We are making a roadmap to align our tourism events with Russia

We are working on a roadmap to align the main tourism events of Bulgaria and Russia, we are coordinating our programs so that tour operators and tourists from one country may be aware with the other country’s scheduled tourism events so as to direct tourists to those events. This idea was shared by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Milko Teofilov, and Olga Yarilova – Director of the Department for Tourism and Regional Policy at Russia’s Ministry of Culture. The two are leading both countries’ delegations at the forum entitled Spiritual and Historical-Patriotic Routes in Russia and Bulgaria, which is being held at the “Sv. Konstantin I Elena” resort. Four-season tourism can be achieved through such actions, the Deputy Minister commented further.

We will be glad to even rearrange our calendar so that it fits the Bulgarian one, Olga Yarilova said. In order for everyone in the tourism business in Russia to be informed about tourism opportunities in Bulgaria, we will use our tourism information centres, she stated further, clarifying that an appendix dedicated specifically to Bulgaria could be created.

The Russian Federation has a program for the exchange of students and practices, which is one of the ways to handle the issue of staff shortages during the active summer season in Bulgaria, Yarilova stated. According to her, it is a unique opportunity for students to get practical experience at Bulgarian resorts, while Bulgarian businesses would get trained, Russian-speaking staff. We may table a staff exchange proposal to Bulgaria, Yarilova said, adding that there are Russian universities, which will gladly send their best trainees to our country.

For the purpose of better cooperation and increased flow of tourists between Bulgaria and the Russian Federation thematic meetings with tourism businesses are being contemplated, as well as regional level discussions, in order to create very expanded connections. Later on, during the presentations of Russian and Bulgarian regions, Teofilov and Yarilova also discussed the opportunity of Bulgarian children being included in the Russian Federation’s program Get to Know Russia, within which child groups from Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, and Greece travel through Russia. Olga Yarilova shared that having seen Bulgaria’s beauty and wonderful sea, the first thing she would do upon her return home would be to recommend Bulgaria to her children and relatives. Pilgrimage itineraries and cultural-historical itineraries of Russia and Bulgaria were presented during the forum held near Varna, with the participation of representatives of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church. One of the forum’s messages was that religious tourism is a way to expand the interest of Russians in the Bulgarian sea and skiing to year-round tours. An agreement was signed during the event at the “Sv. Konstantin I Elena” resort between the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agents and the Russia Union of Travel Industry, as well as a Cooperation Agreement between the Government Autonomous Authority of the Tumen area and the Bourgas Regional Tourism Association.