Actress Maria Bakalova will participate free of charge in the Ministry of Tourism's campaign to promote Bulgaria

Oscar-nominated Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova will voluntarily join the Ministry of Tourism's initiative to present our country to the world.

At a meeting with the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, she accepted the invitation to become an ambassador of Bulgarian tourism, sharing her favourite places and experiences. “We need our successful and well-known figures to showcase Bulgaria’s hospitable image. Through your successes, you have drawn the attention of the international film industry to our country and helped to ensure that more and more foreign productions choose to film here,” Minister Dimitrov said.

Maria Bakalova shared that she is particularly impressed by Bulgarian roses and the tradition of rose picking, which will be included in her upcoming project. "We have a beautiful and hospitable country and we need to show it to as many people as possible. That's why I always talk about Bulgaria with pride," said the actress, who was honored by Minister Dimitrov with a statuette with a golden rose as a symbol of our country.

Maria Bakalova is in Bulgaria with renowned professionals for the filming of an international film production, in which she herself plays the main female role. “In every project I get involved in, I try to suggest Bulgarian teams and locations in Bulgaria. That's the case now, too, and that's the reason I'm here right now," the actress added.

The Ministry of Tourism's initiative was launched by Eurovision 2026 winner DARA and the world's weightlifting phenomenon Karlos Nassar.

Meanwhile, world kickboxing star Stoyan Koprivlenski, Olympic snowboarding medalist Tervel Zamfirov, and our Olympic biathlon medalist Lora Hristova also filmed videos with their personal messages from favourite places in Bulgaria.

The footage will be distributed in international media and digital platforms. Further well-known Bulgarians from the worlds of culture, the arts and sport are set to be involved.