Minister Zaritza Dinkova in Istanbul: Better transport connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkey means more tourists

The Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova met with her Turkish counterpart Mehmet Ersoy

Promoting Bulgaria as a year-round destination among Turkish tourist consumers is among the priorities of the Ministry of Tourism. This is what Minister Zaritza Dinkova said during the bilateral meeting with the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey - Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, which is taking place in Istanbul.

"Bulgaria has the full palette of seasons and experiences needed for top quality tourism. We are extremely proud of our rich cultural heritage, which is the third largest in Europe. Sustainable cultural tourism is a vital part of regional development strategies," said Minister Dinkova.

In recent years, Bulgaria has had a successful dialogue with Turkish transport officials, individual carriers and airport operators to improve transport connectivity between the two countries. Minister Dinkova expressed confidence that a regular flight service between Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Sofia Airport will be opened soon. "There is no doubt that good connectivity means stability," Minister Dinkova stressed. According to the latest data for the first six months of 2023, the number of Turkish tourists visiting Bulgaria increased by 16% compared to the year before 2019.

Increasing transport connectivity is also extremely important for Turkey, noted also the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. He expressed his satisfaction with the completed activities on the expansion of the capacity of the Capitan Andreevo BCP.

"The increase in flights of Bulgarian airlines will contribute to the increased tourist flow. If there are any requests from the Bulgarian side in this direction, I commit to address them personally," Minister Ersoy said.

The bilateral meeting between the Ministers of Tourism of Bulgaria and Turkey is part of the official visit of Minister Zaritza Dinkova to Istanbul. The occasion for the visit was the opening of the 4th session of the Bulgarian-Turkish Tourism Committee. The delegation, led by Minister Dinkova, includes representatives of the Bulgarian tourism business - Union of Tourist Business-Bansko, Pamporovo AD, Albena AD, Suntours BG, Future for Tourism Association. During the Committee, participants will engage in discussions together with their Turkish counterparts.