Ministry’s Campaign for Boosting Home Tourism Has Met Set Target of 2 Million Outreach
The campaign for boosting home tourism has met the set target by reaching the expected 2 million people. The campaign which was funded by Operational Programme Regional Development 2007-2013 was independently evaluated by the ESTAT agency. The campaign’s conclusive report indicates that 300 000 people have visited at least one of the sites featured in the campaign while the number of Bulgarians who have vacationed in the country in the past 12 months has reached up to 3 million people.
The 50 little known tourist attractions in Bulgaria which the Ministry has also actively promoted, have gained popularity by attracting 14% more tourist visits. The share of Bulgarians interested in particular tourist destinations within the country has also reached 62% which is a 4% increase compared to 2014.
Year-round home tourism has also been strengthened following the campaign’s promotional activities. The number of overnight stays by Bulgarians has steeped and many Bulgarians have come to see their country as a preferred vocational spot. The total cost of the EU-funded campaign amounts to over 1,5 mn euro. Bulgaria’s first-ever stand-alone Ministry of Tourism has managed to make up for the delays in the execution of some of the activities and has brought the campaign to a successful end.
Activities have been all encompassing including TV spots on channels with national coverage, video clips, media publications, external and Internet advertising.