforts to make the country a year-round destination. The Ministry promotes the realization of employees in tourism through its partnership with leading universities such as Sofia University and UNWE, the Bulgarian Minister stressed. Among the main priorities of the government is the development of infrastructure, which also attracts a lot of investment. Another important focus in our work is the development of specialized tourism. We have established 8 cultural and historical destinations, and 12 culinary and 7 thermal and spa destinations are in the process of finalizing, covering the territory of the country and stimulating the year-round influx of tourists along these routes, Minister Angelkova explained. She also pointed out that more than 1,800 events enjoying a great interest among tourists are included in the Tourist Festivals and Events Registry maintained by the Ministry. Bulgaria is among the leading countries in Europe by mineral water sources. That is why there is a great potential for bilateral cooperation in the modernization of existing rehabilitation centers and the creation of new ones, including on the basis of mineral resources, her words indicated.The Secretary General of the Council of Saudi Chambers, Dr. Saud Al-Mashari, congratulated our country for its achievements in tourism and economic spheres, stressing that the interest in partnerships with Bulgarian entrepreneurs is increasing among Saudi Arabian business circles. The hosts pointed out that for them, Bulgaria is a country with dynamic economic development, in which they see potential for attracting many investments. Such projects are possible in hospitality, food industry, investments in rehabilitation and treatment centers for spa services, etc. 

They met during the 14th Conference of the European regions and cities, which is part of the Austrian EU presidencyThe Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova talked to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction of Croatia Predrag Štromar in Salzburg. They met during the 14th Conference of the European regions and cities, which is part of the Salzburg Summit forum held during the Austrian presidency of the Council of the European Union.Minister Angelkova and Mr. Štromar stressed the role of the modern infrastructure for the development of tourism and the regions and they both supported the idea that tourism is a horizontal policy and in order to obtain excellent results, it is necessary to conduct teamwork with all the interested parties. The investments in infrastructure contribute to a higher added value and attracts more visitors, said Minister Angelkova. She outlined the joint efforts of the European countries to propose common routes for the tourists coming from distant markets.Croatia is in top 50 of the inbound markets for Bulgaria as solely in August 2018, the increase in the number of Croatian tourists was 17,9% compared to the same month of the previous year, said Minister Angelkova.She clarified that the Ministry of Tourism is working in cooperation with the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW). In a few days, the two institutions will start a series of consultative round tables which will support the investments in the Bulgarian municipalities.

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova had a working meeting with the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili in Vienna. The minister visited the capital of Austria in order to take part in the 17th European Tourism Forum, in which the head of the World Tourism Organization also participated.They discussed the preparation of the forthcoming second International Congress on World Civilizations and Historical Routes, which will be hosted by the capital of Bulgaria – Sofia from 15th to 17th November this year.Invitations have been sent to all the full members of the World Tourism Organization. Representatives of the local authorities and the business will also be invited and we expect about 600 Bulgarian and foreign guests, said Minister Angelkova. She also mentioned the success of the first edition of the forum which was held in Sofia in November 2016. The Ministry of Tourism is planning to organize a tourism fair during the congress which will present typical local and international products and customs related to history.Zurab Pololikashvili congratulated Bulgaria and the Ministry of Tourism on the achieved excellent results in the sector over the last years. Our country will again apply to become a member of the Executive Board of the World Tourism Organization and the voting will be held in Saint Petersburg the following year as part of the General Assembly of the organization. The possibilities for cooperation between Bulgaria and the World Tourism Organization on new joint initiatives were also discussed at the meeting.

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova talked to the minister of sustainable development and tourism of Austria Elisabeth Köstinger. They met during the 17th European Tourist Forum in Vienna, which is to be opened today. This is the main event in the sphere of tourism during the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.Minister Angelkova and Mrs. Köstinger stressed the inseparable connection between sustainability and tourism which contributes to the preservation of Europe’s status as a leading tourist destination worldwide and the popularization of the cultural and historical values of the European Union. They both shared the opinion that there is a great potential for developing the tourism between the two countries.Minister Angelkova presented to her Austrian colleague the results from the meeting of the ministers of tourism in Sofia, which was held under Bulgaria’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The forum, organized by the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism in February 2018, gathered more than 500 delegates from the Member-states of the EU and the Western Balkans. The delegates attending the forum emphasized that in order to develop tourism, it is important to use various possibilities for funding the tourist projects under the operational programmes. Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization also joined the forum held in Sofia.Minister Angelkova officially invited Mrs. Köstinger to visit Bulgaria and wished the Austrian government successful presidency of the Council of the EU and achievement of all the goals set.

The Bulgarian minister participated in the second edition of the World Economic Forum in New YorkThe Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova had a working meeting with Luis Alfonso de Alba, a special envoy of the UN Secretary General to the Climate Summit in 2019. Their meeting was held during the second edition of the World Economic Forum in New York. It is held within 24-25 September. The main issues of this year’s edition are the opportunities and the factors affecting the sustainable development. Minister Angelkova attended the event at the invitation of Mr. Borge Brende, the president of the World Economic Forum. Minister Angelkova and Mr. De Alba emphasized the direct influence of the climatic changes on tourism and the great significance of the measures aimed at protecting the environment. We have been working with the Ministry of Environment and Water on various initiatives for protecting the environment in Bulgaria, said Minister Angelkova. She added that inspections are incessantly being conducted along the Bulgarian sea coast regarding the cleanliness of the water and the beaches in order to ensure the safety of tourists.  The minister also added that during the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, an informal meeting entitled “Tourism and Economic Growth” was held and a decision was taken for all EU countries to start working on reducing the risk of climate changes.During the World Economic Forum, Minister Angelkova also talked to Al Gore, the vice president of the USA within the period 1993-2001. He congratulated Bulgaria on the excellent results obtained in the sphere of tourism and added that this is an important sector for the economic growth of our country.  

China is extremely important for tourism in Europe and we have been working purposefully to popularize Bulgaria as a tourist destination on the Chinese market. We are currently preparing a marketing campaign in order to attract guests from China, which we are planning to implement the following year. The official tourist portal of Bulgaria will also be accessible in Chinese language after it is updated in 2019. This is what the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said at a working meeting with Chinese businessmen and investors which has been held in Sofia today.Ping Liu, the president of Bright Food Group, Shaohua Pu, the chairperson of the board of directors of Bright Dairy and other company representatives participated in this talk. This company has been producing and distributing on the Chinese market yoghurt under the brand “Monchilovtsi” for 10 years and has participated in the organization of the festival of yoghurt in our country with the same name for 4 years. Mr. Ping Liu pointed out that “Momchilovtsi” is known to over 150 million Chinese people and is the most popular yoghurt in China.  This year, one of the major objectives in Europe is the initiative “2018 – The year of tourism EU – China”. The potential of the Chinese market is huge and it is expected that in the forthcoming years, the trips of the Chinese tourists will continually rise, said Minister Angelkova. She informed the other interlocutors that the Ministry of Tourism is developing a special product aimed at distant markets which will be used to popularize the possibilities for tourism in the region. This is the so called “Balkan route”, which is a joint project of 11 Balkan countries – Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia and the Republic of Macedonia.The first Bulgarian tourist information centre was opened in Shanghai last year, reminded Minister Angelkova. At present, activities are being conducted to prepare the opening of a centre in Beijing and research is being done to study the possibilities for establishing such sites in other Chinese provinces.Minister Angelkova and Mr. Ping Liu commented that the relations between Bulgaria and China have been developing dynamically over the last years and this fact can be supported by the high-level meetings of the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the chairperson of the State Council of China Li Keqiang held in Sofia in July as part of the “16+1” forum. The guest expressed his hopes that the good partnership will continue and this will have a positive effect on the growth of the number of tourists.Within the period January-July this year, the visits of Chinese tourists have reached 15,5 thousand, which ranks the Chinese market 32nd among the leading countries for inbound tourism in Bulgaria, said Minister Angelkova, pointing out that the possibilities are much greater. In 2017, the visits of Chinese tourists exceeded 26,2 thousand, which constituted an increase of 41,2% compared to the previous year. Mr. Ping Liu said that the country has the potential to double the visits of Chinese tourists every year. They both stated their willingness to support and organize joint initiatives that will contribute to the exchange of tourists between the two countries.

The European Commissioner congratulated Bulgaria on the success in tourism and praised the efforts of the ministry to achieve sustainable development in this sectorThe Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova acquainted the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu with the preparation of the final conference that will mark the end of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Danube Strategy. They talked in Brussels during the working visit of Minister Angelkova. The seventh annual forum of the Danube Strategy will be held in mid-October in Sofia, which will mark the ending of the year-long presidency of our country. The main subject to be discussed at the forum will be the importance of tourism for achieving economic growth within the Danube region. A meeting of the ministers of tourism of the countries in the Danube region will also be organized as part of the conference.  We think that culture and tourism are integrating factors for the territorial approximation and the emphasis of the importance of the Danube region, said Minister Angelkova.The digitalization of the cultural heritage sites within the Danube region is an added value for tourism.European Commissioner Crețu congratulated Bulgaria on the success achieved in the sphere of tourism and the work of Minister Angelkova for the sustainable development of this sector. The European Commissioner said that it would be a great pleasure for her to attend the conference and she expects that it will yield positive results that will have a practical impact and will contribute to the sustainable progress of the Danube region. European Commissioner Crețu noted that she appreciated the efforts and the persistent actions of Minister Angelkova for the prioritization of the region along the river Danube and the emphasis on its economic significance on a national and European level.

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova had a working meeting with Gert Jan Koopman, Director General of DG Budget of the European Commission. They both talked during the minister’s visit to Brussels.Minister Angelkova presented to the director general the results from the meeting with the ministers of tourism held in Sofia under the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The forum organized by the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism in February 2018 gathered more than 500 delegates from the EU Member-states and from the Western Balkans as well. The delegates emphasized that what is important for the development of tourism is to use possibilities for funding the tourist projects under the operational programmes.Minister Angelkova informed Mr. Koopman that possibilities for funding major integrated tourist projects were being discussed in Bulgaria. She also stated that there is an established working group that is already working on the preliminary preparation and analysis of the projects.At this meeting, the minister presented the extremely favourable results of tourism in Bulgaria, the possibilities for varied tourism that our country offers as well as the competitive advantages for investments here.Tourism in an important factor for the economic growth of the European Union, said Gert Jan Koopman and admired the joint initiatives contributing to its development.

The wine and culinary destinations Sakar and the Rhodopes were discussed at a round table organized in the town of Kardzhali.We will make a proposal to fund large integrated tourist projects under the operational programmes during the next programme period. We are planning to start with nine projects, one in each tourist region for planning. This was said by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during the fifth round table under the project “Share Bulgaria” in Kardzhali. She clarified that at present negotiations are being held and preliminary preparation and an analysis of the projects are being conducted. A working group has also been established in order to prepare the plan and in the next stage of the preparation, the local authorities and the business will also be included, said the Minister. The possibilities for providing funds are part of the future programme for regional development or development of the rural areas. Now is the right time to launch the initial activities because we have a long way to go before we finish a proposal and it often takes a long time.The “Share Bulgaria” initiative can also support the development of these projects, said Minister Angelkova. This initiative is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. It includes the establishment of 12 wine and culinary destinations encompassing more than 50 municipalities and over 100 tourist attractions.The main focus of the debate held in Kardzhali included the destinations Sakar and the Rhodopi. Sevda Kamburova, deputy regional governon of the district of Kardzhali and Eng. Krasimir Koev, executive director of the Executive agency on vine and wine took part in the forum. Sakar destination includes the municipalities of Harmanli, Lyubimets, Svilengrad, Topolovgrad. Some of the most emblematic tourist sites in the region, traditional dishes and typical wine are part of it. The Rhodopes destination includes the municipalities of Smolyan, Haskovo, Kardzhali and Ivailovgrad. Some of the most emblematic tourist attractions, not only for the region but in the country as well, are part of this destination. These sites include Perperikon, the Virgin Mary monument, the Stone Wedding, the Stone Mushrooms, the Devile’s Bridge and Tatul. The cuisine and wine typical for the region are also part of this destination.The concept of the debates is for all the interested parties, the business and the local authorities, to share their opinions and suggestions, which will help us develop a joint effective project, said Minister Angelkova. She also added that we expect to build on and finalize our concept. We think that this initiative will contribute to the enrichment and the extension of the summer and winter tourism – our main tourist products, said the Minister.  The destinations approved by the business and the local authorities will be presented in October, announced Minister Angelkova. We are planning to launch an active marketing campaign with which we will turn it into a discernible symbol of the project and the varied tourist product of our country. It is important for us to finish the project on time so that it will be included in the Annual Programme for National Tourist Advertising 2019, explained the Minister. She also added that it will contribute to the popularization and the development of regional tourism, which will affect the progress of the sector on a national level.

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with representatives of the Chinese conglomerate Fosun (FOSUN GROUP). The delegation was headed by Wenping Yao, vice president of FOSUN GROUP. The other company representatives hold senior managerial positions. At this meeting, the minister presented the opportunities for various types of tourism offered by Bulgaria as well as the competitive advantages of investing in our country.Tourism constitutes approximately 13% of the GDP of the country, which ranks it among the major economic sectors in Bulgaria, explained the Minister. She also stated that of every 100 euros spent in our country, 7,4 has been spent on tourism and based on this indicator, the sector takes one of the top positions and is expected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. Since the establishment of a separate ministry over the last three years, the results have been very good and we can observe a steady rise on an annual basis, said the Minister. She also added that this year, we expect to have an increased number of tourists and the data for the period January-July prove it. During the first seven months of the year 2018, the total number of foreign tourist visits is more than 5,265 million and this number has risen by about 7%. China is one of the markets having the greatest potential for inbound tourism to Bulgaria and it currently ranks thirty-second, with over 15,4 thousand guests, said Minister Angelkova. She also explained that the growth potential of this market is substantial and the ministry is currently developing special marketing campaigns in accordance with the interests of Chinese tourists.The minister also said that Bulgaria is presently working with 11 Balkan countries on a joint project aimed at attracting visitors from distant countries such as China. She also specified that this was the idea of the Ministry of Tourism and it was proposed and supported at a meeting of the EU ministers entitled “Tourism and Economic Growth”.The guests commented that tourism is very important for them and Bulgaria is an interesting country for investments. They also said that it has a very rich culture and a compact territory with a lot of places of intetest, which needs to be popularized. Minister Nikolina Angelkova and representatives of the company agreed to cooperate in the future and expressed their willingness to provide each other support for implementing joint initiatives.The Chinese conglomerate FOSUN GROUP was established in 1992. The company is the second largest shareholder of Thomas Cook and the owner of the chain of hotels and resorts Club Med. It deals with industrial operations, investments, asset management and insurance. It has a lot of subsidiaries in all spheres of business. It has more than 30 global partners worldwide.

I undertake to add in the Black Sea Coast Act a change that defines the accessible beach environment for people with disabilities for which the responsibility of the beach owners. This will also be done by grouping beaches. We continue meeting with representatives of organizations of people with reduced mobility and I want to thank them for their cooperation. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova, who participated in the accessibility check-up on the “Bourgas-sever” beach along with Greta Asparuhova and Hristina Nacheva who are fighting for an accessible environment.The Minister announced that last year, through annexes to the contracts it was requested from the concessionaires and strip tenants to provide favorable conditions for people with disabilities to be able to rest comfortably on the beach. At some of the beaches, the concessionaires have already provided trolleys, which are extremely important. So once on the beach, people with disabilities can bathe in the sea. Such are available on the “Slanchev bryag - yug” beach, it was became clear from the words of the Minister. This is one of the few stripes where a person with disabilities can best enjoy the beach, as far as absolutely all additional equipment and facilities are provided.Minister Angelkova reminded that there is no clear regulation now, and that a legal basis is really needed in order for the tourist administration to oblige concessionaires and tenants to ensure this accessibility. Certainly, this will be done with the change of the LSBBSC, whose project is publicly debated. At the beaches for which an annex are signed with us on the rent and concession contracts and must ensure accessibility, we will issue prescriptions the real situation to be checked in order to actually serve the people, she said.Minister Angelkova said that for the Central Beach in Burgas a prescription for the old path to be changed will be also issued. It is very important to provide a legal framework that is for the sea beaches only. You know that there is a requirement for the accessibility to be ensured also under the European regulations. The inspection with the participation of the Minister Angelkova continued later on at the Sunny Beach-South, where the concessionaire created the most favorable environment for persons with disabilities. A total of 82 beaches are currently constructed, 53 of which are in the Bourgas region, the Minister said.

We will use the trademark "Share Bulgaria" to promote the project on the international exchangesWe developed the wine-culinary destination project in order to establish Bulgaria as recognizable for year-round tourism. With their support, we will direct the attention of tourists to our main services - winter and summer tourism, as well as to the other types of tourism that the country can offer. We plan in October, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forest, to present the approved by the branch and the local authorities wine-culinary destinations. This was announced by the Minister Nikolina Angelkova at the fourth roundtable under the project, which was held in Burgas. She said that once finalized, they will be included in the Annual National Tourism Promotion Program for the next year. The wine-culinary destinations are envisaged to be added to the various brochures and leaflets that promote the country. They will be digitized and added to the iLoveBulgaria platform.The forum was attended by Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Bourgas, Krassimir Koev, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Vine and Wine, representatives of the tourism and wine business and MPs. The event is part of the second stage of the project "Share Bulgaria", which envisages the creation of the destinations. The concept includes 12 wine-culinary destinations that pass through the territory of the whole country. They involve more than 50 municipalities and more than 100 tourist sites, said the Minister of Tourism Angelkova. She pointed out that through public discussions we want to help businesses and local communities to enrich and upgrade the concept of destinations in order to create a comprehensive and useful product that will assist the tourism and agribusiness, and thus the development of the region. We already have a trademark and a logo "Share Bulgaria", which will help promote the project and present the country as a place for a variety of tourist products, said the Minister Angelkova. She added that it could be provided to the municipalities to use it to promote their cultural and historical heritage and the food and drink typical for the regions.The Minister urged all interested parties to submit proposals for destinations to create a useful and working project which to support the activities of businesses, the municipalities and the ministry and to contribute fully to the tourism development.At the height of the summer, I want to say that the data for Burgas region are very positive, the Minister said. Between January and June 2018, the number of people staying in the accommodation with 10 or more beds was increased by 10% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching nearly 480 000. The overnight stays were over 2.48 million, an increase by 10%. Revenues from the overnight stays were over BGN 112.6 million, recording an increase by 7.8% compared to January-June 2017. Almost every second tourist who stayed in the accommodation with 10 or more beds in the whole country for the period January - June 2018, has chosen a 4- and 5-star hotel.The total number of persons in the accommodation with 10 or more beds in the whole country was more than 3.165 million, of which in the 4 and 5 stars hotels were over 1.63 million. Both indicators show an increase by 6.8% and 8.5% over the same period last year. This proves that the country is increasingly recognized as a destination offering high quality tourism at a reasonable price, said Minister Angelkova. She also pointed out that this is thanks to the joint efforts and the teamwork between the state institutions, the local government and the business.This summer season we also expect about 5% increase of the foreign tourist visits compared to the last year, the Minister said. She expressed the hope that the rainy weather in July did not have a tangible effect, which will become clear from the statistics to be published at the end of the month.On the questions of journalists before the start of the event, the Minister commented that she will today file a lawsuit for defamation following the attempts to involve her name and the name of the institution in relation to possible criminal offenses on the occasion of the speech of the former Deputy Minister of Tourism Branimir Botev. It is quite ridiculous to make such absurd statements bordering on the sanity, Minister Angelkova said definitely. She added that it is absolutely unacceptable to undermine the prestige of the institutions and make suggestions. This is very damaging to the image of tourism, she said. I do not think that a person who has worked for Bulgarian tourism can have such attitude to its achievements in order to attract media attention, said the Minister on the occasion of the opinion expressed by the former deputy minister of tourism.

The project was discussed with the local government and the business at a roundtable in Gabrovo By the project for 12 wine-culinary destinations, we promote the interior of the country before the tourists. It will also contribute to widening the wings of the season and attracting more visitors beyond the active months for trips. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva at a roundtable held in Gabrovo today. In April and May 2018, the foreign tourist visits to Bulgaria amounted to more than 1.24 million, an increase by 11.5% compared to the same period of the last year. Data for the season wings illustrates that the consistent policy and initiatives of the ministry, among which is the project of the wine-culinary destinations, have the effect, said the Deputy Minister Georgieva. On behalf of the Minister Nikolina Angelkova, she said that it is important for the ministry to finalize the project, together with industry and local authorities, to help them promote the tourist and agricultural products in the regions.The District Governor of Gabrovo, Nevena Petkova, took part in the forum, which welcomed the idea of a roundtable in Gabrovo, the District Governor of Veliko Tarnovo, Prof. Dr. Lyubomira Popova, who invited the two ministries for the next forum, the Deputy Mayor of Gabrovo, Nella Rachevitch, Eng. Krassimir Koev, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Vine and Wine, and Malin Bistrin, representative of the Ministry of Tourism. The main focus of the discussion was placed on two of the destinations - Eastern Thrace and Old Capitals. The initiative is part of the project "Share Bulgaria", which is being developed jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.The 12 wine-culinary destinations are spread on the territory of the whole country. They include over 50 municipalities and over 100 tourist sites. The Eastern Thrace destination covers the municipalities of Stara Zagora, Sliven, Yambol and Karnobat and 8 emblematic tourist sites in the region, including the Neolithic dwellings - Stara Zagora, Karanovka Settlement Mound, Sinite Kamani Natural Park (The Blue Stones), Halkata Rock Phenomenon, Zheravna, Kotel, Skoka Waterfall - Medven and Markeli Fortress.The other destination on which the focus was placed today is one of the longest in the project, passing through seven municipalities. This is the Old Capitals, which includes Veliko Tarnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Shumen, Targovishte, Pliska, Veliki Preslav, Gabrovo. It includes another 13 tourist sites - the historical hills of Tsarevets and Trapezitsa, Arbanassi, Hotnitsa Eco-Trail, Emenka Eco-Trail, Daskalolivnitsa - Elena, Slaveikovo School - Targovishte, Shumen Fortress, Madara Horseman, Osmarski Rock Monasteries, Hankrum Rock Monasteries, Pliska, Veliki Preslav and Nicopolis ad Istrum.We plan the final wine-culinary destinations to be announced in the autumn this year. They will then be digitized and uploaded to the web-sites of the two ministries, explained the Deputy Minister Georgieva.We foresee the 12 wine-culinary destinations to be recognized by the industry and the municipalities to be included in the iLoveBulgaria platform, which currently contains over 500 tourist sites and is used by more than 17 000 users. It is planned that the established business and local communities to be included in the Annual National Tourism Promotion Program next year.The ministry forecasts that the number of tourists will increase in the summer by about 5% compared to the last year, when the foreign guests in Bulgaria were 5.3 million, said the Deputy Minister Georgieva. The results for the six months of 2018 were also extremely positive. Over 3.6 million foreign tourists have chosen the destination Bulgaria, an increase by 8.9% compared to January-June 2017.The data shows that we are on the right track in the promotion of the country and its recognition as a four-season tourist destination. We need to look for more and more innovative products to complement the range of services offered, said the Deputy Minister Georgieva. She explained that the initiative for 12 wine-culinary destinations could also help in the development and popularization of the so-called slow tourism. Its concept is related to preserving traditions and culture, focusing on the local food and regional customs. They would help tourists to learn about typical wines and foods in the given region. In Bulgaria, this is still not widespread tourism, but in many European countries it is very widely developed. 

The project of the Ministry of Tourism to create 7 Balneo- and SPA destinations in the country, including the Black Sea, is part of the strategy for establishing Bulgaria as a year-round destination. The initiative is implemented jointly with the branch and the local government and is extremely important for the Black Sea region because it will help the hotel base here to be used during the four seasons. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova in Varna at the third meeting of the series of discussions about the Balneo- and SPA destinations.She thanked the inter-departmental working group engaged for the project, which analyzed the related proposals received from the municipalities also for the support rendered to the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism. The aim was to create a basis for discussions with the business to upgrade the existing and provide a comprehensive quality product, the Minister Angelkova said.The SPA destinations will be advertised at all major forums with the participation of the ministry and on the iLove Bulgaria Internet Platform. The ministry is also working on a project that examines the current attitudes in the demand for tourism products. For example, German tourists associate Bulgaria predominately with the beaches and seaside holidays, while the Balneo- and SPA services are ranked 5th in their preferences. That means we have to develop this type of tourism and strengthen its demand, Minister Angelkova said. And noted the information received by the tour operator Thomas Cook, that Bulgaria is increasingly preferred as a destination and its tourists growth is close to 30% compared to the last year.Minister Angelkova also drew attention to the link between the destination project and the health tourism. We cooperate with the Ministry of Health that works on the transposition of the Cross-Border Patient Care Directive. I hope that after we focused on the health tourism and these issues at the first international conference, held in Sofia last year, we will now discuss them again at its second edition in October, the Minister said. She recalled that Bulgaria is extremely rich in mineral springs and occupies the second place after Iceland by its reserves. Through the SPA destinations, the ministry supports the efforts of the municipalities and tour operators. The purpose is what has already been created as a product to be more intensively advertised in order to attract the attention of tourists, including the great potential of the Black Sea region.In order to expand the wings of the active seasons and make Bulgaria a year-round tourist destination, we chose three concepts, the Minister added. One project is related to the 8th operative cultural and historical destinations that have greatly increased the number of tourists. The other project with which the SPA destinations can be combined covers the 12th wine-culinary destinations.The meeting for the SPA destinations in Varna was attended by the regional Governors of Varna - Stoyan Pasev and of Dobrich - Krasimir Kirilov, the regional Deputy Governor of Burgas - Vladimir Krumov, Mayors from all Black Sea municipalities, entrepreneurs, tourist organizations and others. Minister Angelkova thanked the Varna Mayor - Ivan Portnih for his commitment to developing high quality tourism products and pointed out that the city and the region completely meet the concept of a 4-season destination.In response to the media questions, Minister Angelkova said that the inspections at the sea region are very intense. By two beaches, as average, are inspected for observance of the free / paid area ratio and are surveyed by surveyors. On receipt of a signal that the free zone does not meet the requirements, an additional inspection is carried out. The inspection of the Golden Sands showed that the free zone was 52%, i.e., more than the regulated one. The “Nesebar-yug” beach area has also been monitored and the requirements are met there. We will do another monitoring, said the Minister Angelkova and assured that they continue to inspect the hotels in order to establish how the requirements of the Tourism Act are complied with for the correspondence between their category and the quality and volume of the services offered.

We are reporting an over 31% growth in Israeli tourists during the five months of 2018Bulgaria can offer a lot more than just sun, sea, and partying. I thank the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, for developing cultural tourism and making such places of interest more accessible both to Israeli tourists and to all visitors in your country. Thus said H.E., Irith Lilian, ambassador of the State of Israel to Republic of Bulgaria during a meeting with the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova. H.E. Irith Lilian further explained that the market is longing for cultural places of interest, with Bulgaria being selected increasingly often as a travel destination by families with children. She added that on the meeting’s day there were 14 flights from Israel to Bulgaria, a large part of the travellers being tourists, since our country is a preferred destination for Israelis.We are reporting a 31.8% increase of Israeli tourists during the period January-May 2018, compared to the same period of last year, with the visits totally exceeding 73 000. Over the past 10 years the number of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria has grown by almost 90% - from 97 000 tourists in 2008 to over 178 000 in 2016 and over 208 000 in 2017, Minister Angelkova stated during the meeting. She clarified that last year Israel ranked 12th among the top markets for inbound tourism to Bulgaria. The conversations were also attended by the CEO of Sunny Beach PLC, Zlatko Dimitrov, and representatives of Israeli tour operators.The Minister said further that a consistent policy is implemented to attract ever more Israeli visitors, with customized products being develop in alignment with their demand. This is one of the ways to enhance the quality of the tourism products we market, she commented. There is a tangible trend of the greater part of Israeli nationals coming to our country during the May-October period, meaning that the tourists come not only to the seaside but are looking for opportunities for a short vacation, recreation, and sight-seeing in our country, explained Minister Angelkova.Given the huge importance of the Israeli market for Bulgaria, the Ministry of Tourism regularly takes part in the IMTM tourism exhibition in Tel Aviv. Bulgaria took part in this year’s edition of the tourism exchange with an information stand of 49 sq. m., with the Ministry presenting the country as a year-round tourism destination, focusing on winter- and summer vacation, medical spa opportunities, cultural get-to-know tours, entertainment travel, etc. The Israel market is crucial for us, therefore, we will continue to take part in the Tel Aviv exhibition, the minister stated categorically.Minister Angelkova and H.E. Irith Lilian also discussed the opportunities for bilateral cooperation in tourism, as well as the development potential for tourism types other than the traditional summer and winter ones. They reached mutual agreement for cooperation between the two countries, stating their preparedness to support the implementation of future initiatives. We rely a lot on Israel’s expertise, this is why we hope to retain the successful partnership going forward, stated Minister Angelkova.The Ministry of Tourism is working hard to expand the season fringes, the Minister explained, adding that the institution has developed 7 medical spa & spa destinations, with 12 wine-culinary destinations having also been set up jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture, thus complementing our efforts to attract more visitors outside the active travel months.Prior to their meeting, Minister Angelkova, H.E. Irith Lilian, and the Pomorie mayor, Ivan Alexiev, visited the ancient tomb near Pomorie. It dates back to the 2nd – 3rd century AD, according to scholars, pagan religious rites and rituals were performed in its circular, rotund-type hall, which were dedicated to the sun cult. It is also the biggest cupola tomb discovered in Bulgarian lands, the only one of its kind in the Balkans.The Israeli ambassador was impressed by Bulgarian culture, nature, and customs, with the two sides agreeing to have the tomb included in the itineraries of Israeli tour operators.

Chinese tourists will increase at 5.1% a year up to 2023. This demonstrates how significant that market’s potential is and how active we need to be in promoting our country’s tourism opportunities in China. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, at the opening of a discussion panel on the opportunities for cooperation in tourism. The discussion forms part of the international business forum held in Sofia within the framework of the „16+1“ meeting. The event is under the aegis of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the Chair of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang.Some 10 mil. visitors from China travelled in Europe during 2016. Last year, Chinese tourists in Bulgaria exceeded 26 000, registering a 41.2 per cent growth compared to a year before, said Minister Angelkova. During the period of January - May 2018 Chinese tourists in our country numbered 8 234, a 4.1% growth compared to the same period of the preceding year.Tourism is a leading driver in the development of the global economy and among the chief contributors to the GDP growth. Last year, some 500 mil. tourism visits were made in Europe, thus, tourism accounts for some 10% of the European GDP, said Minister Angelkova. Explaining that the sector provides 12% of the jobs in the country.Last year, proceeds from international tourism in our country were nearly BGN 6.9 bill., a growth of 9.3 per cent. International tourist visits were nearly 8.9 mil., registering a 7.3% growth, the Minister said further. There are more than 27 000 firms in tourism and its associated sectors. The sector creates 13% of Bulgaria’s GDP, ranking it among the top 5 economic sectors, said Minister Angelkova.Creation of specialized tourism products and a marketing campaign are parts of the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy to attract more Chinese tourists to Bulgaria. The Minister explained that work is being done on the creation of the so-called Balkan Route, which is specifically intended to promote the tourism opportunities in the region. It is a joint project among 11 Balkan countries, which are Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, and Republic of Macedonia. The Minister recalled that the idea for the Balkan Route was discussed and proposed during a meeting of the EU ministers responsible for tourism, which was held in February in Sofia.It is not the first Ministry intended specifically for the Chinese market. The institution has been consistent in its efforts to promote the travel opportunities in our country, with the first Bulgarian tourism information centre having been opened in Shanghai last year. Minister Angelkova added that work is now being done on the preparations to open a centre in Beijing, as well as in other areas, such as Henan, Sichuan, and Yunnan.The Ministry of Tourism is preparing a second International Congress of World Civilizations and Ancient Routes to be held in Sofia in November, with one of the main topics being the link between China and Europe, announced Minister Angelkova.

I am happy today with the start of the first-of-its-kind joint initiative in tourism between the Ministry of Tourism and China’s Ministry of Trade. Thus said Deputy Minister of Tourism, Lyuben Kanchev, upon commencement of the first 2018 Bulgarian-Chinese Seminar on management of the tourism. 25 participants representing municipalities, tertiary institutions, the Ministry of Tourism, and businesses departed on a training seminar in China. The visit is taking place with the support of China’s Ministry of Trade and is fully funded by the Chinese party.One of our priorities is to attract tourists from remote markets, China being key among such markets. I am convinced that your involvement in that seminar will help you acquire priceless experience and impressions about China and the local tourism market, stated Deputy Minister Kanchev.The China market is among the top 50 countries for inbound tourism to our country. In the first 4 months of this year Chinese tourists in our country were nearly 4 500, registering an over 3 per cent growth, compared to the same period of last year. In 2017 visits from that distant country were over 26 000, growing by 41.2% compared to a year before.One initiative of the Ministry of Tourism is to set up a Balkan Tourism Route for remote markets. The idea was put forward during a meeting of EU ministers responsible for tourism, involving 11 countries from the Balkan region.Deputy Minister Kanchev thanked the Chinese embassy for the attention and help in the arrangement of the seminar and stated his belief that our fruitful partnership will continue going forward.

We are expecting very solid growth in tourists in summer’2018, which we couldn’t hope to achieve without active partnership with businesses. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, at the opening of the new season in Sunny Beach. She predicted a 5% growth of international visits this summer compared to the record-breaking 2017 and predicts growth from markets such as Germany, Israel, Poland, Czech Republic, France, even USA, where a digital advertising campaign for our country took place last year for the first time ever.The Minister indicated that travel for summer vacation at the Black Sea coast is among the most preferred by tourists in our country. This makes sea tourism a fundamental and key product for the entire sector’s sustainable development. Over 70 per cent of all tourists come to Bulgaria for their summer vacation, she emphasized recalling that during the June-September period of 2017 visits of international tourists exceeded 5.3 mil. We also expect that Bulgarians traveling during that period will increase to 1.9 mil., compared to 1.6 mil. the year before.Minister Angelkova congratulated the local government and state enterprises’ administration for the efforts to develop our biggest resort complex as an even more hospitable and attractive one. More visitors are expected here as well this season. One of the indicators is the increased number of booked flights to Bourgas Airport. The current stats indicate 18% growth in flights, there are more booked flights from Germany, Poland, UK, Czech Republic, and Israel. Last summer, over 756 000 spent nights in accommodation, wits the overnight stays exceeding 5 mil. The growth in revenues from overnight stays is nearly 6%, almost reaching BGN 270 mil.Minister Angelkova wished successful operation to the businesses and promised assistance in the resolution of all issues relating to service quality and high-grade servicing. We are selling high-grade quality at affordable rates, becoming an increasingly preferred summer destination, despite facing huge competition in the region, she concluded. The opening ceremony was also attended by the CEO of Sunny Beach PLC, Zlatko Dimitrov, the MP’s Dimitar Boychev and Diana Savateva, the Deputy Governor of Bourgas region, Sevdalina Turmanova, etc.

The market in the region has 333 mil. users and a total GDP of USD 2.8 trillionWe will work jointly to create a common Black Sea tourism brand of the intra-cruise tourism in the Black Sea. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, in Varna where a meeting was held of the ministers responsible for tourism in the member-states of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (OBSEC). The event is in the highest, A class, which is included in the agenda of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council.One of the initiatives on which we will be working is the creation of a common product bringing together wine, gourmet, cultural, spa & medical spa tourism, indicated Minister Angelkova. She announced that one result of the meeting is the signing of a Joint Varna Declaration of the Ministers Responsible for Tourism in the Member-States of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (OBSEC), clarifying that the document provides the framework for joint activities going forward. Therein the OBSEC countries declare their intentions to work towards growth of tourist flows between the destinations and towards turning sustainable tourism into one of the major drivers of social-economic development in the region. The forum was attended by Michael Hristides, Secretary-General of OBSEC, Bratislav Djordjevic, executive manager of OBSEC, and Assaf Hadjiev, Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, as well as representatives of OBSEC member-states.Guided by the understanding that the Black Sea countries must make full use of their common potential, the Bulgarian presidency is attempting to increase the region’s visibility, the Minister commented further, indicating that tourism is undoubtedly one of the key sectors for a region with a populace of over 333 mil. users and a total GDP of USD 2.8 trillion, which accounts for 14% of the entire European economy, as well as 4% of the global one. The area of the OBSEC countries is 423 000 sq. km. In recent years the region has asserted itself as a leading tourism destination visited by 115 mil. people in 2016. This equates to 19 % of all tourism visits in Europe, noted Minister Angelkova.During the meeting she also reported on the presidency of the Organization’s Tourism Cooperation task group. Bulgaria took up coordination of its activities in July 2016, with its term in office expiring this July. In the course of those two years the Ministry of Tourism held, jointly with the Permanent Secretariat of OBSEC, three meetings of the task group, indicated Minister Angelkova. We put the focus on the tools to achieve competitiveness of the tourism sector in the region via a common approach to its development, introduction of innovations, and consolidation of the image of Black Sea as a tourism brand for visitors from both the nearby European market and from remote destinations, such as China, South Korea, Japan, USA, etc.During Bulgaria’s term, OBSEC and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) also joined efforts in WTO’s Along the Silk Route program.The way to develop tourism in the region is to make use of our shared cultural and natural resources by relying on the development of common tourism products, initiatives, and specific projects involving businesses from the OBSEC member-states, commented the Minister, citing as an example the initiative to set up the so-called Balkan Tourism Route, which aims to promote the region’s cultural-historical heritage to remote markets. This initiative is also linked to another priority of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council, namely the Balkans, with 11 countries taking part in its inception this May, noted the Bulgarian, adding that there was complete consensus among participants that improving regional connectivity, exchanging information and best practices, and implementing joint marketing campaigns are indispensable prerequisites to the successful creation of the common Balkans brand.Responding to post-meeting media questions, Minister Angelkova explained that the Ministry of Tourism’s proposal is to set forth the status of national resorts and key operations therein in an ordinance to the Tourism Act. We have proposed that the mayors and the local industries determine which is best for their development. We want to take the path of decentralization, while local governments are best aware of the specifics of national resorts in their territory.  Thus, various types of tourism will continue to be developed in Bulgaria the way the industry wants them to, noted Minister Angelkova, adding that it was the only way to achieve the desired balance. We have received strong support from the global tour operators, from tourism organizations, and from mayors, noted the Minister. I was notified by over 30 tourism organizations that the subject matter needs broad public discussion. National resorts are an image for our country, the voice of the ministry and of tourists has to be heard, and we have expressed their opinion. The decision will be made by the MP’s, summarized Minister Angelkova.

The Minister opened the third international Hotel&Tourism Investment ForumAn ever growing number of tourists in Bulgaria are opting for accommodation facilities offering high-grade services. In 2017 those spending nights in 4- and 5-star facilities exceeded 3.7 mil., 32 per cent more compared to 2014. Such growth also took place in the overnight stays during that period, with the 2017 revenues from them exceeding BGN 919 mil. – a nearly 49% growth compared to 2014. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during the opening of the third international Hotel&Tourism Investment Forum. She emphasized that it is especially important for the tourism administration to operate in direct communication with the industry organizations and the large-scale international tour operators, who are also among the leading investors in the sector – such as Hyatt, Marriot, Review Pro, Avvio, Choice Hotels, Louvre Hotels, IDeaS a SAS Company, STR, etc., who took part in the forum.Bulgaria is interesting not only for its nature and culture, but also for a place to do business, our legislation providing for a number of tax reliefs to such end and incentives for sizable investments, emphasized Minister Angelkova. She recalled the record-breaking results in the sector as evidence of sustainability. In 2017 Bulgaria was visited by nearly 8.9 mil. international tourists, which is a lot more than its own populace and an over 7% growth compared to the hitherto record-breaking 2016. We registered a very good start in 2018 and are expecting an at least 5% growth in tourists compared to the previous year’s records, she said further.Minister Angelkova announced that beds in 4- and 5-star accommodation facilities have increased during the 2014-2017 from almost 121 000 to some 150 000, a 24% growth. Deluxe hotels were 369 in 2014 and in 2017 their number already stood at 418. These are venues and beds, which run out fastest during bookings, while summer 2019 is already getting booked now. As a share in the total number, the 4- and 5-star hotels take up some 43 per cent of the beds in facilities with 10+ beds in our country, the trend being a sustainably upwards one, the minister added.Nikolina Angelkova provided specific examples of how Bulgaria is becoming an increasingly recognizable destination. During the meeting of the G20 ministers responsible for tourism in Argentina’s capital I had the honour of holding numerous conversations, where we discussed many options to promote investment. I welcome the interest of chains such as Marriot, Hyatt, etc. to invest in the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, she stated, reminding of the government’s policy to reduce the administrative burden.Amendments to the Tourism Act have removed 19 types of documents in the area of tourism, which up to now had to be submitted in hard cover. A unit was established at the Ministry of Tourism, which focuses on the measures intended to attract more investment, together with the Ministry of the Economy and its agencies.To facilitate entrepreneurial interest in tourism our ministry created, in partnership with municipalities, a Map of Tourism Investment Projects in Bulgaria. It comprises over 30 locations that we are presenting to international investors, at international expositions and tourism forums, clarified Minister Angelkova. The map is an open initiative and interest in it is significant. The Ministry is already preparing part two, with updates and more specifics regarding the investment intentions aimed at attracting entrepreneurs.

Bulgaria is increasingly cooperating with Russian regions to attract growing numbers of tourists from the Federation. We are prepared to expand that partnership with the institutions and businesses from Vladimir Oblast. Thus stated the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a work meeting with Alexei Konoshov, First Deputy Governor of the Oblast. The conversation took place during the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), with the participation of Rinat Chegaev - Deputy Governor, Andrey Shohin – administration manager, and Elena Pereskokova – chair of the Tourism Committee.Minister Angelkova recollected that Russian Federation tourists remain among the most numerous visitors of Bulgaria and that their interest in our country as a destination remains high. She emphasized that Bulgaria offers very good conditions for organized children’s camps and is known for its cultural-historical tourism. To promote that potential even more actively, we are starting a communication campaign on the Russia market at the beginning of this summer, she announced, adding that the ministry is ready to sign a cooperation agreement with Vladimir Oblast, as it did with another Russian administrative unit, the Altay Kray.Future activities envisage more showcasing of Bulgaria’s tourism capabilities, a photo exhibition entitled Bulgarian Customs and Traditions, industry level forums, short itineraries for the underage, under the initiative entitled „По болгарским дорогам памяти“ (On the Bulgarian Memory Paths) about the 140th anniversary of our country’s Liberation, etc. Another thing of interest is the foreign languages program during the organized vacation of Russian children and youths in our country.There is also perspective in the contacts between secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Bulgaria and Vladimir Oblast, which train future tourism staff, explained Minister Angelkova. Young Russians are increasingly interested in vacationing in our country, preferring seaside and mountain vacations, city tours, etc. Another focus of the bilateral partnership will be contacts in regional tourism – restoration of cultural ties, exchange of delegations, joint festivals, competitions, celebrations, etc.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, took part in a Tourism & Exports discussion, a part of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. Official guests of the event included, among others, Oleg Safonov, head of the Federal Tourism Agency (Rosturism), Petar Ivanov, Director General of the Federal Passenger Company; Ruslan Novikov, Director General of the Argumenti & Fakti company.Russia is key to Bulgaria in terms of tourism, so it is crucial for us to have not just partnership relations, but ones of close friends, in order to support bilateral development of the sector, indicated Minister Angelkova. The Russia market is among the key tourism-generating ones countries for our country. During the first three months of this year visits of Russian tourists to our country exceeded 27 000. Last year they were almost 558 000, with Russia ranking 5th in terms of tourism visits in Bulgaria.The minister added that a consistent policy is implemented to attract ever more Russian tourists, we are elaborating tailor-made products aligned to their demand. We are also working under a specific marketing campaign to promote the Bulgaria destination in Russia, she indicated further. There is also an active hotline at the Ministry of Tourism, where Russian guests in our country may obtain information or file a signal. All these efforts prove the significance of this market and I can assure you that we will keep working as intensively going forward, so that Bulgaria may become a magnetic destination for ever more trips of Russian nationals, stated Minister Angelkova.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, took part in the opening of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. The event was held during May 24-26 in Saint Petersburg. The minister attended at the personal invitation of the hitherto deputy prime minister and chair of the forum’s organizational committee, Sergey Prihodko. The forum was opened by the Saint Petersburg governor, Georgii Poltavchenko.The event has been held annually since 1997, having been under the aegis of the Russian Federation’s president since 2005. It involves over 10 000 participants from over 120 countries each year. The main forum audience are established Russian and international companies and business representatives, heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, and political leaders.The international event’s major objective is to be in support of businesses and help overcome the geographic and information barriers between Russia and the rest of the world. Key issues for the entrepreneurs are discussed and tailored decisions are sought.

Tourism can contribute to the global economy’s growth because it is a leading sustainability factor. Traditionally, it has been one of the top drivers of welfare and prosperity, developing at accelerated rates in recent years. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a meeting with the president of Emirates Airline, Gary Chapman. The two conversed in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, during the summit meeting of the World Travel and Tourism Council.The minister emphasized that Bulgaria is reporting a nearly 17% growth in international tourists during the December 2017 - January 2018 period. She pointed out that the growth in revenues from international tourism during the December 2017 - January 2018 period was over 11 percent. This, revenues during a large part of the winter season reach nearly BGN 796 mil.It was made during the meeting that the Emirates company may schedule flights between Dubai and Bulgaria in its new flights program. Minister Angelkova explained that the Fly Dubai company is already active on the Bulgarian market, while Mr. Chapman commented that his company is cooperating closely with Fly Dubai. In his opinion, there is room to increase the flights to the United Arab Emirates via Fly Dubai and other airlines. Nikolina Angelkova emphasized that the Ministry of Tourism is working in close cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies, and Communications, as good transport links and aviation in particular are crucial to the development of tourism and to attracting visitors from near and remote markets.Minister Angelkova introduced to her interlocutor the Ministry of Tourism’s initiatives to develop high-grade tourism product to establish Bulgaria as a four-season destination.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held a work meeting with Michael Frenzel, Honorary Chair of the Global Tourism & Economy Forum (GТEF). They conversed during the summit meeting of the World Travel and Tourism Council, which is held in Buenos Aires. The two discussed the opportunities for joint initiatives in tourism to expand travel from China to Bulgaria.Minister Angelkova presented to Michael Frenzel the projects that the country is working on, one of them being 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 forum is jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism and UN’s World Tourism Organization. The Bulgarian government and the Ministry of Tourism are consistently implementing a policy to establish the country as a four-season destination, stated the minister, explaining further that hard work is going on to achieve sustainable, year-on-year growth in tourism.China is among the major markets for Europe, especially in the tourism sector. This year, the Old Continent’s focus is on the 2018 – EU-China Tourism Year initiative. Over 12.4 mil. tourism visits from China were reported in the European countries in 2017, a 17% growth compared to 2016. Over 180 mil. Chinese are traveling the worlds.Development of joint products and routes with Greece, Serbia, and Croatia was also discussed during the meeting, with the intention of attracting tourists from remote markets, such as China. Ways to encourage Chinese investments in Bulgaria were also discussed, which in turn be a premise for attracting even more tourists.

„Partnership with large tour operators, such as Thomas Cook, is very important to us and I am happy that it has been yielding such good results over a limited time“. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a work meeting with Peter Fankhauser, CEO of Thomas Cook Group. The two conversed in Buenos Aires, during the summit meeting of the World Travel and Tourism Council. The minister emphasized that during this season Bulgaria is establishing itself as one of the most preferred destinations in the region, with significant growth being reported in a number of markets, Germany being among the more considerable ones. It was made clear during the meetings that there is a 10% growth in the tourists choosing our country for their vacation via Thomas Cook.Peter Fankhauser emphasized that it is very important to keep up the work in Bulgaria to ensure the tourism product’s quality. The two discussed the investment opportunities at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, as well as the development of combined types of tourism – medical spa with summer tourism or marine tourism with cultural-historical tourism, which will expand the summer season’s duration.The Bulgarian minister emphasized that 2017 was a record-breaking year for the entire history of the sector in our country and that she is hopeful that the growth in the number of tourists and in revenues would still be exceeded this year.Minister Angelkova emphasized that her institution’s marketing activities were yielding increasingly better results. Last year, revenues from international tourism in Bulgaria stood at nearly 6.9 bil., a 9.3 per cent growth compared to the hitherto record-breaking year 2016The Russian market is exceptionally important for incoming tourism to Bulgaria, indicated Angelkova, announcing that in 2017 Russia ranked 5th in terms of tourism visits in our country, with some 558 000 visits.Remote and new markets are also important to us because Bulgaria is still not very popular there as a 4-season route, said Minister Angelkova. She cited China as an example, as it generated over 26 000 tourism travels to Bulgaria in 2017, an over 41 per cent increase, compared to 2016. The potential, nonetheless, is much bigger, therefore we are prepared, together with other countries in the region, to offer joint tourism routes.

Bulgaria has a huge potential to develop various types of mass and niche tourism, offering excellent conditions to invest in the sector. This is evidenced by the 25%+ growth of international tourists reported over the last two years. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a work meeting with Cathy Fallon, Senior Corporate Affairs Manager at Hilton. The meeting took place in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, during the summit meeting of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).The Bulgarian government upgraded tourism to a national priority, placing significant focus on the development of tourism infrastructure, she emphasized. Our country is becoming an increasingly attractive tourism investment location due to the country’s financial stability and legislation, which is supportive of large-scale investors. Bulgaria’s advantages also include a 10% corporate tax rate and a 10% income tax, political stability, GDP growth of 3.4% in 2016 (fifth highest in EU) and the second lowest government debt-to-GDP proportion within the Union. A trend of growing demand for high-category hotels is registered in the country, indicating a growing number of high-end tourists. 90 per cent of the 4- and 5-star hotels have already been booked for summer 2018.We are expecting Hilton to expand its investments in Bulgaria, which would have a beneficial effect on the overall development of tourism in our country, indicated Minister Angelkova.

We are working towards establishing Bulgaria as a year-round destination, relying on digital marketing and internet communications. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a work meeting with Friedrich Joussen, CEO of TUI Group. The two conversed during the G20 tourism ministers’ meeting in Buenos Aires. A crucial priority is to expand the fringes of the high season, we therefore set up 8 cultural-historical destinations and are in the process of completing 12 wine-gourmet and 8 spa and medical spa destinations, thus aiming to attract more visitors beyond the active travel months, emphasized Minister Angelkova. She announced that Germany is one of our top 3 tourism generating markets for Bulgaria. In 2017 German tourists in our country exceeded 870 000, their number growing by 5.3 per cent compared to 2016. The stats for the last winter seasons are very good as well. During the December 2017–February 2018 period the visits of German tourists in our country were 41 804, with the growth being 7% compared to December 2016–February 2017, added Minister Angelkova.“Bulgaria is a constantly expanding tourism destination”, emphasized Friedrich Joussen. The CEO of TUI Group assured that the company will continue to work jointly with the Ministry of Tourism in promoting Bulgaria as a vacation destination to its customers worldwide.The two also discussed the opportunities to arrange a joint workshop in Bulgaria, with topics relating to upgrading the tourism product’s quality and the opportunities for joint projects with the TUI group to be potentially discussed during such an event.

Minister Angelkova held a work meeting with Alphons Kanaanthanam, India’s Minister of Electronics, IT, Culture, and Tourism, during the summit meeting of the G20 line ministers, which is held in Buenos Aires.The two discussed the tourism cooperation opportunities between the two countries and shared the idea that development of digital technologies and modern-era marketing are hugely important for tourism.India is among the top 50 tourism markets for Bulgaria, with nearly 22% more Indian tourists have come to our country last year, compared to 2016. Indian guests take interest in cultural-historical and festival tourism, medical spa and spa programs, city tours, event tourism and other types of tourism. The opportunities, though, are even bigger because remote markets are among the prospective priorities in the ministry’s marketing policy, explained Minister Angelkova.She also noted our country’s record-breaking performance in tourism over the last two years, highlighting Bulgaria’s potential to attract growing investments in the sector as a four-season destination. Our country’s advantages include one of the lowest corporate tax rates, which encourages entrepreneurs to make business in our country. For the purpose we set up a map of investment projects in tourism, which we are now building on with a second stage and new proposals, said the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, met His Royal Highness, Sultan bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, a prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two conversed during the G20 tourism ministers meeting, which is held in Buenos Aires. A highlight of their conversation were the opportunities to build on the exceptionally good cooperation in tourism between the two countries.Minister Angelkova focused on the country’s capability to develop various types of tourism - spa, cultural-historical, health, and marine. She noted that some of Bulgaria’s advantages as a destination include political and financial stability, and the legislation, which is supportive of large-scale investors. Minister Angelkova recollected that in recent years our country has registered sustainable growth in the sector. There were nearly 8.9 mil. international tourists in our country in 2017, a 7.6% growth compared to 2016. Revenues from the visits of international tourists were nearly BGN 6.9 bil., an over 9 per cent growth. During the first two months of this year the visits of international tourists were nearly 11% more compared to the January–February 2017 period.We are promoting Bulgaria as an attractive tourism destination, assured prince Sultan bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud.Bulgaria welcomes the interest of investors, including Saudi Arabian ones, in the development of 5-star hotels due to the rising interest of an increasing number of high-end tourists, Minister Angelkova said further. The preparedness of both countries to support various initiatives in promotion of the cultural and historical landmarks in their territory, as well as exchange experience in marketing and tourism, was reiterated during the conversation.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited the info booth of our countryBulgaria presented itself as a year-round tourist destination with increased interest by professionals and guests during the AITF international tourism fair in Baku, which took place last week for the 17th time.This year Bulgaria was a partner country on the Azerbaijan international exchange. AITF is the leading international tourism fair in the Caucasus region. Bulgaria has demonstrated its cultural, historic, spa, wine, gourmet, summer and winter tourism opportunities with an info booth of 63 sq.m, organized by the Ministry of Tourism. The info booth was honored with an award at the show.At the opening of the AITF Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva congratulated the participants on behalf of Minister Nikolina Angelkova and noted that our country has many opportunities for mass and specialized tourism of high quality.The opening of the forum was also attended by Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization at the United Nations. The official guests of the ceremony were Bulgarian Members of Parliament - members of the Committee on Economic Policy and Tourism of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.Personally, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Vice President Mehriban Alieva visited the info booth of Bulgaria. They spoke with the Bulgarian representatives and welcomed efforts to promote bilateral relations in the field of tourism between the state institutions and the business. Mr. Aliyev stressed that the two countries have friendly relations and noted that it is extremely important that they develop in the future. He noted the results of the visit of the Bulgarian governmental delegation headed by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in January this year. The President of Azerbaijan paid special attention to this year's direct airline Baku-Sofia and its role for developing bilateral relations and increasing tourists between the two countries.

It is proposed that the rescue posts are within 150 meters of each other on the beaches outside the national resortsTourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with the President of the Bulgarian Red Cross, Acad. Hristo Grigorov on the occasion of the joint proposals of the two institutions for amendments to the Ordinance on Water Rescuing Activities and the Safety of Water Areas. Changes are in the process of preparation and the main aim is to update the texts according to the new realities. The current Water Rescue Ordinance was adopted in 1996.One of the experts' suggestions is that the distance between the rescue posts to be up to 150 meters, except for the beaches in the national resorts for which the requirement so far remains - the posts are up to 100 meters. Another change that has been discussed is that after the adoption of the Ordinance a possibility to be provided also for certified rescuers from other countries to practice their activity in our country.It is planned that the rescuers will start working from 8.30 am. The experts are definite that the requirements for the necessary mandatory equipment of the rescue stations will be updated to ensure greater opportunities for protection of the life and health of Bulgarian and foreign tourists.Perhaps there will be sanctions for beach keepers if the rescuers they employ perform activities other than their direct water rescue duties. The reason for this text was the received during the summer signals that rescue workers were engaged in collecting umbrella fees on the beach. These and other changes to the Water Rescue Ordinance will be prepared jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the Bulgarian Red Cross. Because of the importance of the document on the life and health of tourists it should enter into force as early as this summer season, commented Minister Angelkova and Academician Grigorov.

The first meeting of the Public Council with the Minister of Tourism was held with representatives of the branch and scientific circles  We plan to create an identification number for each tourist site - each accommodation, catering and entertainment place will have its own unique number by which a uniform classification of tourist sites will be made and will help to improve the functioning of the Unified Tourist Information System and eliminate duplication with the same names of sites. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova at the opening of the first meeting of the Public Council with the Minister of Tourism. It includes representatives of the tourism industry, the scientific community and the tourism organizations. The first meeting of the Council was attended by nearly 60 people. The site identification number will be introduced through changes in the Law on Tourism, being currently prepared. The amendments to the Law on Tourism will include the important texts related to the status of the national resorts, said Minister Angelkova. The regulation will help solve the problems of financing, development and maintenance and management of the related tourist infrastructure, said Minister Angelkova.She definitely stated that the intensified checks on the work of tour operators and travel agents will continue. It is therefore important for the ministry to have more powers in the subsequent administrative control. This could be achieved by setting up an inspectorate at the ministry so that they can make timely inspections of the sites without waiting for alerts until the situation becomes intolerable, the Minister said. She gave an example with the Chiflika Hotel with falling ceilings and damp in the walls, where the tourists have been also accommodated in the basement. The control of observance of consumer rights in the future will continue to be performed by the Commission for Consumer Protection, the Minister said.We expect the amendments to the Law on Tourism to create a mechanism for uniting the tourist industry and developing sustainable and environmentally-friendly mountain and ski tourism. The new texts will include the decisions of the expert groups that have been working on the project for more than a year, Minister Angelkova said. She announced that the final proposal for the Amendment and Supplement Act (ASA) of the Law on Tourism will be uploaded on the official website of the Ministry within 2 weeks. It will then be subject to a one-month public consultation during which all interested parties will be able to send their comments and suggestions. The final ASA will be submitted for discussion to the Council of Ministers.Minister Angelkova presented to the Public Council the main changes that the experts prepare in the Ordinance on the requirements for the accommodation, catering and entertainment sites. In line with the government's priority to reduce the administrative burden on businesses, there will be substantial relief in some requirements. It is planned that there will be no special condition for the volume of the rooms in the four-star and five-star hotels, the rules for a certain size of the rooms remain, but as square area, it became clear during the Council’s meeting. Possibly, the obligation will be waived for having air conditioners in the rooms of mountain hotels, it is likely that high-class hotels will choose whether to have a currency exchange office or not, explained the experts from the Ministry of Tourism. However, the changes will be discussed with the branch. Its representatives will be able to indicate the texts that are not currently operative and need to be changed. For me, however, in the first place the quality of the tourist product is important. So, when re-evaluating the existing requirements will remain those that guarantee the good customer service, the minister definitely stated.She added that active work is being done for establishing a direct link between business and education, as the hiring of worker from third countries is only a temporary solution.The Public Council to the Minister of Tourism has a key function - it has to discuss the main policies in the sector, said Martin Zahariev, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of the National Tourism Council.

I welcome the efforts of all of you, of the business and the local authorities, which have helped to increase the quality of the Bulgarian tourist product, and so Bulgaria reported a higher class of visitors. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelova at the next meeting of the National Tourism Council (NTC) in Pamporovo resort.She drew attention to the active work of the tourism administration to attract more investment in the sector - both of recognizable brands and investments to meet the increased needs of holidaymakers. Our analyses show that the 4- and 5-star hotels were mostly occupied in Bulgaria, and the same for the summer of 2018 were almost entirely booked yet at the end of the last active season, the Minister said. She pointed out that in the year 2017 the overnight guests in 4- and 5-star hotels in the country total more than 3.7 million, which is a 5.5% growth, and the revenues from the overnight stays total more than BGN 919 million (a 12% increase compared to that for 2016).We are working on an extremely important topic - the creation of a Unified Tourist Information System (UTIS), which will link online via protected channels and in real time hotel booking systems with the databases of the Ministry of Interior, the National Revenue Agency, the Ministry and this will not only increase the security of the tourists but will also enlighten the sector, Minister Angelkova said. We had almost a year and a half for appealing against the procurement procedure, but we have already overtaken this stage. Seven Tenderers have submitted their tenders and the following year we hope the system will be launched. With the amendments to the Law on Tourism (LT) we reduced the administrative burden and when it comes into force there will be a change in the regulations, especially for categorization and re-categorization of the places of accommodation, the Minister Angelkova said.She warned that also this summer the control on the part of the Ministry will be increased. You know that we deleted in the National Tourist Register and ceased the activity of 116 tour operators and tourist agents for violations. We will be zero-tolerant when implementing the Ordinance on categorization and re-categorization, in order to prevent instances of violated rights of users, the Minister was definite.As far as electronization is concerned, she expressed her confidence that by the end of the year electronic documents could be submitted to the department for categorization and re-categorization of the sites. A QR code will also be introduced which will inform users about a tour operator or hotel, referring to their details in the National Tourist Register. We place a great emphasis on the digitization of tourism, which is a leading component of the Bulgaria's marketing and advertising as a four-season destination. In this sense, it is important for each region to show its strong tourist destinations. Three tourist regions have already been set up, five more are to be established, she said.The Mayor of the municipality of Smolyan - Nikolay Melemov also welcomed the participants in the NTC and thanked Minister Angelkova and her team for the efforts to develop tourism in the Pamporovo area. He said that for the last year the number of foreign tourists in the resort is nearly 85 thousand, while the total income from the overnight stays of Bulgarians and foreigners amounts to over BGN 15.3 million, which is nearly a 25% growth. Tourism is a sphere in which, if the efforts are not united, there is no way forward. That's why the results here are so good because we work together with the state, he added.The meeting was attended by representatives of the tourism business, mayors, members of public and non-governmental organizations.

Visits by foreign tourists to Bulgaria in 2017 are 25% more than in 2015, which shows that our country is steadily improving the results achieved and becoming an increasingly desirable destination for four seasons. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova at a meeting with representatives of the management of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, headed by the Chairman of its Management Board, Mr. Iliyan Terziev.The Bulgarian builders, who make our resorts more attractive and comfortable for their guests, are also contributable for these successful results, the Minister said. She pointed out that the record highlights of the incoming tourism in Bulgaria lead immediately to the necessity of building new five-star hotels, as the high class of tourists is growing steadily. One of the leading accents in our policy is to attract solvent customers of tourism services that require excellent service, the minister said.Nikolina Angelova stressed the importance of high quality in the sector, which is directly related to the image of our country in front of the world. It predicts 5 to 10% growth in foreign tourists over the coming summer and highlights the importance of well-trained professional teams to make this growth possible.The staffing problem is among the main in our tourism industry and we are working actively with all interested institutions and business to cope with it, said the Minister. She recalled the timely legislative changes that have allowed since the last year to provide executives for the sector from third countries. This is however a short-term solution. This is why we have undertaken a joint initiative with the Ministry of Education and Science for establishing a Training and Retraining Center for the tourism staff, where the experience of other countries will be used, the Minister Angelkova explained.The Ministry of Tourism and the Chamber will continue to actively cooperate in the construction and maintenance of a high-quality material base in tourism, on which is largely dependent the safety and comfort of the consumers.

The staff training centre will start operation as a pilot project in Sofia with the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of EducationWe congratulate you and support you for choosing such important and demanding specialties for your vocational training. They are crucial to the sustainable development of Bulgarian tourism and the quality of the services marketed. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, in Velingrad during her meeting with pupils and teachers from the Aleko Konstantinov Vocational Secondary School of Economy and Tourism. She emphasized that the image of our country as a year-round destination largely depends on the highly skilled teams, which is particularly true for the town – the spa capital of the Balkans.The Minister pointed out that the lack of sufficient well-trained staff is tourism is one of the major issues but is a challenge that we need to tackle with joint efforts. The record-breaking growths reported by Bulgarian tourism over the two most recent years mean a lot more efforts in welcoming and servicing our guests, therefore, it is very important to make the link between businesses and education an effective one, said Nikolina Angelkova. She announced that using the example of Spain, Italy, and other countries, the institution is planning to set up a Tourism Staff Training and Retraining Centre jointly with the Ministry of Education and Science. We have support and expect to start the pilot project in Sofia next year. Should it progress successfully, we will also open up branches in the country, she added.We can also support the sector via the short-term option of recruiting seasonal workers from third countries, which we have been applying since last year, but it matters to us that Bulgarian can have a career in their own country. We set up the Interdepartmental Council for Tourism Staff in order to resolve these issues in a coordinated manner. We also have a scheduled meeting with the Association of Vocational Secondary Schools and we want to cooperate with it as well and achieve tangible results, the minister announced further.The Vocational Secondary School of Economy and Tourism in Velingrad is among the most up-to-date and preferred ones in the country to have such profile. Future staff are trained here after grades 7 and 8, following secondary education, and on part-time basis. Significant care is also paid to hands-on training – the school has three workshops for cooks and confectioners. There is a serving room, as well as workshops for snacks and confectionery, which are sold both in the school and outside. A state-of-the art workshop for cookery is set up with European standards, under the Bulgarian-Austrian TOUR-NET project. Apart from cooks, waiters, bakers, and confectioners, hoteliers, accountants, and managers for the catering establishments are also trained here. Classes with intensive teaching of English and German have been opened up under the Bulgarian-Austrian BAK-TOURMAN project. One of the three multimedia computer rooms is a training desk with embedded hotel management software.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, met the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Albania in Bulgaria, H. E. Kiryako Kureta, and discussed with him the opportunities to expand mutual cooperation in the sector. In 2017 over 34 000 Albanian tourists visited Bulgaria, ranking that country 27th in terms of our international visitors. The two pointed out, however, that the opportunities are much bigger because our peoples and countries still do not know each other well in terms of history, culture, and tourism potential. Therefore, the upward trend in the two-way tourism flow is a fact.Minister Angelkova stressed that one of the priorities of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2018 are the Western Balkans integration and the economic prosperity of countries in that part of Europe. This may also be achieved with input from tourism, which is reporting promising results in trans-border partnership, she made clear.Nikolina Angelkova announced that the Ministry of Tourismis ready to initiate very soon a meeting of the tourism ministers from the region’s countries and the setting up of an international task group to create a common Balkan route. The initiative will focus on promoting the peninsula countries on common markets, including remote ones, she explained.Ambassador Kureta supported the idea, stating that his country would also joint such a meeting, which would promote tourism and economic contacts, the impetus having been provided already by the successful Sofia meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism, entitled „Tourismand Economic Growth“ within the framework of the Bulgarian presidency of the EU Council. He also stated readiness to also set up a bilateral joint committee to share experience in the sector.Minister Angelkova recalled that our country will host in November 2018 the 2ndInternational Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes jointly with the UN’s World Tourism Organization. She extended an invitation, via the ambassador, to the Albanian Minister of Tourism and the Environment, Blendi Klosi, to become involved in the forum and expressed her hope that bilateral contacts in the sector will develop upwards and at sustainable pace.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, received an award at a ceremony held in Moscow during the 13th Intourmarket international tourism fair. The distinction is bestowed for “long-standing cooperation, large-scale participation and creative approach in organizing the exhibition’s operation”. The award is signed off by Oleg Safonov, head of the Russian Federation’s Federal Agency for Tourism, with whom Minister Angelkova held a fruitful meeting during the exhibition.Russia is a tourism-generating market for Bulgariaand is among the five countries sending the most tourists to our country. In 2017 nearly 558 000 Russians preferred our country for vacation and travel, with over 400 000 Federation nationals having a second home in Bulgaria, stated Minister Angelkova during her awarding.Bulgaria, on the other hand, is among the top 10 preferred destinations for Russian tourists, solidifying its image as a family destination among them. Tour operators from the Federation, who are active on the Bulgaria market, announced 15-20 percent stronger demand currently for summer 2018 compared to last year’s March.Intourmarket is one of the biggest international tourism fairs for trade professionals. This year over 1400 exhibitors from over 130 countries took part in it, as well as Russian regions and national tourism representative offices. According to interim data, the forum, which was held on March 10-12, will have been seen by over 74 000 visitors. Bulgaria presents on its national stand diverse opportunities for sea, cultural-historical, medical spa, and wellness tourism. 

Over 19 000 Russian tourists visited Bulgaria in December and January of the current winter season, registering a 1,3% growth compared to the same period of last year. Thus saidthe Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova,during a meeting with Mikhail Maltsev, Executive Director of the Ural Tourism Association, adding that Russia is traditionally one of the main tourism partners of our country.During the meeting the two discussed the expansion of opportunities for the Russian users to make use health packages in our country or corporate vacations of Russian institutions and companies. One of the highlights were the way to promote on the Russian market typically Bulgarian medicinal and convalescence practices and unique methods and procedures not encountered elsewhere. A good starting point for this are the unique qualities of mineral water and medical clay in Bulgaria. Minister Angelkovastated that there are over 600 mineral springs with various characteristics in the country, which are suitable for treatment of many of the most common diseases.Presently, Ministry experts and representatives of businesses are developing spa destinations, which will help promote the opportunities for convalescence tourism in Bulgaria, said the Minister, explaining that the destinations are 7 and span the entire country. They provide information about the general characteristics and qualities of water in a given area, about the climate and tourism attractions. She invited her interlocutor to visit Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Black Sea coast during summer.Mikhail Maltsev indicated that he is welcoming the Ministry’s efforts to set up a specialized tourism product, which would be helpful to Russian guests, adding that the Association will support any good idea, which supports the development of tourism in both countries. „I am hopeful that going forward thecooperation between the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism and the Ural Tourism Association will deepen and develop“, noted Mr. Maltsev.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, unveiled the Bulgarian stand at Intourmarket the international tourism fair for professionals. The forum was held on March 10-12 in Moscow, for the 13th year running.Bulgaria is presented at the international fair with its national stand of 100 sq. n. Along with the Ministry of Tourism, co-exhibitors include Bulgarian municipalities and representatives of businesses. A major focus in our country’s showcasing are the opportunities for sea, cultural-historical, spa, medical spa and wellness tourism. These are the most in-demand travels for Russian tourists in Bulgaria, noted Minister Angelkova, adding that presentation at the tourism fair is very important for our country because Russia is among the top markets for international visits.Visitors to the national stand will be able to taste traditional dishes and see typical crafts and elements of our folklore. Tasting of products typical for the Razlog area has been scheduled. The visitors will also be able to taste quality Bulgarian wines. An eye-catching group from Gorno Dragalishte village will be making Pushets, woollen thread balls, and will be re-enacting authentic Bulgarian customs. During the exhibitions there will be performance of Bulgarian folk songs and dances.Along with Bulgaria, over 1 400 exhibitorsfrom 130 countries and all Russian regions will be participating in this year’s Intourmarket. Over 74 000 visitors are expected.

As a representative of the country now chairing the EU Council, I’d like to emphasize that we live in challenging times for Europe and the entire world, which could, however, be transformed into great opportunities. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, before the highly esteemed Berlin economic forum, which is organized by the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. The event is concurrent with ITB,the largest-scale international tourism exhibition worldwide, in the German capital.Minister Angelkova emphasized that the most important priority of Bulgaria’s presidency is the European perspective and the connectivity of the Western Balkans. We have achieved prominent progress over the last two decades. Economies in the region grew by 2.6% in 2017, opening huge opportunities for trans-border cooperation. Integration is a fact in tourism and we keep developing joint product projects, she underscored.Bulgariahas a strategic position providing easy access to the market of over 150 mil. consumers in South-Eastern Europe. We have attracted over EUR 45 bil. in international investments over the last 20 years. The GDP growth in 2017 is nearly 4%, we are reporting the second lowest government debt level, compared to GDP in Europe, the Minister announced to the forum participants. She added that the country is among the leading investment destinations for IT, outsourcing of business processes, and manufacturing of car parts. Bulgaria is in the top 10 countries with the fastest internet and ranks first in Europe in terms of broadband network coverage, Nikolina Angelkova indicated further.The Minister pointed out the importance of tourism as a structurally crucial sector of Bulgaria’s economy, which was elevated to national priority by the government. The average statistical 6% growth of incoming tourists to our country during the 5 most recent years is above the EU and worldwide averages. We reported nearly 8.9 mil. international tourists in 2017, exceeding Bulgaria’s own populace. Revenues from international tourism in the country amount to BGN 6.9 billion, which is a 9% growth compared to 2016, indicatedMinister Angelkova. She explained that the development of subsectors such as cultural, business, conference, spa and wellness itineraries, of wine and gourmet tours are among the Ministry’s major targets in promoting Bulgaria as a competitive destination.Within the Berlin Economic Forum’s framework Minister Angelkova also held a meeting with Mark Donfried, Director General of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin. She presented the priorities of the Bulgarian presidency of the EU Council, as well as the newly created Map of Investment Projects, which the Ministry of Tourismis actively promoting to international entrepreneurs. My main goal is to transform our country into a year-round tourism destination offering a high-grade product, stated the Minister.Nikolina Angelkova drew attention to digitalization in the tourism sector, the challenges and opportunities, which it delivers. We are expecting the inclusion of digital technology to contribute to the sustainable development of tourism in the country, announced Minister Angelkova, adding that the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism is the first one internationally to provide a service enabling direct sharing of tourism sites via Viber’s Chat Extension.

We are working towards information technologies being increasingly used in tourism, stated Minister Nikolina Angelkova in an interview for Euronews. The conversation with a journalist from the global media was held during the ITB – Berlin international tourism exhibition. Nikolina Angelkovanoted that the Ministry of Tourismis the first one, not only domestically but internationally as well, to launch a service enabling direct sharing of tourism sites via Viber’s Chat Extension. It is a joint project of the Ministry of Tourism and iLoveBulgaria.Digital transformation of Bulgariantourismas a means to ensure its long-term competitiveness was a major focus of the round table on digitalization, which the Ministry of Tourism organized less than a month ago. The international forum was part of the events on the agenda of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council, which our countrytook over for the first time at the start of 2018, the Bulgarian minister said further.             Еuronews reaches over 430 homes in 166 countries. Its 12 versions cover global news in 11 languages. The team has 500 journalists from 30 nationalities. 

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held a work meeting with Jason Wong, executive director of the research centre of the Global Tourism Economy Forum. The two converses during ITB Berlin –the most significant tourism forum worldwide – where Bulgariais presented with a national stand.Minister Angelkovapresented the Ministry events within the framework of the Bulgarian presidency of the EU Council. She informed Mr. Jason Wong about the outcomes from the council meeting of the ministers of tourism, which was held in Sofia in mid-February. The forum was attended by Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Single Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME’s, Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UN’s World Tourism Organization, and over 500 delegates and guests. Minister Angelkovaindicated that the major topics of discussion included the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year initiative. The Chinese market’s potential is huge, in 2017 12.4 million visits of Chinese nationals were registered in the European country, an 18% growth compared to 2016, said the Minister.She noted that Bulgaria will be hosting the 7th summit meeting of state- and government leaders of the Central and Eastern European countries and China during the second half of 2018. The Minister advised that during the event the Chinese-Bulgarian tourism forum will also be held and offered co-organization to Mr. Jason Wong.Also discussed at the meeting was the cooperation potential with the southern Guangdong province, which has the highest gross domestic product per capita.Minister Angelkovafamiliarized her interlocutor with the preparations for the 2nd edition of the International Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes in November this year and invited Mr. Jason Wong to attend the forum. The Minister indicated that her institution and the government are implementing a consistent policy to establish Bulgaria as a 4-season tourism destinationand promote our cultural-historical riches.Mr. Jason Wong congratulated Minister Angelkovaon the hard work done to develop tourism in Bulgaria and indicated that the eventsscheduled for this year will have a positive effect in attracting more Chinese to Europe and Bulgaria.During ITB Berlin Minister Angelkovaalso held a work meeting with the Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Mauritius – Anil Gayan. Last yearthe total number of international visitors to Bulgaria was nearly 8.9 mil., which is 7.6 percent more than 2016. The 2017 revenues from international tourism in the country amount to BGN 6.895 billion, which is a 9.3% growth compared tothe hitherto record-breaking year 2016, said the Bulgarian minister.The two discussed options to expand cooperationin tourism, as well as the investment map, which contains 32 Bulgarian projects of potential interest to investors.

It will connect the hotel registers to the National Revenue Agency and the Ministry of the Interior, shrinking the grey sector in tourism.The bids for the public procurement to set up the Single Tourism Information System (STIS) were opened at the Ministry of Tourism.There are seven bids. According to the procedure, upcoming is the document review in terms of admissibility and review of the technical proposals. The bidders will then be invited to the opening of the price offers, with a final ranking of the admitted bids due to be made then. The contractor will be selected among them and will have 6 months to set up and commission the single system.STIS will connect real-time the hotel registers to the Ministry of Tourism, the National Revenue Agency, the Ministry of the Interior, and the municipalities.The system will optimize the collection rate of proceeds from tourism operations. STIS is expected to contribute to higher security levels and limit the grey sector in tourism. 

Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, visited the Carnegie Endowment in Washington D.C. as part of her work visit to USA. She talked with Paul Stronski, senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program. His research focuses on the relationship between Russia and neighbouring countries in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. The program has projects in various areas – tourism, adventure travel, economy, culture, etc.The Russian market is extremely important for Bulgaria’s incoming tourism, indicated Minister Angelkova. She announced that in 2017 Russia ranked 5th in terms of tourist visits to our country, with some 558 000 visits. At the upcoming international exhibition Intertourmarket in Moscow, which is among the most important ones for our country’s promotion, Bulgaria will be presented with a large stand as an attractive destination for summer, sea, spa & medical spa, cultural-historical, pilgrimage, and other types of tourism. The Bulgarian minister emphasized that 2017 was a record-breaking year for the sector and shared her hopes that the growth in revenues and number of tourists would be surpassed this year as well.Bulgaria’s 6-month presidency of the EU Council, which started at the turn of the year, will undoubtedly be helpful to this end. It will not only enhance our country’s prestige as an active member state, but will also make it more recognizable as a tourism destination. Bulgaria also has a particularly important role as a middleman in the promotion of the Western Balkans’ integration into European projects and initiatives.Minister Angelkova emphasized that the institution’s marketing activities bear increasingly noticeable fruit. The 2017 revenues from international tourism in Bulgaria were almost BGN 6,9 bil., a 9.3% growth compared to the previous record-breaking year of 2016.  Conducive to such achievements is also the active communication with large-scale international tour operators, such as TUI, Neckermann, Thomas Cook, Der Turistik, etc. Significant growth was registered on a number of markets – inter alia, Germany with 870 000 tourists (third in the rankings) and over 5% growth, UK with 338 000 visits and 24% growth, Ireland – 31 000 and 22% growth, and many others.Remote and new markets also matter to us because Bulgaria is still not very popular there as a 4-season destination, said Minister Angelkova. She gave an example with China, which generated over 26 000 tourist visits in 2017, an over 41 per cent hike, compared to 2016. The potential, however, is much greater, therefore we are ready to offer the Asian markets, jointly with other countries in the region, common tourism products, summarized Minister Angelkova.

Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held talks with Paul Brown, assistant deputy secretary of state for transportation affairs at the US Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs - EB, showcasing to him our country’s potential as an attractive year-round destination. The meeting is part of the agenda during the minister’s work visit to USA.Minister Angelkova emphasized that Bulgaria is being promoted increasingly actively by state-of-the-art means such itinerary of the European tourism map. She drew attention to the fact that digitalization and the internet presence are among the main highlights in the ministry’s promotional and marketing campaign. The sector is one of the defining sectors of Bulgaria’s economy, having been upgrade to national priority by the government, she said.Intensive economic development of the country and the region is another key highlight in our work and also a focus for Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council since the start of 2018, added the minister.She advised the assistant deputy secretary of state of our country’s excellent performance in tourism. During the 2015–2017 period the average annual growth in tourist visits to our country was 12%, compared to circa 6-7 per cent EU-wide for the same period. Last year alone, Bulgaria registered nearly 8.9 mil. international tourism visits, a 7.6% growth compared to 2016, considerably exceeding the country’s populace. Our revenues from international tourism are also high – some BGN 6,9 bil. last year, a 9.3% growth compared to 2016, announced Minister Angelkova.Bulgaria is becoming increasingly recognizable as a 4-season travel and vacation itinerary. Apart from the traditional winter and sea tourism, we are offering diverse niche tourism services, which are increasingly in demand. The Ministry created eight cultural-historical destinations for the country’s territory, considerably enhancing the tourist flow to those locations. Presently, 12 wine-gourmet destinations are also being developed, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Forests, businesses, and municipalities, the idea being to promote specific tourism products in the regions and encourage local marketing in tourism, explained Minister Angelkova.She further emphasized that Bulgaria is among the European countries richest in mineral water and medical resources, with the potential to become the continents spa hub. Medical spa tourism is among the leading highlights in our product policy. This is why we are preparing 7 specialized destinations for this tourism type as well.Nikolina Angelkova also commented specifically on Bulgaria’s potential as a country with rich heritage spanning at least 7 historical era. We have over 40 000 discovered artefacts, ranking us third in Europe in this type of heritage. It is a basis to deploy new projects and itineraries for cultural-historical tourism, which is becoming an ever stronger motivation for trips around Europe and worldwide, said Minister Angelkova.Paul Brown saluted Bulgaria’s achievements in tourism, recognizing our country as being very beautiful, with strong potential for tourism development, emphasizing that it is a key partner for USA, and congratulating it on the important role as rotational president of the EU Council. The host also appreciated highly Bulgaria’s priorities for cooperation and partnership in the economy and tourism both in the region and on a more global scale.EB is a unit of the US Department of State, which is charged with promoting economic security and prosperity at home and abroad. It reports to the Minister of the Economy, Energy, and Environment. The Bureau’s work lies at the nexus of economic prosperity and national security, addressing a range of economic issues including intellectual property rights, and helping in the promotion of a coherent economic policy across the US government.

Minister Nikolina Angelkova met the leadership of the National Endowment for Democracy - NED in Washington during her work visit to Washington. The presented our country’s potential as a tourism destination and outlined topical matters in its democratic development. „At the year’s start our country took over the presidency of the EU Council and is fulfilling the responsible mission of proposing important solutions for the future of the Union and millions of people. It is a big opportunity to draw attention to the region and the country as a year-round tourism destination“, stated Minister Angelkova.She explained that the one of the key highlights is the Western Balkans’ economic and political integration, which is a crucial shared priority for the member-states. In the past the region was a hotbed for conflicts, but it is now a place of increasingly active partnership and understanding. In tourism such integration is a fact by virtue of the planning of projects for common itineraries and services to shared markets, it was made clear by the minister.Bulgaria has very good economic relations with Turkey – our southern neighbour is a strategic tourism partner. Last year in ranked 4th in incoming tourism to Bulgaria, generating a nearly 13% growth in visits, compared to 2016.Minister Angelkova drew attention to the fact that Bulgaria is also very attractive to foreign investors as an outsourcing destination. We are also proud to have very fast internet. There is a growing number of large-scale hotel chains wishing to invest in high-category tourism facilities in the capital city Sofia and along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.The Bulgarian minister also presented to the NED representatives the sustainable results in the sector, which Bulgaria has achieved in recent years. In 2017 international tourist visits to our country stood at nearly 8.9 mil., a historical record for the sector and way more than the country’s own populace. The 2017 revenues from international tourism were some BGN 6.9 bil. a 9,3 per cent growth, compared to 2016.We are working actively to promote Bulgaria as an attractive destination for summer-, winter-, and specialized tourism, including on remote markets, USA being among these. Last autumn we had a successful outdoor promotional campaign in some of the biggest US cities, with the visible outputs from the marketing activities being that US tourists coming to Bulgaria in 2017 were nearly 88 000, a circa 10% growth, compared to 2016, placing the US among the top 20 countries for our incoming tourism, added Minister Angelkova.NED is a non-profit foundation established in 1983 and dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. Each year the foundation is giving away over 1 600 grants to overseas NGO”s working for democratic goals in over 90.

Bulgaria’s government, partnering with the private sector, is taking active steps to promote the Bulgaria investment opportunities in the US, highlighting the country’s geographic location and economic benefits. This was stated by Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a Washington work meeting with Peter Doran and Réka Szemerkényi, President and Vice President of the US Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). The minister clarified that Bulgaria has a 10% corporate tax, which goes hand in hand with a skilled labour force and low operating costs. Furthermore, there are specific investment support measures and incentives, via the respective legislation.In line with promotion of investments in the sector, the Ministry of Tourism elaborated an investment map. It covers 32 projects countrywide, which aim to make it easy for the businesses and for investors to target promising endeavours.One crucial prerequisite for tourism to develop well is staff, we are therefore cooperating with the academia in staff training projects, commented Minister Angelkova, adding that the education of children is a priority for Bulgaria’s government. The Centre leaders, Peter Doran and Réka Szemerkényi, commented in turn that they know Bulgaria as a tourism destination, further indicating their awareness of the advertising to promote the country in the US and evaluating positively our promotion initiatives.  

US tourists increased by nearly 10 per cent last year, exceeding 87 000. The country is among the leading markets for incoming tourism to Bulgaria, ranking 20th in 2017. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a meeting with Andrew Forbes, legislative director at the US Senate. The two conversed in Washington, where Minister Angelkova is on a two day work visit. The minister pointed out that USA is a strategic partner for Bulgaria, that US tourists are very important for our country, and that we will continue to work actively on advertising in America. Our country was promoted there for the first time last year, in September and October, with billboards and digital screens in public locations.During the meeting Minister Angelkova presented to her interlocutor the latest tourism data in our country. She informed him that in 2017 international tourists in Bulgaria exceeded 8.882 mil., growing by 7.6%, with tourism revenues standing at nearly BGN 6.9 bil. a 9.3 per cent growth.The Ministry of Tourism is working actively to not only attract more visitors but also to encourage investments in the sector, stated Minister Angelkova, showcasing to her interlocutor the Ministry-developed investment map. The minister commented that the map contains specific proposal for promising projects, aiming to not only increase investments in tourism but make it easier for the businesses as well. The Bulgarian minister and Mr. Andrew Forbes commented that security is crucial both for investments and tourism. Minister Angelkova emphasized that Bulgaria is a symbol of stability in its region and is often chosen for family vacations precisely because of its security.

EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel with a video address for the roundtable of the Ministry of Tourism- an event in Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council 70% of smartphone-using tourists make surveys for their journeys through their phones, international research suggests. Each second journey begins from a mobile device. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, at the opening of the international roundtable entitled Digital Transformation in Tourism. The event was held within the framework of the Vacation & Spa Expo international tourism exchange, which is part of the Ministry’s initiatives in the calendar of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council. The roundtable was attended by Renata Pindjo, Deputy Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of Republic of Serbia. Maria Gabriel, EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, also participated via a video address.According to international analyses, internet users have increased globally by 7% last year, while people actively using social networks, have increased by 13 per cent in 2017 г. A 14% growth is also registered in the users of social networks via mobile devices, said Minister Angelkova.We are using the international roundtable as a platform for dialog among government institutions, NGO’s, and businesses. Tourism needs a long-term, sustainable digitalization concept, we are developing it, stated Minister Angelkova.Two major topics will be discussed during the roundtable. The first looks at New Economic Models and Digital Culture – Factors for the Future Development of Tourism“. It will discuss how digitalization and the emergence of new business models are affecting the tourism industry, announced Minister Angelkova. The second discussion will focus on Digitalization and New Opportunities to Preserve Cultural Heritage. Participants will discuss how innovative management may be used to stimulate the tourism sector’s development, explained the Minister.In her video address, EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel thanked Minister Angelkova for the active works and for transforming Bulgaria into a preferred tourism destination. She also added that online visits of tourists in Europe are leading ones and that European tourism goes hand in hand with digitalization.

Bulgaria will increasingly be attracting tourists from China and other remote markets with common Balkan routes involving several countries. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, in an interview for the morning talk show of bTV. She summarized as very successful the first of its kind Tourism and Economic Growth meeting of the tourism ministers in EU within Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council, adding that it was highly rated by Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Single Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME’s, Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UN’s World Tourism Organization. The forum gathered a record number of over 520 delegates.We discussed with EU member states the ways to attract more tourists from China and remote markets to the single destination Europe, with Turkey and the Western Balkans also to be integrated in the initiative. We are setting up a task group with representatives of ministries and municipalities to create routes, which will attract Chinese tourists. This will be considerably helped also by our idea to create a map of the top 100 European tourism sites, which will incorporate for a start landmarks from the UNESCO lists. Also discussed was the establishment of a European Tourism Fund, which would assist the implementation of such ideas via financial and other mechanisms, explained Minister Angelkova.Analyses indicate that Bulgarians increasingly prefer to spend their vacations in Bulgaria because quality of our tourism services is sustainably on the rise. This is evidence that tourists are pleased with the marketed product, the minister stressed. According to polls, half of the surveyed Bulgarians will, for example, opt for the Bulgarian Black Sea next summer, with half of our compatriots also staying in their motherland for the ski vacations.Minister Angelkova anticipated some upward movement in the prices of summer vacations because demand for high-category hotels offering better quality is expanding but this depends entirely on the industry because tourism in our country is 100% privately owned. The minister reminded, however, that according to data in the western media, Bulgaria is among the leading destinations in terms of price performance vacation.   She focused on the need to ensure the stewarding of sea beaches in order to provide trouble-free summer vacation to the visitors. Whether the procedures are under the Black Sea Spatial Planning Act or under the new Concessions Act, the beach concessions will be granted by the Ministry of Tourism, she explained adding that it is normal practice because the ministry is the responsible institution. I and the Deputy Prime Minister, Valeri Simeonov, are fighting to have order in the resorts. We are fully compliant with the law and monitor the transparent conduct of procedures. The problem with beaches in the gated resorts will be resolved via concessions because the highest price is not the criterion to determine the steward, unlike the case with letting, it is a set of criteria.Users demand that the beaches are granted under concessions and stood against the total removal of portable vending stands. 92% of those surveyed insist that the beaches be stewarded, while 60% request that there are portable vending stands at the beach itself, for the comfort of tourists. We are preparing documents to proceed with the concessions as fast as possible, in order to safeguard the government’s interest, Minister Angelkova said categorically.She also drew attention to winter tourism, which should develop at accelerated pace as well. Everything will be done according to the rulebook in the case of Pirin. There is no risk of overdevelopment in the mountain, there is no way for this to happen on 48 per cent of its territory. Only sports-technical facilities will be constructed. This holds not just for Bansko, but also for Borovets, Pamporovo, Vitosha, Stara Planina, Rhodope mountains, commented the minister.There should be quick and environmentally friendly access, such as lifts, to our mountain resorts, it became clear from her words. Change, however, doesn’t come quickly – there has to be investment intention, which would then undergo public discussion and environmental assessment. It is a fact that we are registering growths of winter tourists, with this season being expected to result in a growth of their number in the range of 5-10%, summarized Minister Angelkova.

Turkey is the 4th incoming market for Bulgarian tourism, announced Minister Angelkova during a meeting with Minister Kurtulmuş in Sofia.Turkish tourists travelling to our country last year were 12.5% more, exceeding 636 000. Thus, the Turkey market ranks 4th among the leading countries for incoming tourism to our country. This was said by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, to Numan Kurtulmuş, Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism. The minister added further that our southern neighbour is among the preferred international travel destinations for Bulgarians, whose number grew by 7.6 per cent last year.Minister Angelkova presented to her guests the currently developed wine-gourmet and spa routes and the digital projects, such as cooperation with Viber ad the setting up of Chat Extension, which enables direct sharing of tourism sites.Tourism is a key sector for the strengthening of international cooperation as well, stated Minister Angelkova, adding that Bulgaria is working with its partners from South-Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans to create joint projects in the area of cultural, historical, sea, wellness, rural, environmental, and religious tourism. Turkey plays an important part in this context, we are working together within the tourism task group of OBSEC, the minister said further, explaining that a meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism in the OBSEC member-states is due to be held and invited her counterpart to the scheduled event.The task group established between Bulgaria and Turkey is an example of the good partnership the two countries have. Today’s meeting between ministers Angelkova and Kurtulmuş is precisely what symbolically inaugurates the commencement of the task group’s operations. Its purpose is to prepare joint projects to promote Turkish and Bulgarian folklore customs, kitchen, and others. With these the two countries will attract more tourists, the main focus being remote markets, such as China, India, and USA.Days of Bulgaria in Turkey and Days of Turkey in Bulgaria are in the pipeline of events. We are preparing a marketing promotional campaign for the Turkish market, stated Minister Angelkova, explaining that the special target groups will include not only tour operators and agencies, but end user as well, such as families with children. It is exceptionally important for use to attract more Turkish tourists to Bulgaria during winter, Minister Angelkova commented further.Minister Kurtulmuş congratulated Minister Angelkova for the consistent work and efforts for the advancement of tourism in Bulgaria, stating preparedness for cooperation in the future joint projects, which will contribute to the sector’s development both in the two countries and region-wide.

During a high-level meeting on tourism taking place in Sofia on 13 February 2018, representatives from 30 EU and Balkan countries will discuss the sustainable development of the tourism sector and its role as a driver for economic growth. The focus of three panel discussions will be the EU tourism regulations, security and the possibilities for boosting cooperation between Europe and China.Tourism has an important economic role, accounting for more than 13 % of Bulgaria's GDP and about 10 % of the EU's GDP. In 2016, the revenue from international tourism in the EU amounted to EUR 341 billion. Host of the event will be the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Ms Nikolina Angelkova.Among the high-level delegates are Ms Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and Mr Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation. Ministers of tourism from all EU Member States and from the Balkan region as well as business representatives will attend the forum.  Overall, delegations from around 30 countries are expected to take part. The informal meeting will consist of three main panels. The first panel will focus on the role of tourism as a driver for economic growth and regional integration and on the shared economy phenomenon and the implementation of related EU regulations. The second panel discussion will emphasise the role of security for the attractiveness of tourist destinations. During the last session, panellists will debate the importance of the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year initiative. The potential of the Chinese outbound market is enormous.According to preliminary data, in 2017 there were more than 12.4 million tourist visits of Chinese citizens to Europe, a growth of 18 % compared to 2016.

OBSEC nominated the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism for a second term as coordinator of the Tourism Cooperation task group Bulgaria may play a leading role in the promotion of tourism in the Black Sea region. We have the idea to put the focus on the wine- and gourmet tourism, which are among the priority products for development for the Ministry of Tourism. The topic is due to be discussed at a meeting of the Tourism Cooperation task group of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (OBSEC), which is now being chaired by Bulgaria. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a meeting with Michael Christides, Secretary-General of OBSEC. She noted further that focus on the sector’s development in the region would thus be strengthened further. Collaborative aid in tourism with the other OBSEC member-states is crucial for us, Minister Angelkova commented further.The Minister thanked Mr. Christides for his involvement in the Tourism and Economic Growth summit meeting of the ministers of tourism, a level A event in the calendar of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council. This year we are paying special attention to the 2018 EU – China Tourism Year initiative, explained Minister Angelkova, clarifying that it was the reason why the topic is a major focus for the ministerial council, which is due for tomorrow. Bulgaria has an exceptionally beneficial cooperation with China and is actively involved with various projects on the famous Silk Road route, the Minister informed further.The two also discussed the progress in the setting up of a meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism in the OBSEC member-states. The event is also part of the calendar of our presidency of the EU Council and is also a highest category event. It is scheduled to be held in June in Varna. The Ministry of Tourism will report there on the work done during the period of its coordination of the tourism task group in OBSEC, which started in July 2016 and is due to conclude in June this year.The Secretary-General of OBSEC asked the Ministry of Tourism to consider the option of taking on a second term as coordinator of the Tourism Cooperation task group for a further two-year tenure. Christides stated further that he rates highly the institution’s good work in both leading the group and contributing to the progress of tourism in Bulgaria and the Black Sea region. He highlighted cruise tourism in the Black Sea region, explaining that action should be taken to develop it.Minister Angelkova invited Michael Christides to participate in the second edition of the International Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes. It is jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the UN World Tourism Organization and is due to be held in Sofia in November. The link between economy and tourism will be the event’s major highlight.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, opened the Bulgarian information stand at the IMTM international tourism exhibition – the biggest in the East Mediterranean and Israel. In terms of significance, the forum is among the leading international exchanges in the region, registering a consistent increase in the number of participants, professional visitors and end users. In the course of two days, February 6th and 7th, visitors will be able to look at the offers of dozens of countries. Last year, 1780 exhibitors from 58 countries participated, while the visitors exceeded 27 000, whereof 16 800 were professional audience. Bulgaria is presented by an information stand with an area of nearly 50 sq. m. The main focus is on winter and summer tourism, which are among the most demanded by tourists in the region. Another highlight is the medical spa opportunities, which are often selected as an extra service in recent years. Professionals and amateurs visiting the forum will also be able to become aware of the culture get-to-know tours and entertainment travel offered by Bulgaria.This year, municipalities and companies present themselves, along with the Ministry of Tourism, while interest is growing compared to a year before. Our exhibitors offer niche products – winter and summer vacations, medical spa, and cultural-historical routes. Israel is among the leading markets in international tourist visits to Bulgaria, ranking 12th last year. In 2017 over 200 000 Israeli tourists travelled to our country, registering a 13.7% compared to a year before.

We are registering a 60% growth of tourists hailing from Portugal during the January-November period of 2017. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a work meeting with Manuel Caldeira Cabral, Portugal’s Minister of Economy, who is also responsible for tourism. The two Ministers conversed during the Global Economic Forum held in the Swiss town of Davos. Over 15 000 Portuguese tourists have visited Bulgaria during the first 11 months of last year, indicate NSI stats.The topics of the meeting between Minister Angelkova and the Portuguese Minister of Economy also included the tourism cooperation between Bulgaria and Portugal. They shared the idea that the two countries could build on the good interaction by encouraging participation in tourism fairs, exhibitions, seminars, and events held in the other country, as well as get-to-know visits of media representatives for the purpose of promoting the destinations. It would be useful for us to exchange experience in the area of education and training curricula, as well as information about tourism development programs, which would encourage investments in the sector, stated Minister Angelkova. The two Ministers also discussed the opportunities of Portuguese experts holding trainings in the Centre for Training and Retraining of Tourism Staff, which is currently being set up. Minister Caldeira is expected to visit Bulgaria soon.Single European tourism policies for sustainable economic growth were also discussed during the work meeting. Development of sustainable tourism is a major priority of the Ministry. The government of Bulgaria is creating conditions to attract more investments in the sector and is setting up partnerships, which accelerate tourism development in a safe environment, stated Minister Angelkova, adding that the objective of the Ministry of Tourism is not just to attract more investments in the sector but also to assert and build on Bulgaria’s image as a competitive destination offering a lot of entertainment and recreation year-round.         

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.                       

All EU countries are among the top 50 tourists markets for our country Over 61% of international tourists in our country hail from EU countries, indicate stats for the January-November period of last year. In those months they reached 5,182 mil., registering a 7,7 per cent growth, compared to the first 11 months of the previous year. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a meeting with Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME’s. The Minister explained further that the EU member-states are part of the top 50 markets for Bulgaria, with 16 of them being among the top 20. From our perspective, EU countries are very important for tourism development. Apart from generating the major part of our international guests, they also have potential for development going forward, further commented the Minister.The Minister presented to Ms. Bieńkowska the priorities during Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council, explaining that the presidency is extremely important for tourism, since the country will be in the limelight of European attention. We will demonstrate that Bulgaria is a safe destination, offering a high-grade, diverse tourism product.Minister Angelkova also updated on the progress in 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 UN World Tourism Organization.Minister Angelkova invited the EU European Commissioner to attend the high-level meeting dedicated to tourism and economic growth. It will be held in mid-February and is part of the calendar of events for Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council. An invitation to attend has also been extended to the Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and to Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization.The European Commission will use all mechanisms at its disposal to support the sustainable development of tourism both on European and on national level, indicated Commissioner Bieńkowska, adding that Bulgaria’s efforts to establish itself as a year-round tourism destination and contribution towards the sector’s sustainable development on supranational level are being greatly appreciated. The main activities of EC in tourism are diversification and improvement of the range of products and services, development of mobility and worker skills, and implementation of a broad scope of activities to enhance the recognition of Europe as a tourism destination.  

Our Presidency of the EU Council is a genuine chance for us to present Bulgaria as a unique tourism destination, stated the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, in an interview for National Geographic. She said for the globally renowned publication that apart from being a huge responsibility for Bulgaria, the upcoming half year will also be an exceptionally good opportunity to display the country’s nature, culture, traditions, history, innovations, and unique features. Here one can break away from the modern world’s vanity, enjoy authentic millennial traditions, and replenish oneself by the unspoiled nature, but also make use of the comforts of state-of-the art digital opportunities, explained the Minister of Tourism.A number of Ministry of Tourism involvements in public events are scheduled for the coming 6 months. These occasions may bring a large number of tourists and investors to the country, stated Minister Angelkova. Some of the planned events we will take part in include the Vacation & SPA international exposition, an international round table themed Digital Transformation in Tourism“, as well as an international forum on tourism and energy, within the framework of Bulgaria’s presidency of the Danube Strategy.Bulgaria has the potential to become Europe’s spa capital owing to its abundance of mineral water, medicinal clay, and medicinal peat, said Minister Angelkova further, adding that our country ranks second in these natural resources, following Iceland. The hottest geyser on the continent is located in our mountain resort Sapareva Banya. The Ministry of Tourism is working on the setting up of spa and medical spa routes, over 30 municipalities have taken interest in the initiative thus far, added Minister Angelkova.Another topic of discussion was the development of high-end tourism in Bulgaria. To promote the sector, we created a Map of Investment Projects, which includes 30 sites. We are actively promoting the Map to international investors, the Minister explained for National Geographic.Our country is an exceptionally peaceful place to vacation in, the climate here is healthy, and the food is high-grade, natural, and delicious. Bulgaria may offer a huge diversity for all types of tourism, the Minister of Tourism said further.

Bulgaria is an established tourism destination for Greek tourists. Between January and November of 2017 the number of visitors from our southern neighbour is over 1 mil. Compared to the previous year’s same period, this amounts to over 8% growth. Bulgarians visiting Greece during that period were over 1 250 000, according to NSI stats.This was announced by the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a work meeting with her Greek counterpart, Elena Kountoura. The conversation was held during FITUR, the biggest tourism exposition in Spain, in Madrid.The opportunity for joint tourism projects with Greece was discussed during the work meeting. Common products may be created for the sector in the area of cultural-historical, sea, wellness, festival, pilgrimage, and other types of tourism, added Minister Angelkova.Another topic during the conversation was the exchange of experience and best practices in advertising and marketing, which would stimulate tourism in both countries. The participation of Bulgaria and Greece in international fairs, seminars, expositions, and conferences was also discussed during the meeting.Minister Angelkova also put the stress on the implementation of more business initiatives in tourism. Bulgaria created a Map of Investment Projects, which is intensively promoted by the Ministry of Tourism to international investors in the sector. Our main goal is to transform the country into a year-round tourism destination, marketing a high-grade, competitive product.  

 The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held a work meeting with the Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, who took over leadership of the organization on January 1. The two conversed during one of the biggest tourism fairs, FITUR, which is held in Madrid. Cooperation opportunities between the Ministry of Tourism and UNWTO were discussed during the meeting, as well as future joint project, which will contribute to the sector’s sustainable development.Nearly 8,5 mil. international tourists visited Bulgaria during the January-November period of last year, explained Minister Angelkova, clarifying that a 7,3% growth was registered compared to the same period of the year before, with the number exceeding the country’s populace by 1 mil. Revenues in the tourism sector during the said period amounted to BGN 6,3 bil., growing by 9,2 per cent, compared to the January-November period of 2016.During the meeting the Minister presented Bulgaria’s priorities during the country’s presidency of the EU Council. She explained that this is exceptionally important for tourism because the country will be in the limelight of European attention. It is yet another opportunity to showcase Bulgaria as a safe tourism destination offering a high-grade, 4-season product. Minister Angelkova familiarized Zurab Pololikashvili with the progress in the preparation of the 2nd edition of the International Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes, to be held in mid-November in Sofia. The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the World Tourism Organization. The name was suggested by the Bulgarian party and has already been approved by UNWTO. CNN’s star anchor, Richard Quest, has been invited as moderator of the event, which has the media support of CNN and National Geographic.Minister Angelkova invited Mr. Pololikashvili to take part in the meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism, which the institution is preparing within the framework of the EU Council Presidency, to be held in February.The Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism is the first one not only within the country but worldwide as well to launch a service enabling the direct sharing of tourism sites via Viber’s Chat Extension, Minister Angelkova explained further. She clarified that the service is a joint project of the Ministry of Tourism and iLoveBulgaria. Anyone using Viber on their cell phones in Bulgaria will now be able to obtain information about tourism sites in the country via the direct link between the app and the iLoveBulgaria platform.The Minister informed Zurab Pololikashvili that Bulgaria also opened a direct air service between its capital and Baku. The new flight between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan will enable even more successful development of tourism for both countries, commented the minister, adding that thousands of Azerbaijani tourists visit our country and the direct Sofia-Baku air service will be very beneficial for the growth of their numbers.UNWTO will support the countries both on a national and regional level in initiatives resulting in sustainable development of tourism, stated Mr. Pololikashvili, adding that the organization will continue to promote the principles and the application of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism towards achievement of the sector’s sustainable development goals. Zurab Pololikashvili was unanimously approved for the position of Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization during the organization’s 22nd General Assembly. The organization’s new Secretary-General will be in office during 2018– 2021. FITUR is among the biggest tourism fairs worldwide, being held for the 38th time this year. While primarily intended for sector professionals, it is also open to the general public. Last year 9 700 from 165 countries took part in the forum, which was attended by over 240 000 tourism professionals and admirers.

Bulgaria registered a 7,3% growth in the number of international tourists from January to November 2017 compared to the same period of last year, indicate NSI stats. During the year’s first 11 months our country welcomed 8 425 620 international visitors.We welcomed the most tourists from Greece, Romania, Germany, Turkey, Russia, and Macedonia. Over 1 060 000 visitors came from Greece, which is an over 8 per cent growth, compared to the same period of last year. There is an over 12 % increase of tourists from Turkey. On another note, the travelers from Romania were 1 054 170. We welcomed over 853 120 guests from Germany, an over 5% growth, stats indicate further. In November alone, the total number of visits of international tourists in Bulgaria stood at 399 517.„The stats are exceptionally good. If we maintain the pace, we have a genuine chance of exceeding the 9 mil. tourism mark on annual basis. It would be a record and we will be working hard to achieve it“, commented the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, adding that the Ministry of Tourism will remain proactive in transforming Bulgaria into a year-round destination.„The reported that offer an opportunity and create an ambition for us to try to achieve 10 mil. international tourists preferring our country for their vacation or travel in 2018 ", Minister Angelkova indicated further.Revenues from international tourism for the 10 months of 2017 exceed BGN 6.3 billion, according to data of Bulgarian National Bank. A 9.2% growth is registered for the January-October period, compared to the previous year’s same period. In October of this year proceeds from international tourism and travel amounted to nearly BGN 394 mil., a 6,6 per cent compared to October 2016.   

Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held a work meeting with Eric Rubin, US ambassador in Bulgaria. The discussion focused mainly on the tools to promote travel between the two countries and on the investment opportunities in Bulgaria. The Minister presented to the guest the annual calendar of events being prepared by the institution for the coming year. One of the first Ministry initiatives is in February 2018, when a meeting of the tourism ministers will be held during Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council. The meeting is one of the highest ranked forums.The second International Congress on World Civilizations and Creative Tourism will take place in November as well, announced Minister Angelkova. CNN’s star anchor, Richard Quest, has been invited as moderator of the event, negotiations with him being in advanced stage.We are actively working to promote in the USA the cultural-historical, spa, sea, winter, and other types of tourism one can practice in our country, the Minister added. She indicated that the ministry carried out an advertising campaign in the USA in recent months, with billboards promoting Bulgarian tourism. The boards were placed in New York, Boston, Washington, LA, and Las Vegas, there were online marketing activities as well. We have not had advertising activities in America thus far, while this year we had the opportunity to promote the Bulgarian product in some of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities in the space of two months, commented the Minister.When advertising Bulgaria, it is good to highlight its nature and the tourism opportunities that enable people to get to know the country, such as ornithology t tourism, recommended HE Eric Rubin. He further noted that it’s necessary to make American tourists aware that Bulgaria is a safe tourism destination.Minister Angelkova stressed her belief in the link between tourism and the film industry as a way to attract more international visitors. She and the diplomat were unanimous that attracting more international film productions would have a beneficial effect on tourism in our country. Minister Angelkova noted that Bulgaria already has a track record in creating blockbuster films starring superstars like Antonio Banderas, Silvestre Stallone, Morgan Freeman, and Jason StathamThe Minister and HE Rubin commented that the opportunity to open a direct flight between Bulgaria and USA would boost the development of tourism between the two countries.Visits of international tourists from the USA during January - October 2017 are nearly 80 000, registering a 10% growth compared to the same period of last year. It is the approximate number of visitors for the entire previous year. This puts the USA among the leading inbound tourism markets for Bulgaria.The data on Bulgarian travel to America also shows growth for the 10 months of 2017. Nearly 20 000 of our compatriots visited the country beyond the ocean, growing by 19,5 per cent compared to the same period of last year. 

Setting up a new tourism information centre in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was discussed during a work meeting held between the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, and a delegation from the Chinese province of Henan, which was led by Su Fugun, Chair of the province’s tourism association. The opening of the third information centre is planned for as early as next year, in the 9-million city of Zhengzhou. The meeting was also attended by Prof. Economy PhD Stati Statev, rector of the University of National and World Economy (UNWE).„We are working actively to also set up a centre in Beijing, which will be the second one, after the first was founded in the financial capital, Shanghai, announced the Minister of Tourism. She supported the need to boost bilateral relations in tourism with the latest stats on tourist flows between the two countries.„In the course of this year’s first 10 months we welcomed over 24 000 China tourists. We registered a 44,5% growth compared to the same period of 2016. The data on Bulgarian travel to China are positive as well. During the January-October 2017 period they grew by over 12%“, Minister Angelkova announced to her guests.Another discussion topic was the opportunity to open a flight between Sofia and the Chinese province of Henan. „Annually, we are sending over 3 mill. tourists from this province alone, who travel worldwide“, said Su Fugun.Also discussed was the arrangement of a high-level tourism forum between Bulgaria and China, which will be held in Beijing in spring 2018. The event will take place during  Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council. Thus, the EU-China 2018 European initiative dedicated on tourism will be emphasized. The delegation representatives welcomed the initiative and stated willingness to assist in its arrangement.„China is among the priority markets for us. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism has taken on the initiative to create joint tourism products with Serbia and Greece for the PRC“, announced Minister Angelkova.

The Ministry of Tourism conferred the second Annual Awards in Tourism in 2017. This took place during a formal ceremony attended by the Parliament speaker, Tsveta Karayancheva, the Minister of Sport, Krassen Kralev, the Sofia Mayor, Yordanka Fandakova, MP’s, ambassadors, mayors, representatives of businesses, NGO’s, and media. The event was attended by over 300 guests, the hosts being Bulgarian National Television anchors Georgi Lyubenov and Adelina Radeva.The annual awards are a successful and very significant initiative, which recognizes the best and highest quality tourism product, said Minister Angelkova. She added that they are not just identifying the best tourism destination or event but also support the efforts of every region, municipality, or business to promote Bulgaria as a year-round destination.„Our country has capabilities not only for summer- and winter tourism or spa and cultural-historical, tourism but also has nature suitable for extreme and adventure tourism, ecotourism, we can quite simply develop all types. With joint efforts we can present our country as a jewel, as a treasure in four seasons, and expand our basic product. Thus, we will achieve not just annual growth but will transform this trend into sustainability, with tourism becoming one of the leading sectors of the economy“, the Minister indicated further. She announced that this year’s competition was hotly contested, with over 100 000 votes having been cast for the finalists.„I congratulate the winners and all participants. I would like to encourage those, who didn’t take part this year, to do so next year“, stated the Minister.The ceremony commenced with the special award being handed by the Parliament speaker, Tsveta Karayancheva, to the Baba Vida Museum-Fortress, the winner in the Bulgarians’ Choice category. As regards the awards, Karayancheva commented that it is a wonderful initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, which best presents Bulgaria. It is an honour for me to hand the Bulgarians’ Choice special award, the winner being selected from a multitude of other national tourism sites, added the Parliament speaker. Bulgaria is a wonderful country where tourism develops owing to the efforts of the ministry and the government, which identified tourism as a crucial sector, it was also made clear by Karayancheva’s statement. „I welcome the Ministry of Tourism’s initiatives to transform Bulgaria into a year-round destination because we have splendid mountains and sea, wonderful climate, rich cultural-historical heritage and a lot more worth seeing. The Council Presidency is another opportunity to showcase the country“, she stated.The winners in each of the 16 categories received statuettes, which are a stylistic image of the Bulgarian rose and were made by Dimitar Germanov specifically for the ceremony.The Danube Ultra bicycle route won the contest in the Innovation category. The Sofia Mayor, Yordanka Fandakova, handed the award to the company’s representative, Boris Begamov. The creditable second place was taken by Virtual Journey through the Time Tunnel, Bezisten Interactive Museum“ of the Tourism municipal enterprise, Yambol municipality. The appLighthouse application ranked third.The Specialized Tourism category was won by a 5-star chess match beneath the sky, Albena resort. The award has handed by Prof. Atanas Gerdjikov, rector of Sofia University, to Ruslan Yordanov, senior sports manager at Albena AD company. Second place in this category was taken by SENTIDO Marea hotel, Golden Sands resort, with the top three being complemented by the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism.The Minister of Youth and Sports, Krassen Kralev, handed the award in the Tourism Event category. The winner is the Francofolies festival-Blagoevgrad, the statuette being received by Hristina Shopova, Deputy Mayor of Blagoevgrad. Second place in the category was taken by Prayer for Stara Zagora, with third place going to the Primorsko Pearl national folklore celebrations.Sandandski Municipality is the winner in the Tourism Destination category. The award was handed by Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, to the Sandandski mayor, Kiril Kotev. Second and third places went respectively to Veliko Tarnovo Municipality and Plovdiv Municipality.Iskren Vesselinov, head of the parliamentary committee on regional policy, public works, and local self-government, handed a statuette to the Strelcha Mayor, Stoyno Chanov. He received the prize on behalf of the Rose Festival, which won in the Spirit of Bulgaria category. The top three are also made up of the Dobrudja Dishes festival, Silistra Municipality, and the Ring Dancing to Grape Harvesting folklore festival, Mineralni Bani Municipality.Beglik Tash won in the Tourism Attraction category. The statuette was received by the Primorsko Mayor, Dimitar Germanov, from Petar Kanev, chair of the parliamentary committee on economic policy and tourism. The creditable second place went to Philipopolis Antiquity Theatre, followed by Srebarna Biosphere Park.Plovdiv is the 2017 municipality for cultural-historical tourism. Videlina Gandeva, director of the Tourism municipal enterprise, received the award on behalf of the municipality, the award was handed by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Irena Georgieva. The Municipalities of Veliki Preslav and Kazanlak ranked second and third, respectively.Mineralni Bani Municipality won first place in the Municipality for Medical Spa and Spa Tourism category. The statuette was handed by Daniela Saveklieva, deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on economic policy and tourism, to the Mineralni Bani mayor, Myumyun Iskender. The top three are complemented by Velingrad and Strelcha.Sylvia Georgieva, the newly elected executive director of the National Association of Municipalities in Republic of Bulgaria, awarded the Pomorie Mayor, Ivan Alexiev. The statuette was handed to him for wining first place in the 2017 Municipality for Sea Tourism category. Second and third position were respectively taken by Primorsko Municipality and Tsarevo Municipality.Bansko is the 2017 Municipality for Mountain Tourism. The statuette was received by Assen Kiritsov, Deputy Mayor of Bansko, from Vassil Velev, chair of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association. Chepelare and Sapareva Banya ranked second and third in the category.The TV journalism award was received by Zhivko Konstantinov, NOVA TV, who was awarded by Violina Marinova CEO of DSK Bank. Viktor Dimchev, Travel TV, ranked second.Natalia Yordanova from brat-bg.com won in the online media journalism award category, the statuette being handed by Stoyan Stavrev, head of the Management Board of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria. Second place was taken by Vladimir Chugunov, travelbulgaria.news, while Iliana Ivanova, flashnew.bg, ranked third.The print media journalism award was received by Natalia Malcheva, Standard News, from the Yambol Mayor, Georgi Slavov. Rositsa Ilieva, Katya Krasteva from the Tourism  and Recreation magazine ranked second, while Magdalena Kovacheva from Monitor newspaper took third place.Mariela Russeva from Focus Radio won the statuette in the radio journalism award category. The award was handed by Hristo Dimitrov, director of the Balgare dance ensemble. Second place was taken by Petra Taleva, Bulgarian National Radio.The internet blog journalism award was won by Yulia Vukova, time2travel.com, and was handed by Vesselin Vassilev, executive director of iLoveBulgaria. Dario Dionissi, beyondsofia.com, and Marta Ross, mamaenbulgaria.com, ranked second and third, respectively. 

We are preparing an ambitious calendar of events for next year. Some of them will take place during Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council, we are also organizing a second edition of the Congress on World Civilizations and Creative Tourism. This was said by Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during the 5th consecutive Ministry-organized business breakfast with ambassadors in our country. The event was attended by some 50 heads and representatives of diplomatic missions in our country. The Minister explained that the first key summit event will be in February. A meeting of EU member-states ministers focusing on tourism and economic growth will be held then. Apart from that event, the Ministry of Tourism is also working on 5 other events due to take place during the year’s first half, when Bulgaria will be presiding the EU Council.Together with the People’s Republic of China we are also preparing a tourism forum Beijing in April 2018, further announced the Minister, indicating that this is another way to highlight the EU-China 2018 European initiative, which is dedicated to tourism“ (2018 EU-China Tourism Year).Minister Angelkova presented to the heads of diplomatic missions in our country tourism outcomes for the 10 months of 2017. The total international visitors to Bulgaria during the January-October exceeded 8 million, registering a 7,6 per cent growth compared to the same period of last year, said the Minister, further explaining that revenues from international travel  during the January - September period amount to some BGN 6 billion. The growth in revenues is over 9 per cent compared to the same period of last year. During the summer season alone, our country was visited by over 5,3 million international tourists, this being 5,7% more compared to the same period of 2016. As regards the winter season, the Minister stated that it is forecasted to be a successful one as well. Expectations are that incoming visitors will increase by 5-10% compared to the 2016/2017 winter season, when Bulgaria welcomed over 1,42 million international guests.The Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism is the first one in the world to launch a servicing enabling direct sharing of tourism sites via Viber’s Chat Extension, Minister Angelkova further told the diplomats. The connection will enable that everything, which is linked or connected to any mobile app and website of iLoveBulgaria, will also be automatically displayed in Viber. Users will be able to find and forward in chat mode photos and info about our national sites. We, the Ministry of Tourism and iLoveBulgaria, are the first in Bulgaria and worldwide, who are able to provide content in Viber’s Chat Extension, Minister Angelkova explained to the ambassadors.HE Ahmed Al-Mabduh thanked Minister Angelkova for the traditional Ministry-organized meeting and commented that it is an amazing initiative, which should be kept going forward as well.„Bulgaria is a popular filmmaking destination. Bollywood films were shot here, making the country popular in India“, said HE Ms. Pooja Kapur, ambassador of India in Bulgaria. She added that it is a very beneficial undertaking positively affecting the country’s image and promotion and that it should keep developing.HE Ljerka Alajbeg, ambassador of Croatia in our country, commented that Croatia is also taking steps to hire third-country workers because her country, similarly to Bulgaria, experiences issues with qualified staff.We should pay more attention to nature preservation, because this is our biggest treasure, recommended HE Marian Gyorchev, ambassador of Republic of Macedonia.The ambassadors also welcomed the Ministry’s initiative to showcase less known tourism destinations to diplomatic corps representatives.Minister Angelkova thanked the heads and representatives of diplomatic missions in our country for their cooperation. You are not only ambassadors of your countries in our country, but also ambassadors of Bulgaria, stated the Minister, adding that she expects good interactions in tourism to continue and that they would always be greeted with open doors at the Ministry.

Minister Angelkova and Crown Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud agreed specific steps in tourism in Riyadh  Saudi Arabia has interest in investing in 5-star hotels in Bulgaria and wants to take active part in investment in our country. You country has big investment potential not only in tourism but also in all sectors of the economy. This was said to the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, in Riyadh by His Royal Highness, Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chair of the country’s Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. Minister Angelkova is on a visit to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a highest level government delegation headed by the Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov.„We are promoting Bulgaria as an attractive tourism destination”, further stated Crown Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.The Bulgarian minister showcased to the Saudi Arabia Crown Prince a map of tourism investment projects in Bulgaria, focusing specifically on the huge development opportunities for various types of tourism – spa, cultural-historical, medical, and sea. Bulgaria’s advantages as a destination include financial and political stability, and legislation encouraging large-scale investors. Other benefits are the 10% corporate tax rate, 10% income tax rate, 3.4% GDP growth in 2016”, stated Minister Angelkova.„Last year the number of visits by Saudi Arabia nationals in Bulgaria registered a 78% growth compared to 2015. Significant growth in the travel of Bulgarians to the Arab country was also registered“, stated Minister Angelkova, appealing for a boost of bilateral contacts in tourism. The Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Minister Angelkova shared the idea that both country would benefit significantly from exchange of expertise and information in the sector.Minister Angelkova also reported on the tourism-wise exceptionally successful year for Bulgaria. The number of international tourists in our country surpassed the 8 million boundary this year, as indicated by NSI data current to October 2017. „During the January–October 2017 period the number of visits of international tourists in our country stood at 8 026 103. This amounts to a 7,6% growth compared to the same period of 2016, which was a historically record-breaking one for the sector“, added Minister Angelkova. Our country is increasingly recognizable and preferred as a destination for high-end tourists, she announced.The two countries will encourage various initiatives towards mutual promotion of cultural and historical landmarks. Saudi Arabia and Bulgaria will exchange experience in regards to marketing projects and advertising in tourism. It was also agreed at the meeting to set up task groups for tourism. Representatives of the Arab country will be able to visit Bulgaria and become familiar with our country’s experience in developing the sector.Back in October 2016, a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Tourism was signed between Republic of Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia, when Crown Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud came to Bulgaria on a formal visit at the invitation of Minister Angelkova. The document’s purpose is for the countries to showcase the potential opportunities in tourism, encourage mutual investments, support joint tourism and cultural events, and actively cooperate in international institution initiatives, such as UN’s World Tourism Organization (WTO).Minister Angelkova invited Crown Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud to be involved in the International Congress on World Civilizations and Creative Tourism under WTO aegis. The forum will be held in Bulgaria in November 14-16 next year.

Europe is a top tourism destination worldwide, if we wish to preserve that status, we need to tackle a number of challenges – infrastructure, accommodation capacity, qualified human resources, administrative burden, innovations, and digitalization. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria, Irena Georgieva, during the political debate entitled The Future of Tourism in EU, which was held today in Brussels by the European Commission. The forum was dedicated to the European Tourism Day.Deputy Minister Georgieva emphasized that the tourism industry is a strategic sector and a source of economic growth and employment. This also holds true for Bulgaria, which welcomed over 8 million international tourists in 2016 – more than its own population.Our government is working actively to modernize infrastructure and have better connectivity with neighbouring countries because this is crucial to the development of tourism and to the promotion of transport on the Danube and in the Black Sea, she said further. The Bulgarian Deputy Minister also announced that in recent years the growing number of international tourists is surpassing the growth in the accommodation facilities’ capacity. Therefore, attraction of more investors from large hotel chains is being encourage for the construction of new facilities, higher-end ones – both for the mass scale winter and summer vacations, as well as for medical spa, medical, cultural-historical, and other types of specialized tourism. The Ministry also set up the interactive I love Bulgaria platform, which has in-depth information about tourism locations in our country and the various services offered by such locations.Irena Georgieva also announced that the Ministry of Tourism is implementing specific actions to overcome the discrepancy between the educational curricula and the actual needs of businesses for qualified tourism staff. The opening of a tourism staff qualification centre is an upcoming event. Amendments to the Tourism Act will also digitalize various administrative services, which will facilitate the activities of tourism businesses, investors, and users, she emphasized.Deputy Minister Georgieva paid specific attention to Bulgaria’s upcoming presidency of the EU Council as of the start of next year. The Ministry of Tourism will organize two summit events during that period – a ministerial meeting on February 13, 2018 - Tourism and Economic Growth – and an international forum dedicated to tourism and energy on May 23, 2018. Furthermore, next year Bulgaria will also preside EU’s Strategy for the Danube Region. On 18 October its annual forum will be held, which is dedicated to economic growth and territorial cohesion.

The Ministry of Tourism will continue promoting the sustainable development of new products and destinations for medical and health tourism. Analyses indicate that these types of services are growing on the international market at a rate of 15-20% per year, with the World Tourism Organization identifying them as the most dynamic segment within the sector. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Irena Georgieva, at the opening of the first conference on Medical and Health Tourism in Bulgaria – State of Play and Development Opportunities, which was organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the Bulgarian Medical Union.Deputy Minister Georgieva emphasized that spa, wellness, and medical spa tourism are playing an increasingly important role in travel and are leaders in the development of Bulgarian health and medical tourism. Spa tourism ranks second in country, after the cultural one, among the specialized tourism types. Bulgaria offers high-quality service by very good professionals at competitive prices, being among the countries with the largest numbers of hospital beds in Europe. We rank second, after Iceland, in terms of mineral water reserves. Combined with liman mud, medicinal peat, numerous herbs, and favourable climate, they may play a part in the prevention and treatment of over 90% of the most common diseases paid for under clinical pathways by the European health insurance funds and covered by retirement funds, it was made clear by Irena Georgieva’s words.With its huge natural resources Bulgaria is staking a serious claim to transform itself into one of Europe’s health hubs, meeting the highest standards. Our attention is mostly focused on users hailing from the Balkans, Eastern and Western Europe, but also on customers from remote prospective markets, whom with attract with the very good price performance of services. According to the updated Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism in Bulgaria with a 2030 time horizon, 2/3 of those foreigners practicing spa and medical spa tourism in our country have already visited the country before, 84% consider Bulgaria an attractive destination for this type of tourism, while nearly 60% state complete satisfaction with their stay, further indicated Irena Georgieva. Health tourism is among the priority ones, with a development strategy due to be developed. We are working for the notable presence of Bulgarian health resorts at exhibitions and specialized catalogues of international tour operators, explained the Deputy Minister.She underlined that all these efforts are also attested by the first standalone Ordinance on the Terms and Procedure for the Certification of Medical Spa Centres, Spa Centres, Wellness Centres, and Thallasic Therapy Centres to the Tourism Act. That secondary legislation introduces for the first time the minimum mandatory requirements to such facilities.We are currently developing medical spa and spa destinations for the territory of Bulgaria, with over 30 Municipalities have stated their interest in the initiative. These will be combined and will build on the established 8 cultural-historical destinations and the proposed 12 wine-culinary destinations, she summarized.Involved in the conference were over 20 leaders in medicine and over 100 experts from the tourism and health services in Bulgaria, Austria, Serbia, and Israel. Galinka Pavlova, Deputy Chair of BMA< also took part. Petar Galev, health journalist from Credo Web, was the event moderator.   

Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held a work meeting with Academic Assaf Hadjiev, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC). Discussed during the meeting were the tourism cooperation opportunities. Minister Angelkova presented to Acad. Hadjiev the strong results reported by our country in terms of visits of international tourists. Since the year’s start nearly 7,5 million international guests game to our country, registering a 7,7 per cent growth, explained the Minister. Also positive are the data about tourists from member-states of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (OBSEC), with PABSEC being a body thereof. During the first nine months of 2017, a total of over 3,5 million visited our country from the Organization’s member-states – Greece, Romania, Azerbaijan, Albania, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and the Ukraine. They have grown by nearly 6%, accounting for nearly half of the incoming tourist flow to our country. Bulgaria is also a PABSEC member.The Ministry of Tourism is a coordinator of the Organization’s Task Group for Cooperation in Tourism, said Minister Angelkova, adding that in that role the country will organize on June 14, 2018 a meeting of OBSEC ministers responsible for tourism. She clarified further that the event will part of the calendar of Bulgaria’s presidency of the EU Council.Acad. Hadjiev indicated that the Organization is attaching great importance to the tourism sector in the Black Sea region. He announced that in 2018 PABSEC will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of its establishment. In this context we are looking for a partner on the part of the Ministry of Tourism to arrange joint events in the sector, further said Acad. Hadjiev.Minister Angelkova and Acad. Hadjiev also discussed the development opportunities for cruise tourism in the Black Sea region.The Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) was established as a result of the fundamental political changes in the late 1980’s when the Black Sea region countries reappeared on the global stage. The region countries’ search for ways to tackle the challenges associated with national development and European integration traced out the road to the joining of their efforts to transform the Black Sea region into a zone of stability and peace. Taking advantage of the geographic proximity and the shared cultural-historical heritage, the region countries accelerated the establishment of bilateral and multilateral relations. 

“Thank you for the good summer season, and it was calm and safe for Russian tourists”, Oleg Safonov, the Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism said during  a working meeting with  the Minister of Tourism Nikololina Angelkova. Safonov stated his belief that achievements in the bilateral relations with Bulgaria will develop further. “We reported an extremely good season. From January to September our country was visited by over 530 thousand Russian tourists”, Minister Angelkova announced the NSI data and thanked the Head of the Russian Tourism for the good partnership.Another major issue of their talks was the possibility for creating joint tourist cruise routes in the Black Sea. Bulgarian-Russian relations in tourism are successfully developing, our joint work yields positive results, Minister Angelkova said and added that a programme for cooperation 2018-2020 is due to be signed. She pointed out that Russia is one of the strategic tourist markets for Bulgaria.  At the Inturmarket exhibition, to be held in March 2018 in Moscow, a round table will be organized having as its main focus the different types of tourism in Bulgaria. We will present to the Russian audience the possibilities for spa and balneological, culinary, wine, child tourism and other options for vacation in Bulgaria.  Minister Angelkova and the Head of Russian Tourism Safonov also discussed the opportunity for organizing a round table to present the potential for exchange of experience in the field of education in the two countries.  Both of them agreed with the idea that the practice of exchanging students between Russia and Bulgaria to enhance the quality of education should be strengthened and further developed.Minister Angelkova invited Oleg Safonov and representatives of the tourist sector of Russia to the International Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes to the World Tourism Organization, to be held in Sofia on 14-16 November next year.  

Bulgaria  has a huge potential  to develop  different  types of mass and specialised  tourism and offers  excellent conditions  for investments in the sector, the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said  at an investment forum  before her  colleagues  from the participating countries in the international tourism show WTM in London.The Bulgarian government   turned tourism into a national priority and focused seriously on development of tourism infrastructure, she stated.  Our country is becoming a much more attractive place for investment in tourism due to its financial stability and legal framework, fostering large investors.  One of Bulgaria’s advantages is the 10% corporate tax rate and the 10% income tax rate , its political stability, GDP growth of 3.4% for 2016 (fifth place in EU) and second lowest GDP/debt ratio within the Union. Bulgaria is also famous for its fastest internet in Europe, she explained.  Minister Angelkova presented to her colleagues the map of Bulgarian investment projects in tourism, developed by the Ministry. It includes about 30 proposals to investors but their number could grow in the future.  Among the objects of investment are parks, swimming and spa complexes, exhibition centers, etc.Tourism growth in Bulgaria is higher than that in Turkey, Italy and France, according to the data of the World Tourism Barometer of the UN World Tourism Organization. Over the last 5 years  on average Bulgaria has  twice as high growth  in tourist travel  from abroad compared with the EU level  and 7 EUR out of 100 EUR invested in the country  were invested namely in tourism, Minister Angelkova stated.  

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with Gloria Manzo, President of the World Travel & Tourism Council. The discussion was held at the Bulgarian stand of the largest international show for professionals in tourism industry, the World Travel Market, in London. Minister Angelkova acquainted Mrs. Manzo with Bulgaria’s positive figures in tourism. From the beginning of the year until September our country was visited by about 7.5 million foreign tourists, marking a growth of 7.7 per cent on the same period last year, the Minister said.  She also announced that revenues from foreigners’ travel to Bulgaria in the period January–August exceed 5.2 billion BGN.The Ministry of Tourism is working consistently in advertising this country so that it becomes an all-year-round destination and to this end we have an annual programme for national tourism advertising, Minister Angelkova said. She also commented that a number of advertising marketing campaigns on target and promising markets are planned for next year. Such projects are set to be implemented on 20 basic markets. Thus tourists will receive up-to-date information about the opportunities in tourism in all seasons.The World Travel &Tourism Council (WTTC) was found in 1991. Its members include hoteliers, airlines, tour operators and travel agents.  The chief executive officers of over 150 lead world travel companies are part of the Council.  WTTC  works towards raising awareness  of  trips and  tourism as one of the largest sectors in the  world,  which  creates 292 million jobs  and generates 10.2% of global GDP. 

Bulgaria and Montenegro will jointly prepare аn action plan for exchange of expertise in tourism.  The document will be drawn up and is set to be adopted by the two countries in March 2018. This became clear at the meeting between the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova and Pavle Radulovic, Minister of Tourism of Montenegro. The two ministers discussed joint initiatives at the largest international show for professionals in tourism industry, the World Travel Market, in London.The action plan will be drawn up by a working group in which representatives of the two ministries will take part. The goals will be based on the Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism between Bulgaria and Montenegro, which was signed in June 2016.The document focuses on strengthening the contacts and development of bilateral tourist relations. Actions will be taken for better presentation of cultural and historic traditions and for facilitating the procedures for exchange of tourists between Bulgaria and Monte Negro. The two countries will promote  cooperation in various areas regarding tourist sector human resources training, will contribute to bilateral participation in international  exhibitions, fairs,  conferences,  and workshops,  other international advertising, information and  scientific tourist  events.The Minister of Tourism of Montenegro declared its country’s readiness to familiarize with good practices applied by Bulgaria in the field of investments.  The Ministry of Tourism created an investment map, including about 30 projects.  The aim is to promote it to foreign investors, to foster and facilitate investments in the sector.In addition, Radulovic was interested in the good practices our country applies in winter tourism. “The 2016/2017 Season was the most successful for tourism since the country’s accession to the European Union.  The total number of foreign tourists’ visits was 1.476 million, reaching a growth of 19.6%. Our expectations are that in the upcoming season these results will be preserved, further improved and we would be able to witness a sustainable development”, Minister Angelkova said. 

The Minister Angelkova talked with Arief Yahya, Minister of Tourism of Indonesia. The meeting was held at the Bulgarian stand of the largest show for professionals in tourism WTM in London.  A key focus of the discussion was the exchange of expertise in investment and summer tourism. For the first 9 months since the beginning of the year we report an increase of over 26% visitors from Indonesia to our country.  Also positive is the data on 2016 when there was a growth in tourists from the island country by 21.3 per cent, the Bulgarian minister announced.She added that our country offers opportunities for different types of tourism such as cultural and historic, winter, balneological and spa tourism based on over 600 types of mineral springs, gourmet, rural tourism which would meet the taste and demands of Indonesian tourists. In order to promote Asian culture in Bulgaria the first Asian festival was held in Bulgaria this summer.   It was organized by 13 diplomatic missions, including the Embassy of Indonesia, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism.During the meeting in London the two ministers also discussed the opportunities for implementation of investment projects. Increasing investments in tourism is one of the key priorities in the ministry’s work, Minister Angelkova explained.  A Map of Investment Projects in Tourism has already been developed, which is available on the website of the ministry. The sector plays a growing role in Bulgaria’s economic development, as evident from the number of foreign tourists in Bulgaria and the steadily increasing revenues. For the first 9 months of the year foreign tourists in Bulgaria have increased by 7.7 % and account for some 7.5 million.  Revenues from international trips in the period January-August exceed BGN 5.2 billion, up by some 10%. In 2016, the sector and related economic activities in our country accounted for BGN 11.6 billion, contributing to about 13% of the country’s gross domestic product.  

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO).  They discussed topical issues for the sector at the biggest international show for professionals in tourist industry, the World Travel Market in London.The focus in the talks was the upcoming second joint event with the organization in Bulgaria – the WTO International Congress of World Civilisations and Ancient Routes. It will be held in Bulgaria in the period 14-16 November next year. “2018 is the European year of cultural heritage, which makes relevant the focus we want to place on cultural and historic tourism”, Minister Angelkova said. “We hope that all ministers of tourism of the countries which are members of WTO will be present and for moderator of the congress we invited the famous CNN anchor Richard Quest”, Minister Angelkova said to Taleb Rifai.In addition, she talked with the WTO Secretary General about the development of domestic tourism in Bulgaria. “For us it is extremely important to encourage and promote this type of tourism.  Our active work yields positive outcomes both in domestic tourism and in terms of guests from other countries”, Minister Angelkova said and supported her statements with official statistical data.  Until September this year the total number of visits by foreign tourists to Bulgaria is 7 492 630. This is an increase of some 8 per cent on the same period last year.  In high season summer months from June to September over 5.3 million foreign tourists visited our country. The increase is 5.7%, Minister Angelkova added and stated that the Ministry of Tourism has been already actively preparing the next summer season and 5-star hotels are already booked for summer 2018. “We are conducting negotiations with global tour operators including TUI, Thomas Cook, and DER Touristik to have a good basis for the next summer season”, Minister Angelkova added and noted that according to data of the Bulgarian National Bank, revenues from international tourism for the first 8 months amount to BGN 5.2 billion. 

The Ministry of tourism and the University of Ruse signed an agreement on cooperation in digital technologies  Digitalisation and implementation of new technologies are among the main priorities of the Ministry of Tourism in its advertising and marketing policy. We will promote our country in an innovative way so as to make it more competitive and sought as an all-year-round destination, the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova stated during her visit to the University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev” where she congratulated students and faculty on the National Enlighteners’ Day.She signed with the rector of the higher school Prof.  Velizara Pencheva a framework agreement on cooperation, which focuses on development and use of modern technologies for visualization of advertisement in tourism.As a result of this partnership students from Ruse will take part in the first digital corner at the Bulgarian stand at the international travel show WTM in London this November.  Through the implementation of the joint project 3D souvenirs of Bulgarian tourist landmarks and attractions will be created on the spot and offered to visitors.  These include some Danube fortresses, the Rila Monastery, the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, etc.Introduction of more digital technologies is set out in the Annual Programme for National Tourist Advertising and we will actively work in that direction with the EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, as became clear from the Minister’s words. The initiative for the digital corner is aimed at promoting the cultural and historic richness of Bulgaria.  It will elaborate the single platform with mobile application I love Bulgaria, created by the Ministry in 2016, which combines all elements of the tourist sector – landmarks, accommodation, food and drinks establishments, accompanying services, etc., Minister Angelkova specified.  It includes the 100 national tourist sites.  By scanning the QR code of each national site information and visualization of its 3D image will be provided.At her meeting with the academic community of the University of Ruse Minister Angelkova pointed out that education is a priority in the governance programme of the government.  She noted that the sector relies very much on the quality training of personnel for tourism, as good services and Bulgaria’s image depend on them.Minister Angelkova also reminded that Ruse is part of the 12 wine and culinary destinations in Bulgaria, the new and joint initiative of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.  Destination Mizia includes not only tourist attractions in the region but also its typical wines and traditional meals. 

We present an idea for 12 wine and culinary destinations, part of the project “Share about Bulgaria”, which is developed jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova who together with Minister Rumen Porozhanov officially presented the destinations to the tourist and agriculture industries.  The Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva and Krasimir Koev, Executive Director of the Vine and Wine Executive Agency also took part in the presentation. For the development of the project we chose to present 12 wine and culinary destinations and this is not by chance because they correspond to the months of the year, Minister Angelkova said. She specified that that they include both traditional wines and typical cuisine for the region in combination with about 50 municipalities and about 100 tourist sites.  She also commented that it is important to incorporate wine and cuisine in the country’s tourist product as they are part of the overall experience of the tourists.The 12 wine and culinary destinations we present today are not final and they are the basis on which to discuss until completion of the final project, the Minister said. The information will be published on the official website of the Ministry of Tourism so that everyone who wishes to familiarise with them could give an opinion or suggestion, within the period of their discussion.The next stage of the project will be to discuss the destinations with the tourist industry.  6 round tables in the country are being prepared to present the destinations in detail to the local businesses, organizations and municipalities. We expect to receive detailed opinions from businesses and to supplement and elaborate our proposals, Minister Angelkova stated. She also added that the final wine and culinary destinations are to be announced in mid-2018.  After that they will be digitalized and uploaded on the website of the Ministry.  We have an idea to include them in the future in the platform “I loveBulgaria”, which was created last year and advertises the 100 national tourist sites, the Minister said.The initiative “Share about Bulgaria” could help develop and promote so-called slow tourism, Minister Angelkova said.  She specified that its concept involves preservation of traditions and culture, focusing on local food and regional customs.  In her words, they could keep tourists informed about traditional food and wines in the regions.  By facilitating municipalities to promote the new wine and culinary destinations we expect more tourists to head for the interior of the country. This will contribute to reinforcing Bulgaria as a four-season destination and will have a positive impact on the development of many municipalities not only in terms of their tourism but also to impact the economy of the country, the Minister stated.We expect the initiative to foster the development of the season wings, Minister Angelkova informed.  In her words, figures on this year show that the excellent performance of the past year will be exceeded. For the first eight months  of 2017 the total  number of visits  of foreign tourists  to Bulgaria  is over 6.5 million  and  the growth on the period  January-August  2016  is  about 8%.In the high summer season the total number of visits of foreign tourists exceeds 4.3 million, marking an increase of 5.6% as compared with the same period a year ago.  The Ministry’s forecast is for the period June-September this year the total number of foreign tourists to reach about 5.3 million, up by 6 per cent on the same months of past year, Minister Angelkova announced.  She specified that the final data will be available at the end of the week, to be released by the National Statistical Institute (NSI).Receipts from international tourism are growing even faster, the BNB information shows, Minister Angelkova said.  In her view, in the period January–August revenues from international tourism amount to BGN 5.2 billion, marking a growth of some 10% on the same period last year.  Only in the summer months from June to August the revenues account for BGN 3.7 billion, marking an increase of 8 per cent compared with the same months of the last year.Wine and culinary destinations will be also very important for Bulgarian producers, Rumen Porozhanov, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry said. He commented that we have unique local wines which will reach more consumers, including foreigners.  He added that we have wine production traditions which are thousands of years old and wine production is developing as a modern industry and many wine houses and testing centers are built near tourist attractions.  This is a prerequisite for packing them in a common product. Minister Porozhanov announced that Bulgaria has registered 54 wines with protected indications on European level, which ranks it 8th in the EU by products with protected indications and this is consistent with its competitiveness and access to new markets.The event was attended by a delegation from the Chinese region of Shansi which came to Bulgaria to meet with Bulgarian travel companies.  

Italy is among the major target tourism markets for Bulgaria. We are working consistently and purposefully to attract an ever increasing number of visitors. This was stated by Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova during her meeting with Benedetto Della Vedova, Deputy Minister of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and HE Stefano Baldi, Ambassador of Italy in Sofia. During the discussion Minister Angelkova presented the main event being prepared by the institution, which will be incorporated into the calendar of Bulgaria’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.We expect the Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, Dario Franceschini, to be part of the Ministerial meeting, which will be held in February next year, Minister Angelkova stated. She also added that another interesting event wherein the country may become involved is on the theme of tourism and energy, it will be held within the framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region in May next year.Minister Angelkova further noted that the two countries have very good relations in tourism, with the country welcoming an ever growing number of guests from Italy. According to stats for the January-August period, Italian tourists in our country exceeded 114 000, a growth of over 20% compared to the same period of last year. In August alone the growth stood at 21 percent, meaning that over 22 000 Italians came to Bulgaria. They travel throughout the country, visiting both the seaside and the cultural-historical sites, Minister Angelkova explained in response to Mr. Vedova’s question about what places are being visited in Bulgaria by guests from Italy. Italians have been seeking new destinations and changing their travel itineraries in recent years, Benedetto Della Vedova commented.Joint activities between Plovdiv and the Italian city of Matera were also commented on during the meeting. The two cities have been declared Europe’s Capital of Culture for 2019.

Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of UN’s World Tourism Organization (WTO), congratulated in a letter the Tourism Minister, Nikolina Angelkova, on the achievements of Bulgarian tourism. „Given the 7,9% growth of international tourists visiting your country between January and August 2017, and especially the 8,1% increase in revenues generated from tourists, we are gladly registering Bulgaria’s best summer season during the last decade“, WTO’s Secretary General wrote to Minister Angelkova. Mr. Rifai indicated that such results build on the previous significant achievement of a 10% increase in the number of international tourists visiting Bulgaria in 2016, which has positioned the country as one of the most frequently visited destinations, with its growth exceeding nearly threefold the average growth for the region.In his letter WTO’s Secretary General has also stated his position that Bulgaria’s performance is a result of the commitment of Minister Angelkova and her team in the sector, transforming it into a pillar of socio-economic development. „We had the opportunity to witness that commitment last December, during the International Congress on World Civilizations and Creative Tourism, which was held in Sofia“, Mr. Rifai adds, stating his gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism’s support to the WTO’s work.„We confirm our organization’s support to your work and to the sustainable development of tourism in Bulgaria“, Mr. Rifai writes further.

The Tourism Minister, Nikolina Angelkova, was invited by the European Parliament’s President, Antonio Tajani, to share, during the summit conference held in Brussels, her vision for the future of European tourism.The Brussels forum convened for the celebration of the World Tourism Day 27th of September EC commissioners, members of the European Parliament, ministers, and representatives of leading companies in the sector, so that they may tell what directions European tourism is to develop to over the next 20 or 30 years, and how to create jobs through it.The conference was opened by the European Parliament’s very President, Tajani. The Bulgarian minister was one of the few to be invited to speak before Europe’s elite.In 2016 Bulgaria was visited by 8.2 mln. international tourists, a 17% growth, with revenues amounting to EUR 3.2 bln., Minister Angelkova said. Tourism is a priority for the Bulgarian government. The ministry’s objective is to now attract investors for the highest-grade hotels in the sector. We are creating investment incentives not only for the popular summer and winter resorts but also for the development of the cultural-historical, SPA and health tourism in Bulgaria. Our country is blessed with many diverse tourism opportunities, Minister Angelkova categorically stated before the participants from all over Europe.The Bulgarian minister noted that within the framework of our presidency of the EU Council in 2018 the country will organize two higher-level forums on tourism. Over 98 000 are employed in tourism in Bulgaria. Over 360 000 are employed in the tourism-connected sectors, the Minister said. That amounts to over 11.9 of all employed in the country.The conference in Brussels was also attended by the leaders of UN’s World Tourism Organization, UNESCO, and many others.

Dear colleagues, partners and friends,Let me congratulate with the World Tourism Day - 27 September!I address all of you, who are professionally engaged in our sector, which is extremely important, and wish you to preserve the energy, efforts and purpose-oriented endeavors that you invest every day in the good image of Bulgaria.This year the motto of the World Tourism Day is “Sustainable tourism - a tool for development”. According to data of the UN World Tourism Organization from 2016, the international tourists amount to 1.2 billion people. This is the seventh successive year of global sustainable growth in the sector.Tourism is among the most dynamically developing industries of the Bulgarian economy as well. For the government administration it is a priority. According to data of the World Travel and Tourism Council from 2016, the gross domestic product formed in the sector and the related economic activities is above 11.6 billion BGN, which is nearly 13% of the country’s indicator.The World Tourism Day is a great occasion to render the deserved recognition to all of you, whose everyday efforts make Bulgarian tourism so successful. In 2016 the persons employed in tourism and related activities are 363 billion people, which is nearly 12% of all employed persons in Bulgaria. Tourism is not only a set of positive emotions, knowledge and experience, but also a field of responsible professional activity for entire families, who practise it as an ancestral occupation.I am proud that thanks to your proactive and targeted work Bulgaria gains ground on the international market as a competitive and distinguishable destination for four seasons, offering a high-quality tourist product. Thanks to your efforts, competence and energy, we are going in the right direction. The growth in the number of foreign tourists, who chose Bulgaria as a destination in the first seven months of this year, is over 7% compared to the same period of last year.Thank you once more for your contribution to the sustainable development of the sector.I wish to you and your families good health and inspiration for even higher professional achievements!NIKOLINA ANGELKOVAMinister of Tourism

The first Bulgarian Tourist Information Center in China was opened in the megapolis Shanghai in a glamorous ceremony on Thursday evening. The opening of a tourist center in the financial capital of China became possible after the Ministry of Tourism via Minister Nikolina Angelkova supported the idea and the efforts of the company ACN Worldwide and its creator Nelson Yong to open an office in Shanghai by signing an agreement. The center will connect Bulgarian and Chinese tour operators and will advertise the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria on the enormous Chinese market. This event was the reason for the visit to Shanghai of the executive director of the National Board of Tourism Martin Zahariev.The opening of the center is the first step and will be followed by many more efforts of the embassy in Beijing and of our Consulate General in Shanghai, said Grigor Porozhanov, Ambassador of Bulgaria in China, in the opening ceremony. He clearly stated the goal before the Bulgarian diplomats – the Chinese tourists in Bulgaria should reach the number of 100 thousand per year in the near future.The Deputy Minister Milko Teofilov arrived in Shanghai for the ceremony and demonstrated through a comparative analysis before over 200 guests that Bulgaria has a huge potential to develop its tourism by offering tourist packages for the vast Chinese market. Deputy Minister Teofilov referred to data evidencing the upward trend. From January to June 2017, around 16,000 Chinese tourists visited Bulgaria, which is by 50% more compared to the same period of 2016. The potential for growth however is enormous - at the moment 0.2 per cent of all visitors, who arrive from China to Europe, visit Bulgaria. “I firmly believe that this result will be upgraded with the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and the businesses in both countries”, said Teofilov.A certificate for the opening of the center was handed by the host of the event Dimitar Pampulov, Consul General of Bulgaria in Shanghai. More than 200 guests came to congratulate Bulgaria for the tourist center. Among them were consuls and diplomatic representatives from Greece, Ukraine, Turkey, Kazakhstan, USA, owners of Chinese giant companies such ass Wang Chong Lin, chairman of the Maotai Distribution Group, Li Wi Hai, director of SASS Thank Foundation, as well as representatives of leading investment funds. The Bulgarian evening in the 25-million Shanghai was attended by the managers of China Airlines, Air China, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot etc. Mrs. Shu Wayvon, Director General of the Tourism Administration of Shanghai, adressed her special congratulations for Bulgaria.

Future joint initiatives between Bulgaria and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) were discussed at a meeting between the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova and the Secretary General of the organization Taleb Rifay. The talks took place within the framework of the 22nd General Assembly of UNWTO, which was organized in the Chinese city of Chengtu.The focus of the talks between Minister Angelkova and the UNWTO Secretary General Rifay was the forthcoming second joint event with the organization in Bulgaria. At the end of 2018, the International Congress of the World Civilizations and Ancient Routes of the UNWTO will be organized in Bulgaria.  “Among the reasons to propose this name for the congress are several important projects and initiatives associated with the current regional and global projects in the economic and political sphere. The project “One Belt, One Road”, whose main focus is the ancient Silk Road, is standing out among the projects and thematically supplemented by the initiative “EU - China - 2018 year of Tourism”.The International Congress will be the result of the joint work of the Ministry of Tourism and the specialized organization at the UN. “All ministers of tourism of the member states of the UNWTO  will be invited to the event”. We invited the famous CNN anchor Richard Quest to be the moderator of the congress”, the Minister of Tourism added and explained that 2018 is the European year of the cultural heritage, which coincides with the emphasis that we want to put on the cultural-historical tourism.During the meeting the Minister of Tourism presented data of the positive growth of the tourists in Bulgaria. Nearly 5 million foreign tourists visited Bulgaria in the period January - July 2017, which is a growth of 7.2% compared with the same period last year. The total revenues from international tourism in Bulgaria from the beginning of the year until June 2017 amount to 2,4 billion BGN, which is by 12% more compared with the same same period in 2016, which was a record year for the tourism, stressed Minister Angelkova.Another topic of the conversation between Minister Angelkova and the Secretary General of the UNWTO Mr. Rifay was the problem with the insufficient personnel in the field of tourism, which Bulgaria is facing. “The employees in the sector of tourism form the major part of its product and we put efforts to improve their preparation and training”, said the Minister of Tourism and stressed that the lack of personnel is a problem, whose solving requires active work.

I am proud to present to you the latest initiative of Bulgaria - a philatelic edition dedicated to the initiative “2017 - International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development”. The principles of the initiative inspired us to create the stamp and I think that this is a good way to preserve the values of the campaign, even after the end of this year. This was said by Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova in the presentation of the Bulgarian postage stamp during the 22nd General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in China. All participants in the event received as a gift brochure, including a postal envelope and a stamp block with a special message from Minister Angelkova.I would like to express our gratitude to Mr, Taleb Rifay. Secretary General of UNWTO for his support for our initiative, said the Minister. In her words, the common efforts of the ministry and UNWTO made this presentation of the stamp possible. The philatelic edition displays two of the most emblematic cultural artifacts dating back from different historical epochs - the Rila Monastery and the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak. In addition they are also part of the list of immovable cultural heritage of UNESCO.  The elements are connected with circles, which are not only symbols of infinity, but are found in the images of both sites. They can also be the analogue of the endless wheel of life and the depth of the Bulgarian history.As you probably know, Bulgaria is among the few ancient countries that have preserved their Thracian, Roman and Byzantine cultural heritage, thus ranking third in Europe in terms of cultural artifacts, said Minister Angelkova. And she specified that this is a major factor for the country to achieve their long-term objective to become an all-year-round destination, known not only for summer and winter tourism, but also for the abundance of cultural-historical routes.Our priority is to create the proper conditions for the implementation of the principles laid down by the initiative “2017 - International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development”, the minister further said. In her words among her objectives are the promotion of the role of tourism in the preservation of the rich cultural heritage and the inherent values of our civilizations and cultures in the world.The minister encouraged the participants to visit these places in Bulgaria, stressing that this is the best way to feel the spirit of the country.

China’s initiative “One Belt, One Road” is in support of the implementation of the action plan for the sustainable development of tourism until the year 2030. Bulgaria supports this endeavor and the 2nd International Western Silk Road Workshop, hosted by our country in June this year. It is organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism with the support of the European Commission. This was said by Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during the panel “Building partnerships - strengthening of the cooperation in the field of tourism in the framework of the initiative “One Belt, One Road”, which is held in the framework of the 22nd General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization.The goal of the initiative is to facilitate the travel and to create long-term mechanisms for the exchange of information. It encourages the development of joint marketing strategies and the strengthening of the tourist education. In addition to this, it contributes for the development of joint strategies for risk management.“We believe that the “One Belt, One Road” initiative may lead to a new level of the cooperation between Bulgaria and China”, Minister Angelkova said. In her opinion the initiative may turn all difficulties and challenges into real opportunities for development.Inclusion in tourist routes such as The Western Silk Road is an opportunity for better relations between the countries, but also for investments, the Minister said. In her words these steps are important for the tourism, since this way people gain richer impressions about a country. She also pointed out that this enables the conduct of various advertising campaigns. “Another important thing is that being a part of an itinerary expands the tourist markets of the countries to one another”, Minister Angelkova said.In a high-level meeting, attended by ministers and delegates, the declaration “Chengtu Initiative - One Belt, One Road” for cooperation in tourism was adopted. The discussion among the ministers contributed for the presentation of the document. The purpose of the declaration is to promote the strengthening of the cooperation in the field of tourism between the countries in the initiative. This is intended to be implemented through exchange of information, creation of mutual marketing strategies for the development and promotion of the common brand “Silk Road”.

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 22nd 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.

Minister Angelkova pointed out that Russia is one of the strategic tourist markets for Bulgaria and announced that for the period January-July 2017, the tourists from the Russian Federation in Bulgaria were nearly 365 thousand, which is a 2% growth compared to the same period last year. Only in July Russia was second in the ranking for inbound tourism with a total of 155 thousand visits. In 2016, Bulgaria received the award of National Geographic Travel - Russia for the best destination for family vacations of the Russian tourists. Nikolina Angelkova emphasized that the ministry is working very successfully with the tourist administrations not only of Moscow, but also of a number of Russian regions, particularly the Ural region.   Oleg Safonov thanked the Bulgarian government and personally the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Minister Angelkova for the rapid reaction when force majeure occurred with Russian children in some children camps on the Black Sea Coast. The case is from July, when after the sudden death of the owner of “Chavdar” cmp in the village of Obzor, It turned out that his bank accounts were empty. Then with the assistance of the Prime Minister Borisov and the urgent visit and intervention of Minister Angelkova, the vacation of the children was continued according to plan, even other planned groups were accepted. The competent authorities worked effectively and the children spent their holiday very well and returned to their country without further problems, Safonov explained.Minister Angelkova affirmed that apart from the mass forms of tourism, both countries have great potential for successful development of the balneology, SPA and religious tourism. Jointly with the Russian partners we begin the development of pilgrimage tours. In October a conference will be held in Varna with the participation of Russian representatives, where the cooperation in the filed of pilgrimage and cultural-historical tourism will be discussed, as it became clear from the Minister’s words. Another joint conference will be held to discuss these matters at the exhibition “Intourmarket” in Moscow. Exhibitions will be made in Moscow and Sankt-Petersburg within the Days of Bulgaria event, she added.We will also expand our partnership for the development of the tourism for children and sanatorium-and-health-resort tourism, which is traditionally very popular in Russia and the country is a partner of the European SPA Association. The prospects for the attraction of more disabled people and athletes for treatment, rehabilitation and physical training in Bulgaria, are very good, explained Nikolina Angelkova. She stressed the importance of the growing Russian investments in Bulgaria and gave an example with the unique for the entire Black Sea coast ice rink in the village of Kranevo, which wonderfully combines summer and winter tourism with swimming sports.Oleg Safonov expressed satisfaction that the Bulgarian Black Sea is very clean and offers wonderful conditions for recreation. Unlike other countries, there is no rotavirus and the country is known among the Russians as a quiet and safe destination. This can be attributed to the efforts of the government for ensuring the calm stay of the tourists and water treatment plants, summarized Minister Angelkova. She invited her interlocutor to visit our country again and to get acquainted in more detail with the conditions for recreation and journeys.

We are working actively for the advertising of Bulgaria on the Chinese tourist market in order to promote Bulgaria as an all year round tourist destination. This is evidenced by the number of foreign tourists from China in our country, who for the period January – July 2017 were almost 17 ths., which is a 53% growth compared to the same period in 2016. In the last year the tourists from China were over 18 500 ths. This was reported by Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova in the working meeting with H.M. Zhang Haizhou, ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Bulgaria.“It is very important for us to continue the cooperation within the opportunities provided by multilateral international fora such as the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the UNWTO Silk Road Programme, the minister added. It became clear that the Ministry of Tourism will be actively involved in the forthcoming initiative “2018 - China Tourism Year”. The objective of the event is the promotion of European tourist attractions by illuminating them in red with golden stars to make an association with the Lantern Festival in the PRC, which will be held on 2 March 2018. “This is the next important step for the good cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism”, the minister stressed.They discussed possibilities for common initiatives in the field of tourism, which will increase the tourist flow from China to our country, as laid down in the Annual program for the national tourist marketing and advertising for 2018 of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is the only country that will validate a postage stamp with subject “2017 - International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development”. Our initiative was approved by the Secretary General of UN World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifay. The positive assessment was determined by our innovative approach and the fact that we have decided to put an accent on the cultural-historical heritage. This was said by Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during the ceremony for the validation of a philatelic stamp dedicated to the international year for the sustainable development of tourism. The event was attended by Dimitar Genovski, Deputy Minister of Transport and Information Technologies and Communications and Tetyana Uzunova, the stamp painter.Minister Angelkova stated that the stamp depicts the country as a better tourist destination.  Our main focus is to make the country an all year round destination, which may be achieved with the cultural-historical and balneo- and SPA tourism, the minister added. In her words such initiatives contribute for the perception of Bulgaria as a sustainable all year round tourist destination.The stamp depicts the Rila Monastery and the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, both sites being part of the list of cultural heritage of UNESCO. The philatelic edition will be presented during the 22nd session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization in the city of Chengtu, China, which will be held in the period 11 - 16 September 2017. There I will have the opportunity to personally present the edition before officials from all over the world”, the minister stated.The topic of tourism has entered the Bulgarian stamp edition in the middle of the 20th century, Dimitar Genovski said. I am convinced that the edition will become part of the collections of the stamp collectors and will adorn the letters sent to friends and relatives abroad, the Deputy Minister said. He added that this would be a wonderful inspiration for many people to include Bulgaria in their travel schedules.It is a difficult task to show on a small area of 7/9 cm the potential of the Bulgarian tourism with its rich natural and historical landmarks, said the painter Tetyana Uzunova. She explained that she had decided to depict the history, the roots and the ancient civilizations, because they can impress a large number of tourists.

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with the members of the Executive Board of the TUI Group Sebastian Ebel and David Burling, as well as with other representatives of the world tour operator. During their meeting in Sveti Vlas at the end of the working week, opportunities were discussed for a strategic partnership in the field of tourism in Bulgaria for Summer 2018.In the meeting Minister Angelkova presented the priorities in the policy of the Ministry of Tourism, laid down in the annual program for national tourist advertising for 2018. “Bulgaria is becoming a recognizable tourist destination and we work consistently in this direction relying on the digital marketing and Internet communications. Our experience shows that the smaller countries must be more innovative and flexible in the marketing approaches, in order to be more efficient”, she stressed.The representatives of the TUI Group, among which managers of the hotel brand RIU of the tourist group, said that it is very important to work coherently in Bulgaria in order to ensure the quality of the tourist product and the increase of investments in the sector.David Burling, member of the executive board of the TUI and chief executive director of the Northern region of TUI, said: "We are proud that we are a part of the constantly evolving tourist community in Bulgaria. As a global, integrated tourist group possessing hundreds of hotels and airplanes around the world and having multiple solid and long-lasting partnerships with local hotel owners, we are in an excellent position to encourage even more investments in Bulgaria. This will create new jobs and opportunities for sustainable growth. We look forward to working jointly with the ministry for the promotion of Bulgaria as a worthwhile destination for recreation to our clients around the world.”

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a meeting with the Godech mayor, which was also attended by mayors from Sofia region. "Tourism is a horizontal policy and we need to actively cooperate with local governments in order to promote its sustainable development", Minister Angelkova said. It was announced during the discussion that last year a total of nearly 285 000 tourists spent nights in categorized accommodation facilities with 10+ beds in Sofia, a circa 19% growth compared to 2015, according to NSI data. The overnight stays generated during the same period were over 712 000 (a circa 20% growth), with the revenues generated exceeding BGN 27 million, an over 24% growth.  Minister Angelkova highlighted the specifics and significance of local tourism and added that an announcement of the investment map in tourism was forthcoming, involving over 153 municipalities, and said she was hopeful that the next edition would cover all Bulgarian regions. She also reminded that many local governments state their desire to take part in various marketing activities in the sector and have already supported the initiative for the I Love Bulgaria mobile platform to promote tourism attractions in our country, which was initiated by the Ministry last year.We will continue to support these efforts of local governments jointly with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works because they will be eligible to apply under Operational Programs Regions in Growth and other programs with socialization projects for tourism venues and attractions, Nikolina Angelkova added. According to her, this would make such attractions more accessible, visited and attractive.The Godech Mayor, Radoslav Assenov, emphasized that the municipality has a lot of potential for tourism development, which is yet to be fully developed. According to her, the city and its environs can be developed as a cultural-historical destination, attracting more tourists both from the country and from abroad.Setting up a folklore festival of culture and traditions of municipalities from Sofia region was also discussed during the dialogue. All attendees were unanimous that the idea would attract a lot of followers and would be transformed into a highlight of the local culture calendar.  

Perspectives for bilateral cooperation in tourism were discussed in Belgrade between the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, her Serbian counterpart responsible for trade, tourism, and telecommunications, Rasim Ljajic, who is also a deputy prime minister. It is the first official meeting of Ljajic after he was reappointed to his position.Minister Angelkova pointed out that Serbian tourists are among the most numerous foreign nationals traditionally visiting our country. During 2016, the record-breaking year for Bulgarian tourism, they were nearly 375 000, an 8% growth compared to 2015. The growth trend in the two-way tourism flow is sustainable but there is still untapped potential, she emphasized.A cooperation agreement in tourism will be signed between Bulgaria’s Ministry of Tourism and Serbia’s Ministry of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications. Further, a tourism presentation of Bulgaria in Serbia and of Serbia in Bulgaria will be arranged in either September or October, it was announced during the discussion.Bulgaria and Serbia also pay a lot of attention to their promotion as a joint destination for remote markets, it was announced during the meeting. The process will be sped up by the creation of joint products, itineraries, and marketing for the users of tourism services from China, India, Japan, South Korea, and other countries, with the direct flight link between Sofia and Belgrade being a definite plus in this endeavor.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, held a work meeting in Belgrade with the nominated new Secretary-General of UN’s World Tourism Organization  (WTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, from Georgia.His application for the high position was voted on during the 105th session of WTO’s Executive Board in Madrid in May 2017, with Bulgaria being among the supporting countries.The two discussed the perspectives for cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and WTO, as well as upcoming joint initiatives for the sector’s sustainable development.Nikolina Angelkova familiarized Zurab Pololikashvili with the steps taken by the tourism administration for tourism’s sustainable development and assured him that Bulgaria will remain one of WTO’s most active members.The term in office of the organizations new Secretary-General will be 2018– 2021. The appointment is expected to be announced during the 22nd session of WTO’s General Assembly, which will be held in the Chinese city of Chengdu next September.

The Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, took part in the Conference on Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Danube Region: New Perspectives, in Belgrade. „Bulgaria ranks first EU-wide in terms of growth of tourist numbers“, Minister Angelkova said during the high-level panel and highlighted the fact that „the year 2016 was record-breaking one for development of tourism in Bulgaria, with over 8,2 million international tourists visiting our country, a 16% growth compared to 2015“. The event was hosted by Serbia’s Minister of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications, Rasim Ljajic and was jointly organized with the World Tourism Organization. The conference is held in Belgrade today and tomorrow and is attended by ministers and heads of Danube region development organizations.„At the end of the day, tourism is a major factor in maintaining and preserving cultural traditions, such as festivals, customs, crafts, exhibitions, concerts, etc.“, the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism summarized. She stated that the Danube region countries, Bulgaria included, have wonderful opportunities to protect and conserve their natural resources by setting up parks and reserves.It was also made clear that as coordinator under priority axis 3 of the Danube Strategy, in the area of culture and tourism, Bulgaria implements joint projects with Romania, Serbia, Austria, and Germany. „A project was applied for under the transnational Danube Program to set up tourist observatories along the Danube, the goal being to implement uniform tourism stats for the Danube region“, Nikolina Angelkova stated. According to her, creation of joint tourism products by countries within the Danube region should be prioritized because this is crucial in attracting visitors from China, Japan, South Korea and others.In her opinion, the tourism-generated revenues in some Bulgarian municipalities are sufficiently high so that those municipalities opt for that path of development, instead of other industries. Minister Angelkova added in that context that steering organizations are in the process of being set up in the tourism regions, where local governments, the central government, businesses, and NGO’s will cooperate.The Bulgarian Minister of Tourism emphasized that it is particularly important for the development of tourism to unite the efforts of the central government, local governments, representatives of tourism businesses and NGO’s.

“For a second time Sofia hosts an international event from the calendar of the World Tourism Organization. This ranks Bulgaria very high in the organization”, the minister of tourism Nikolina Angelkova stated before media representatives at the opening of the Second International Workshop “The Western Silk Road” this morning.  Minister Angelkova pointed out that the Western Silk Road was instrumental in promoting our cultural and historical heritage. In her words, this initiative enables Bulgaria to present joint products with the countries participating in the initiative.“There are many countries with which we could implement joint tourist packages and that is the idea of the cooperation in the framework of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), and the focus is on promoting the cultural and historical sites along the road”, Minister Angelkova added. She specified that the Register of Tourist attractions created by the Ministry of Tourism and the online platform “I love Bulgaria”, which  started with the 100 national tourist sites, covered some of the initiatives to be followed along the Western Silk Road.Also, it became clear that the project for the promotion of cultural and historical tourism is being implemented by WTO and this will help further reinforce Bulgaria as a cultural and historical destination. During the workshop, analyses will be made to outline the most visited sites in individual countries on the basis of which priority cultural and historical landmarks will be designated.In response to journalist questions about the dunes on “Nessebar-Yug” sea beach Minister Nikolina Angelkova stated that any human intervention breached the integrity of the dunes. Angelkova also commented that the concessionaire of the sea beach has placed signs of the dunes location to ensure their protection. She specified that the Ministry of Tourism had applied to the Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre and together with Minister Nankov would update the specialized map to designate the locations of the dunes so that they were protected in accordance with law.  

The largest sea resort complex in Bulgaria offers an extraordinary wide range of tourist and support services, Minister Nikolina Angelkova stated at the ceremony for the official opening of Summer 2017 in Sunny Beach.She recalled that in 2016 as a whole overnight stays at accommodations with over 10 beds in the complex numbered over 789 thousand, marking an over 20% increase on the previous year. There were over 5 million overnights (22% increase), and revenues from them exceeded BGN 266 million, also up 22%.   A very intensive preparatory period for the high season came to a close and the administration, the business, the local administration and controlling authorities and all interested partners were engaged in it, Angelkova said and added that the implementation of a successful summer depended on all these participants, which gave positive signals. At the beginning of the season the total number of planned flights at Varna and Burgas airports for the period June-September 2017 already exceeds by 8% the number of implemented flights in the same period of 2016. We again expect a strong presence of tourists from Germany, Poland, Great Britain, Ukraine, Czech Republic, France, the Scandinavian countries, Russia, etc., the minister pointed out.She recalled that summer tourism accounted for a major share in the sector and the next several months would determine whether we would have a successful year with estimated growth of 7 to 10% versus the record 2016. In her words, the quality of services and the safety of tourists are above everything because Bulgaria will lose its competitiveness and image. I want to emphasize once again that you can rely on our full support. We are doing our best to update the legislative framework, reduce the administrative burden and consistently address the shortage of staff.Finding a permanent solution to the problem with deficient staff is key for us. With common efforts we managed to adopt the Labour Mobility and Labour Migration Act. Its regulations have also been adopted and hiring of personnel from third countries began, she added. However, in her view, this would provide only a short-term boost to the sector and therefore joint steps with the education ministry are being taken to ensure a direct link between education and business needs. To this end, work is being done on the establishment of a Center for Qualification and Re-qualification of Working Staff. At the same time, the average pay in the sector must be discussed as well in order to keep quality workers, Angelkova commented.      She stressed again that control was a factor considered seriously by the administration. Mobile teams of the ministry will carry out checks throughout the season and will act uncompromisingly in case of established violation. The teams include health experts, food quality experts, representatives of NRA, CPC, etc. In operation is the hotline for sending signals about irregularities to the ministry, which can be sent also to a special e-mail address, and the contact details are available on the institutional website.Particular care is provided jointly with the law enforcement authorities for the security of the tourists in most visited areas as is Sunny Beach. About 980 policemen will be transferred to the Black Sea coast and their number has increased from last summer. Most of them will be concentrated namely in Sunny Beach, the minister stated.  We will be uncompromising toward anyone who breaks the law, irrespective of whether movable objects, unfulfilled contracts or other violations are involved. The laws of the country must be abided by all – Bulgarians and foreigners, hosts and guests, Nikolina Angelkova specified.

Our country has an extraordinary potential to develop cultural and historical tourism. The trends show that more and more tourists not only choose Bulgaria for their vacation, but also want to get information about it, to explore its authenticity and its history. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova during the working breakfast with the ambassadors in the country, organised by the MT. Present at the event were 50 heads and representatives of diplomatic missions in Bulgaria.Minister Angelkova again emphasized before the heads of diplomatic missions that the main goal of the Ministry of Tourism was to make the country a year-round sustainable tourist destination - a four-season Bulgaria, and the efforts were focused on reaching a position in the top 5 countries in South Eastern Europe.Minister Nikolina Angelkova pointed out that the efforts of all institutions were coordinated and focused to ensure the safety and comfort of tourists not only in the summer season but during the whole year. “In order to ensure the comfort and security of the tourists, we demanded from concessionaires and lessees to provide maximum lighting on the beaches”, the Minister of Tourism added. She announced that present forecasts were for a 10% rise in tourists this summer in Bulgaria.From the words of the minister it became clear that Bulgaria offers an ever better environment for business development. In this regard, Nikolina Angelkova informed them that she would work on elimination of the re-classification of hotels and catering establishments every five years. This aims to remove the excessively high administrative burden on businesses, and quality could be guaranteed by enhancing the product competitiveness and ongoing control.  

Bulgaria is taking part with a promotional stand in the biggest tourism event in the world for congress and business trips IMEX in Frankfurt, Germany. Presented at the Bulgarian stand are three companies and Varna Municipality. The event is intended for professionals in the tourism industry. Over 3 500 exhibitors, 4 900 professionals in the industry and over 3 900 hostedbuyers are set to be presented. The forum is held in the period 16-18 May 2017.The exhibitors include congress centres, cruise companies, national and regional tourist organizations and boards, hotel chains, spa centres, golf destinations, exhibition centres, leading aviation managers, rent-a-car companies.In the past year Bulgaria was visited by 826 939 German tourists, marking a 32.8 % growth on 2015.

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chief Negotiator with the EU  Mr. Mahmud Guliev. Present at the meeting was the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Bulgaria H. E. PhD Nargiz Gurbanova.Among the issues discussed were the measures for enhancing the bilateral tourist flow and options for facilitating the visa regime. It became clear that the two countries will work for development of a programme for using the opportunities of Bulgarian spa and balneological products by citizens of Azerbaijan.Minister Angelkova informed Mahmud Guliev that during the 105th session of WTO in Madrid she had had talks with her counterpart Abulfaz Garaev, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, and invited him to visit Bulgaria.Deputy Minister Guliev pointed out the fact that this year Bulgaria and Azerbaijan celebrated the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Opportunities for holding joint events on this occasion are to be discussed.  

Bulgaria is a well-known destination on the Italian market. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism of Italy Dorina Bianki at a meeting with the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova. The meeting was held in the framework of the 105th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization.Promoting the tourist flow between the two countries and exchanging good practices in staff training were among the main focuses in the talks. “Combined routes are one of the ways of promoting the exchange of tourists and creating products with a cultural and historical focus”, explained Nikolina Angelkova. In her words, the Ministry of Tourism focused its efforts on promoting investments in the sector, which are key to tourism development. Minister Angelkova underscored that our country was making consistent efforts to improve staffing in the sector. 

One of the main tasks in the beginning of next week is to hold a meeting with the business in the tourism industry. We will discuss the Tourism Act, the coming summer season, and improvements to be introduced in the Black Sea Coast Development and Grouping of Beaches Act. It is important to discuss together with representatives of ministries, the local administration and businesses the priorities that need be set, which would require amending the Tourism Act so as to make it workable. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova on her taking office. She took over the office from Stela Baltova at a ceremony held in the ministry.In her words, the caretaker team of the Ministry of Tourism has pursued a consistent policy with regard to the national programme for tourism advertising.Minister Angelkova stated that one of the key priorities in her work pertained to the summer season, conducting inspections of the condition of beaches, the completed legal procedures for sea beaches and identification of whether more beaches could be leased. This is one of the steps to ensure a problem-free summer season, to have life guards, cleaning and medical services on as many number of sea beaches as possible, the Minister of Tourism added.The EU Chairmanship provides a unique opportunity to present Bulgaria in the best possible way. Besides being a centre of all European policies, we will present our country as an attractive tourist destination, the minister commented and added that we would have the chance to present our culture, history, traditions, all that makes our country unique.The Caretaker Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova presented two of the key priorities pursued in the last three months – proper implementation of the regulations policy and the policy on presenting a quality Bulgarian product in marketing and international activities. She also highlighted that a major focus was put on promoting different year-round-sought products in order to extend the seasons and make Bulgaria a year-round tourist destination.Assoc. Professor Stela Baltova confirmed a record high winter season in Bulgaria, which marked a 20% growth in the period December 2016 – March 2017 compared to the 2015-2016 period. She stated that this was mainly due to the consistent policy pursued by the government, the efforts of the tourist business, regional administrations, local authorities and all stakeholders. 

Assoc. Prof. Stela Baltova, Minister of Tourism: Berlin and Moscow are interested in Bulgarian wellbeing tourismInterview of Minister Stela Baltova for "24 Hours" daily newspaper - 16.03.2017Expected 10% growth in Russian tourists for 2017, cruises to Bulgarian ports and Crimea on offer  - Assoc. Prof. Baltova, you got very good news at the international travel fairs in Berlin and Moscow. What summer season can we expect?- An active summer season is ahead of us. It will be successful, and the next one could be even more successful when the quality of our tourism is good. The data received from my meetings with tour operators on the German market are very positive. Some of them share that a 35% growth can be achieved. So far the official data of DER Touristik (the tour operator brought 130,000 tourists from Germany alone in 2016) shows a 26% growth in 2017 compared with 2016.- The two-digit growth is serious for tourism?- Yes, the exhibition in Berlin was very successful. At the stand of Bulgaria there were 7 municipalities – the Association of Danube River Municipalities, we presented the EDEN destinations. We showed Bulgaria as building partnerships. This has to be formulated as a national policy. At the meetings with the tour operator Thomas Cook it became clear the complaints from our country were less than 2%, we agreed with TUI to train here our hotel specialists, there will be regular flights with French tourists soon.- What do Europeans search in Bulgaria, only the sea?- Our sea tourism is the top product for the German market. However, they are also strongly interested in health and rehabilitation vacations or so-called well-being, which helps improve the body and the spirit.- Were there talks that this could be funded from German health insurance funds?- That’s right. German tour operators are ready to work together in order to attract German health insurance funds to send their nationals for rehabilitation to Bulgaria. The talks are set to begin at state level and public-private partnerships with business could be gradually established in order to be present together on the German market. And on the Scandinavian market, too. The businesses that took part in the exhibition in Germany were extremely active in meetings and partnerships. The stand of Bulgaria was absolutely modern. At a meeting with the director of the travel fair ITB – Berlin I requested our stand to be extended to 500 sq.m. next year and the location of Bulgaria to be changed because 2 years ago the organizers changed the location of Bulgaria for economic reasons. Next year we mark the 50th anniversary of our country’s participation in this exhibition – we are among its founders.  These were the arguments for requesting a better location at the exhibition.In Berlin I had a very fruitful meeting with the Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifai. I posed a single and acute problem – that of the labour force, and we agreed to address it together. We do not have bus drivers, waiters, and chefs. The tourism business is feeling the strain. We have wonderful infrastructure but who will take care of the tourist.- The business is hiring foreign workers for internships...- Yes, but 3 months are not enough, our season is at least 5 months. After Berlin I gave clear instructions for action. The discussions went extremely well, but to me it is important to develop what has been negotiated.- With your Berlin luggage you go directly to the other important fair – in Moscow. What is the news from there?- We have this market and we will have it. Russian tourists are not very likely to return to Turkey at present. Bulgaria expects a 10% growth from this market.In Moscow I spoke to Oleg Safonov, the head of the Federal Agency for Tourism. He confirmed again his meeting with Bulgaria, but had to change his schedule for that reason. I expected to see an extremely solemn man and he was very friendly. We did not discuss politics at all. I said that the Russian tourist was significant for Bulgaria because he sought quality and high-category hotels.In Moscow all say that the Russian tourist expects cultural-patriotic tourism from Bulgaria.They focus on child vacations with foreign language study. Kamchia is thought of as Eden by Russians. To be honest, I wanted to announce something, after it is discussed at high level, but Safonov himself stated the intention of a cruise through the Bulgarian ports, and in Russia it could pass through Crimea and Turkey could be included as well. They expect our operative decision. Safonov paved the way for my meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Mr Vitalii Mutko. He sees a serious potential in their relations for tourism in Bulgaria.This week I will announce a new call for conceptual design for the stands of our exhibitions – we should be innovative. This is remembered, more digitalization, place for business at the exhibitions. After 2007 extraordinary things happened in tourism.Let’s show them!With the heads of tourism of Ural and Altay regions we negotiated exchange of trainees. From Kaliningrad region were interested in gourmet tourism in Bulgaria. Altay even proposed exchange of technologies for production of yellow cheese. And of course, wellness vacations.- What happens with the beaches – there are appeals of concessions. Appealed is also the Single Tourism Information System which was to connect the registers of the hotels to NRA, MoI.- This procedure had been suspended before my taking office but my ambition is to restart it in the caretaker cabinet’s term of office. The STIS is my first priority. It should go live in September or October 2017.The tasks for the beaches are serious. A call for public procurement for the monitoring of beaches will be launched. The teams are ready for inspections.At present there are 53 effective concessions. Until 1 March I signed 4 contracts for concession of “Sveti Vlas - Nov plazh”, “Obzor-Yug”, “Kamping Oasis” and “Dyuni-Yug”.  The leased beaches are 65, and in few days contracts will be concluded for “Kamping Veselie”, “Estuary of Veleka River”, and “Tsarevo – Vasiliko”. By the end of March there will be a second tender for the beaches “Ofitserski-Zapad”, “Popski Plazh Sever” and “Nesebar Sever” and “Nesebar Iztok”.  I terminated the tender for “Nov plazh – Balchik” because of procedural breaches.I am glad to say that in order to improve tender documentation we set up an intergovernmental group which gave proposals. So far the tenderer had declared it would not change the proposed prices per umbrella and deckchair for the period of the lease. The new tender documentation states that “the lessee shall offer umbrellas and deckchairs at prices not higher than those proposed thereby in the offer and they may not be increased in the contract”.- In other words, the prices can only decrease?- That’s right. We increase the members of the commission – they will be 5 now, including experts of the Council of Ministers.- And what about concessions?- I will not authorize any more concessions, the time for completing the procedure is not sufficient. This is a sensitive topic. The most important thing now is to prevent concern among businesses and tourists.We have urgently initiated the water rescue ordinance – to recognize training of lifeguards from other institutions, not only from the Bulgarian Red Cross, an option is created to hire foreign lifeguards, their working hours can be changed depending on the intensity of the beach.- How long did you consider whether to accept the position of minister of tourism, Ms Baltova? – Very little- How were you invited?- They asked me whether I agree to give my telephone number to the president’ team because he wanted to invite me to a meeting with him. I have had interesting moments in my life but never have been invited by the president. To be honest, I thought that they would task me with making analysis and a study on tourism. At the meeting I had a catalogue of the university at which I work. President Radev, he had not taken office yet, was interested in my opinion on the country’ economic development, on the beaches, there was no discussion of politics at all. And the proposal came. He expected an answer...- Immediately?- Well, he gave me a certain margin of tolerance till next day.- How did you sleep then?- I have a sound sleep, but I am also an emotional person. I discussed the matter with my employer and my family. I took it very seriously.And I accepted.***CV• Born in 1961, graduated from the French Secondary Language School in Sliven with gold medal• 1988 – graduated from the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia; continued her education at the University of North Alsace, France; a master of digital marketing• 2002-2005 was on diplomatic mission as economic advisor, head of commercial and economic section in Copenhagen, Denmark• 2007-2009 was Deputy Chairperson of the State Agency for Tourism• Assoc. Prof. in economics of business services. Teacher at the International Higher Business School of Botevgrad• Fluent in French, English, Danish and Russian, uses Portuguese