The Ministry of Tourism launched the project “Cultural and Tourist EDEN destinations in Bulgaria”

The Ministry of Tourism launched the implementation of the project “Cultural and Tourist EDEN destinations in Bulgaria”. EDEN is a network of the best European destinations promoting sustainable tourism development models across the European Union. The project was approved for funding under the call for proposals “Best EDEN Destinations – Selection 2016” under the Programme for the Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (2014-2020) – COSME. A contracting authority is the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to the European Commission. The total value of the project proposal is EUR 46,890.00 (BGN 91,709.00) and the funds are equally split between the European Commission and the Ministry of Tourism – EUR 23,445.00 (BGN 45,854.00) each. The duration of the project is 10 months – by the end of 2017.

It aims to draw the attention and promote rarely visited/newly emerging Bulgarian tourist destinations on the subject of “cultural tourism”. This involves destinations offering a specific form of tourism based on their local tangible cultural assets (i.e. cultural and historical heritage or contemporary culture such as traditional historical or archeological monuments/sites, industrial sites, museums, theatres,  galleries, modern archeological sites, modern city districts, “ethnic pockets” of cities).  

In pursuance of the project in 2017 new, rarely visited five EDEN destinations in the field of cultural tourism in Bulgaria will be selected. To this end, a package of documents for applying will be developed, including requirements and criteria to potential candidates for selection of best rarely visited EDEN destinations in the country for cultural tourism, a guidebook to complete the set of documents, an application form and other required documents for participation in the competition.

Further information about the procedure will be published in the period April-May 2017 on the website of the Ministry of Tourism and on the website of EDEN network in Bulgaria - http://www.edenbulgaria.eu/.

Based on assessment of the submitted proposals the five new EDEN destinations in the field of cultural tourism will be determined – one winner and four sub-winner destinations. Professional pictures of the five selected destinations will be taken and they will be promoted in special brochures.

At the end of 2017 an official ceremony will be held for presentation of awards to the selected destinations. They will be included in the national EDEN network in Bulgaria and will become part of the European network. Further information about EDEN initiative is available on the website of the network in Bulgaria - http://www.edenbulgaria.eu/, as well as on the website of DG Internal Market, Industry and Entrepreneurship of the EC: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/eden/about_bg.