Bulgaria attracted strong interest as an attractive tourist destination at the first ever roadshow in Dubai

The event, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management, Alliance Bulgarian Black Sea, Hotel International and Win Travel, brought together nearly 100 travel agents from the UAE and Near and Middle East

The first ever roadshow dedicated to the promotion of Bulgaria as an attractive tourist destination in the United Arab Emirates was a great success. The event was held on 20 February at the prestigious five-star Shangri-La Dubai Hotel and attracted nearly 100 representatives of leading travel agencies from the Near and Middle East regions.

The event was opened with a welcoming speech by His Excellency Mr. Ivan Yordanov - Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Arab Emirates, who stressed the importance of this event for the deepening of bilateral tourism relations between the two countries and the future opportunities it opens.

A presentation about our country was made by Dr. jur. Frank Quante - CEO of the concessionaire of Burgas Airport and Varna Airport - Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, and Ms. Radostina Zlateva - Senior Air Traffic Development Expert at the company, who presented the variety of opportunities that Bulgaria offers for every taste - from unique nature and favourable climate with four seasons, through SPA and balneo-tourism, to golf entertainment and a wide choice of experiences. A highlight of the presentation was the new direct Abu Dhabi - Varna airline, which will start on 31 March and will be operated three times a week by Wizz Air, providing fast and convenient access to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.

After the presentation part, the participants had the opportunity to have individual B2B meetings, which gave the opportunity to create new partnerships and exchange ideas. The evening ended with an elegant gala dinner with live music in the background, while inspiring videos from different Bulgarian destinations were shown on a huge screen.

The event featured strong Bulgarian participation, with more than 15 organizations from the tourism sector representing the country. Among them were hotel managers, tour operators, representatives of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast Alliance, the Ministry of Tourism and Varna Municipality.

Among the official guests were: Mr. Stanislav Dimitrov, Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and Mr. Valentin Stoev, Head of the Commercial and Economic Affairs Office in Dubai. The Ministry of Tourism was represented by Ms. Dora Ivanova from the International Activities and Visa Regimes Directorate, and the Municipality of Varna by Ms. Mariana Hadzhieva, Senior Expert for Integrated Marketing Communications and Analyses.

The event was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, Bulgarian Black Sea Coast Alliance, Hotel International and Win Travel.

After the successful roadshow, the next stage of the campaign to promote Bulgaria in the UAE is about to begin - the organization of a fam trip for representatives of leading travel agencies in the region. The aim is to familiarize them with the Northern Black Sea coast, its natural and cultural riches, the hotel facilities and the diverse tourism opportunities the region offers.