Cooperation with local authorities on connectivity and cleanliness of resorts is a priority for the Ministry of Tourism

Minister Miroslav Borshosh took part in an offsite meeting of the Committee on Tourism in Sozopol.

Minister Miroslav Borshosh took part in the offsite meeting of the Committee on Tourism of the National Assembly, held yesterday in Sozopol. The topic of the session was “Challenges and Key Factors Shaping the 2025 Summer Tourist Season – Southern Black Sea Coast.” The discussion included Deputy Prime Ministers Atanas Zafirov and Grozdan Karadzhov, Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov, Members of Parliament, Burgas Regional Governor Vladimir Krumov, mayors from the region, and representatives of state and local institutions. Participants also included tourism business representatives from both the Southern and Northern Black Sea coasts, who discussed the sector’s challenges and current issues, including regional infrastructure, visa procedures for foreign visitors, and difficulties in hiring workers from third countries. 

At the beginning of the session, Minister Miroslav Borshosh stated that this format is an excellent model for cooperation and coordination between the state and local authorities, which can ensure long-term prospects for the regions and provide funding for various local projects. “The major challenge lies in improving the transport connectivity of tourist sites at both the national and local levels,” the minister added, emphasizing that modern tourism cannot develop without joint efforts with the state to ensure accessibility. He also pointed to the mayors of the region as an example of successful collaboration in this regard.

As another key factor for the positive development of the tourism sector, which, of course, requires significant investment, Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh highlighted the cleanliness of destinations. He reminded attendees that earlier this year, in June, the European Environment Agency (EEA) ranked Bulgaria second in the EU (after Cyprus), with 97.9% of bathing waters rated as “excellent”, including both coastal and inland waters. According to the Agency’s report, the sea water in Primorsko was found to be the cleanest in Bulgaria. Ivan Gaikov, Mayor of the resort town, stated that this achievement has had a strong positive impact on tourist attitudes, with Primorsko recording its most successful summer season to date. “Preserving cleanliness will provide us with the sustainability we need to plan a clear policy — how to develop our markets, how to allocate our budgets, and how to organize our marketing campaigns,” said Minister Miroslav Borshosh in this regard.

During the session, Minister Miroslav Borshosh also emphasized strong air connectivity as another key factor for the successful development of the tourism sector. “If there is no adequate national and local policy, we cannot expect growth. Our neighbors — for example, Türkiye — are ahead of us in developing their airports and turning them into international hubs,” said Minister Borshosh. He pointed out a specific opportunity for Bulgaria in this regard — the introduction of airport fee reductions, expressing confidence that without such measures, it will be impossible to increase tourist traffic on regular flight routes.

The development of tourism and the strengthening of the “Brand Bulgaria” concept are among the strategic priorities of the government, said Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov. He expressed his conviction that the joint presence of representatives of the executive and legislative branches, along with the institutions involved in the tourism sector, will help establish practical ideas that can be implemented through legislative changes or specific executive actions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov stated during the offsite session that an additional €12.5 million will be invested this year in the runway of Burgas Airport, which, he noted, is currently at the limit of its operational capacity. According to him, this year is the last possible one in which the runway can operate safely, and therefore, it is scheduled to be closed for renovation.

Polina Karastoyanova, Executive Director of the Bulgaria National Board of Tourism Association, congratulated the Ministry of Tourism and the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism for their excellent synergy and constructive dialogue in their joint work. She also shared that, according to the Association’s forecast, this will be the most successful tourism season, attributing it to the exceptionally good coordination, swift responses, and effective oversight demonstrated by the Ministry of Tourism.

The Minister of Tourism confirmed that this achievement is a long-awaited success, noting that the new relief measures will solve the problem and facilitate access for Turkish tourists to Bulgaria in the coming years. “This was one of the first issues we tackled in our work. The country faces strong competition from neighboring destinations, but for me, challenges always mean opportunities,” said Minister Miroslav Borshosh at the conclusion of the session.