In Nessebar, the Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev officially launched the tourist Summer 2024

We are expecting a good and stable season with a growth of over 10%, the Tourism Minister stressed

At an official ceremony in front of the gates of the Ancient City of Nessebar, President Rumen Radev, Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev and the host - the Mayor of Nessebar Nikolay Dimitrov officially launched the summer tourist season. For the first time, the Summer 2024 welcoming ceremony was held with the participation of the Head of State.

The event took place under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev and his wife Desislava Radeva, in the presence of ministers, mayors, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the tourism business, citizens and guests of the seaside town.

Among the official guests of the event were the Ministers of Interior Kalin Stoyanov, Regional Development and Public Works Violeta Koritarova, Health Dr. Galya Kondeva, Agriculture Georgi Tahov and Youth and Sports Georgi Glushkov, as well as ambassadors and representatives of missions from over 20 countries, the Governor of Burgas Prof. Maria Neykova, as well as former ministers of tourism.

The ceremony began with the performance of the magnetic Bulgarian kabagaidi and the ritual ‘Mother Bulgaria’ at the gates of the Ancient City. The statesmen were greeted according to an old Bulgarian custom with a pita and the symbol of our country — the Bulgarian rose.

‘We Bulgarians have always believed that we live on a piece of land that is a paradise’, Minister Miloshev said and recalled the ancient parable.

‘We live at a crossroads — geographically, between Europe and Asia, culturally and spiritually. And that is what makes us recognizable and authentic. This has made us over the centuries hospitable and humane — we Bulgarians are an ancient civilization of emotional, artistic and tolerant people. And in today's times of complex geopolitical relations and more and more global crises, these qualities are becoming increasingly scarce and, therefore, more and more valuable’, Minister Miloshev said.

I am convinced that several generations of modern Europeans cherish the memory of our Sunny Beach, our sunny sandy beaches and their exciting Bulgarian summer, Minister Miloshev said, addressing the representatives of the diplomatic corps and the guests of Nessebar and the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.

President Rumen Radev stressed the importance of Nessebar as part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The mayor and his team have done a great job here, hopefully more Bulgarian municipalities will look like this, the Head of State said.

‘Nessebar represents all those well-known features of Bulgaria — here the millennia-old history of our lands coexist with the comfort of modern tourist services; the splendour of our nature with the famous hospitality of the local people’, the President said and thanked the Secretary for Culture, Education and Tourism at the Presidential Institution and former Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov for the initiative, the Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev for the support and the host and ‘motor of the event’ — the Mayor of Nessebar.

Minister Miloshev reminded the journalists that the caretaker cabinet has a clear time horizon and its task is to ensure fair elections and the smooth running of the summer tourist season. He expressed his optimism for a good and stable season in the upcoming Summer 2024 with a clear commitment of the institutions to ensure good control and calm work for the business, and the most important subject in the tourism product - the tourist to leave happy and only with positive and beautiful emotions.

‘We will have done our job — as a country and a nation, and as a sector, if everyone leaves with the memory of their happy Bulgarian summer. I dream for Bulgaria to be associated with sun and beauty, ancient civilization and rich culture; with hospitality, with authentic Bulgarian products and its unique nature. And above all to be associated with warm and smiling people, ready to help’, Minister Miloshev further emphasised.

After a short tour along the cobbled streets of the landmarks, the guests attended a concert of local folklore groups at Messambria Square in Nessebar.