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The business requested an analysis of the competitive advantages of Bulgarian tourism

At the initiative of the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova and in view of the successful completion of the talks held with the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take steps to facilitate the procedures for issuing visas to  Bulgarian neighboring countries and to promote tourist travel from Turkey to Bulgaria during the winter season,  Bulgarian consulates in Turkey have been instructed to issue dual-entry and  multiple-entry visas with a term of validity of three months for Turkish citizens wishing to visit Bulgarian resorts. The measure will be effective for the period of the winter season. According to the provisional data, about 4-5% growth of the winter season in the country is expected, and the significant numbers of tourists will arrive from the neighboring countries as Turkey (growth of 10%), Serbia and Greece (5% growth), the Republic of Macedonia and Romania. This was announced by Minister Angelkova at a consecutive   meeting with the industry, which aimed to discuss the upcoming marketing initiatives to promote Bulgaria as a tourist destination over the next year.

The main activities to realize this intention were presented to the messing as  the leading exchanges and exhibitions, in which Bulgaria will take part, the integrated communication campaigns on targeted and strategic markets, the  business forums in the country and abroad, the additional activities that will be arranged  within accompanying events - as Bulgarian exhibition in the Louvre, the World Ski Cup in Bansko in February-March,  the initiatives relating to the choice of Sofia for European capital of Sport, and other important for the image of our country events.

For its part, the business requested for analyzing the competitive advantages of Bulgaria as it will enable a clear and adequate advertising strategy of our country, which is currently now missing. The industry also asked for transparency whilst accounting expenses needed for advertising our country as well as a report on the effectiveness of future activities. Angelkova invited representatives of the industry to present their particular suggestions in addition to the market activities already discussed by the middle of next week in order to submit to the National Council of Tourism a draft of the national advertising of Bulgaria for 2015.

Minister Angelkova also assured the representatives of the tourism sector that she will continue to work with them closely, and offered the business to designate representatives with whom to start an active work on the preparation of the upcoming changes in regulations and a discussion on other topics related to the resolution of current issues in the industry.