For Green and Sustainable Tourism: The Ministry of Tourism Signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Association ‘Tourist Business Union — Bansko’

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov and Malin Bistrin, Chairman of the Tourist Business Union — Bansko, signed a framework agreement for cooperation and partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and the association. With it the parties commit to join their efforts and cooperation for the development of green and sustainable tourism for the Bansko region.

In the conversation during the meeting the representatives of the Board of the Tourist Business Union — Bansko and Minister Dimitrov discussed specific opportunities for promoting the two-day festival ‘Unique Bansko’. Traditionally, in September the Fellowship of Bansko Taverns organizes a culinary feast where tavern owners present unique dishes they are proud of and folklore groups reenact old customs. The 12 taverns, members of the initiative, cook according to old family recipes and present traditional cuisine with their unique flavours at the culinary festival ‘Uniquely Bansko’. Eco ideas for the development of sustainable tourism and for making Bansko a cleaner and greener city were also discussed in the conversation. Among them — replacing hotel vans transporting tourists with electric ones, installing filters on the chimneys of the buildings — collectors for fine particulate matter, and to produce electricity and bio fertilizers by collecting excess food waste.

‘Bansko is developing extremely well, and I am very pleased to see how it is turning into an increasingly green resort, which is the main goal,’ Minister Dimitrov added: ‘By working to reduce harmful emissions, offering delicious local food, the city will become an increasingly beautiful and green global resort that offers an increasingly quality product. This is the right way — connecting with nature, the mountains closer to the people and preserving the natural flavours and aromas.’

The future joint work of the Ministry of Tourism and the Association will focus on the implementation of projects and ideas aimed at offering a sustainable tourism product in the Bansko region, based on resource efficiency and circular economy measures, raising the qualification of tourism employees in the Bansko region and promoting early career guidance of children in the tourist resorts of the country with a focus on tourism education. The exchange of information, knowledge, experience, ideas and best practices in the field of tourism, including the participation of European and third countries, underlying the cooperation agreement, will also help to turn Bansko into a year-round destination at the global level.

As concrete steps in this direction, the document envisages holding and mutual participation in various forums, conferences, seminars, round tables, trainings, workshops, programs and festivals related to the promotion of the Bansko region as a year-round tourist destination.

Cooperation in initiatives for updating and streamlining the national regulatory framework in the field of tourism, as well as assistance for the introduction and implementation of new technologies, materials and standards in the industry are also among the important goals and objectives set out in the agreement.