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From 1 August, additional medical teams and ambulances will be provided along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast at the initiative of the Ministries of Health and Tourism.This will allow faster access to medical care in the height of summer, when the number of tourists is highest. The additional teams will support the work of local health structures."Caring for the health and safety of tourists is among the main priorities," the Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov said.

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.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Mariela Modeva participated in the Annual Conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Bulgaria.The two-day forum was opened by President Iliana Yotova and Prime Minister Rumen Radev, and brought together representatives of the executive branch, the diplomatic corps, and the heads of Bulgarian diplomatic missions around the world.Current foreign policy priorities, the international situation and the role of the diplomatic service in protecting national interests were discussed.In her speech, Prof. Modeva emphasized the importance of European integration, preparations for membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the role of economic diplomacy in the development of tourism."The Ministry of Tourism actively participates in the work of the OECD Tourism Committee, where policies related to sustainable development, digitalization, artificial intelligence, reliable tourism statistics and the management of tourist flows are discussed," Prof. Modeva said.The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of initiatives in support of entrepreneurship and innovation in tourism, which are part of the preparation of the future European Union Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. According to her, they will support the development of new tourism products and improve business access to knowledge, technology and financing.Prof. Modeva also emphasized the significant role of Bulgarian diplomatic missions in the international positioning of the country as an attractive tourist and investment destination."Economic diplomacy must present Bulgaria as a country worth investing in, developing business in, and traveling to," she said, adding that tourism is among the strongest tools for building the positive international image of our country."A satisfied tourist becomes an ambassador of Bulgaria, and a good reputation leads to new visits, partnerships and investments," the Deputy Minister of Tourism also said.19 July is established as the Day of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Service. On this date in 1879, a decree was issued by Prince Alexander I, appointing the first Bulgarian diplomatic representatives abroad.

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov and the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Bulgaria  H.E. Abdulrahman Ahmed Sultan Essa Al Jaber discussed the possibilities for improving Bulgaria's direct air connectivity with distant markets through global aviation hubs in the UAE.The conversation discussed the possibility of starting an institutional and business dialogue regarding a potential direct air route between Sofia and Abu Dhabi. Minister Dimitrov proposed establishing working contacts with Etihad Airways and expressed readiness to organize a meeting with representatives of the airline, Bulgarian institutions and the tourism business next week."We will assist in establishing a direct dialogue between the airlines, the airport and the tourism business," Minister Dimitrov said. The Minister emphasized that the Bulgarian side has an active tourism sector and tour operators who are interested in participating in assessing the potential of such a connection. It is important for Bulgaria to maintain competitive access to distant markets in Asia, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.Ambassador Al Jaber described the idea as an excellent opportunity and committed to representing Bulgarian interests to Etihad Airways.The two sides also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation with other UAE airlines, including flydubai and Air Arabia. The aim is to explore various market solutions to improve the country's frequency, capacity and access to international routes with a single connection via the UAE.During the meeting, the possibility of universities from the UAE joining the Association of Higher Education Schools that prepare personnel for the tourism sector, which is being created at the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, was also discussed. The proposal envisages the exchange of students and teachers, sharing of good practices and building a closer connection between tourism education and business.Ambassador Al Jaber expressed full support for the development of the educational partnership and willingness to present the initiative to universities in the UAE.