Minister Baltova held a work meeting with Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives

The Minister of Tourism Stella Baltova held a work meeting with Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives. They talked during his first work visit to Bulgaria. The discussions focused on the possibilities for deepening cooperation between the two countries, as well as current data on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic and the two countries’ strategies for dealing with it.

“The Maldives is an attractive destination for Bulgarians, as it attracts high-class visitors,” said Minister Baltova. According to her, from November 2020 to May 2021, a total of about 10,000 Bulgarians traveled to the country. She added that, according to her, the trips will remain in the future, as the interest will grow.

Minister Baltova presented to her interlocutor the current data on the development of the pandemic in the country. She explained that we have introduced health protocols, and a very strict control is carried out. Minister Baltova also explained that the government is constantly monitoring the distribution of new variants of Covid-19, which may require the implementation of new measures – both health and social and economic. The minister stressed that since the beginning of the pandemic, accommodation facilities have not been closed, even during periods of the most severe restrictions.

“Bulgaria ranks 17th among inbound tourism markets for the Maldives,” Minister Shahid informed. He also commented that he hoped the interest would continue in the future. The Minister gave an update on the spread of the coronavirus in his country and outlined the measures being taken to limit the pandemic. He explained that they are actively working on a campaign for vaccination of the population, which is hoped to reduce the disease. “Over 98% of first-line workers have been vaccinated, we want tourists to feel safe and secure,” said Abdulla Shahid.

During the meeting, specific initiatives to promote the bilateral partnership were discussed.  The ministers discussed the possibility of signing the memorandum of understanding with an emphasis on joint marketing activities in the field of tourism. They also agreed that the opening of a direct airline between Sofia and Mali will contribute to increasing the number of tourists.

The meeting was also attended by Her Excellency Eleonora Dimitrova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to India and the Republic of Maldives.