Minister Zaritza Dinkova: Bulgaria is a safe tourist destination and is ready to welcome Israeli tourists

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.