Bulgaria and TUI signed a memorandum to double tourists by 2030

The partnership with the leading tour operator in Europe aims to strengthen our country's presence on the European tourism market and extend the tourist season.

The Ministry of Tourism and the largest travel company in Europe - TUI Group signed a three-year memorandum of cooperation in the field of air and tourism connectivity, advertising, season extension and the development of new tourism products at the Evksinograd Residence. The aim is for the number of tourists travelling to Bulgaria via TUI to double by the end of 2030, reaching 400,000 people a year.

"Our ambition is for the tourist flow to Bulgaria through TUI channels to grow significantly by attracting more German guests, as well as other key European markets," Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, said.

The partnership aims to expand the German group’s programmes, facilitate joint marketing and strengthen Bulgaria’s international profile as a year-round destination.

Minister Dimitrov pointed out that the recovery of the German market is one of the important tasks for the next tourist season. "We want it to be significantly stronger, to start as early as early May and, under good conditions, to continue until the end of September," the minister said. Bulgaria will also be promoted to a European audience through cultural, spa and wellness, nature, wine and gastronomic, sports and conference tourism.

TUI Group CEO Sebastian Ebel emphasized that the company sees significant opportunities for developing its business in Bulgaria and shares with the government a common vision for the quality of the tourism product, connectivity and the overall guest experience. "We have discussed many opportunities to grow the business and we believe that now is the right time to do so. We are very pleased to have a partner here in the form of the government, with whom we share the same vision. Our focus is on quality, distinctive products and strong brands. With this shared vision, we will continue to build a strong business for the benefit of the region and the people here," Ebel said.

The signing of the memorandum is the next step in the long-standing partnership between Bulgaria and TUI and takes place within the framework of the annual meeting of over 150 senior managers of the group in Varna.