Bulgaria offers four-season tourism at the exhibition in Berlin

Bulgaria will be present at the most significant tourist exhibition in the world ITB Berlin, which starts today and continues till 12 March 2017, with a national stand of 400 sq.m., organized  by the Ministry of Tourism. Among the main products and services offered by Bulgaria to professionals and end users are summer/sea holidays, cultural, historical and information routes, balneological and spa procedures, eco, rural, mountain routes, etc.

The Minister of Tourism Stela Baltova visited the large and spacious stand of the country, occupying almost half the house, featuring huge illuminating photos, including the sides of the hall. The Minister visited and talked with all participants from the presented companies and municipalities. Bulgarian tour operators, hoteliers and municipalities expect a strong exhibition. Some of them predict 30% to 40% growth in German tourists to our country compared with last year.

Bulgaria is one of the oldest participants in ITB Berlin and is presented for the 49^th time. This year the co-exhibitors at the stand number 43 together with the Ministry of Tourism. The total number of presented municipalities is 7: Varna, Burgas Municipal Enterprise of Tourism, Primorsko, Russe, Lyubimets, Elena and Sofia Municipal Enterprise of Tourism. The number of tourist companies and hotels is 37, including the Association of Danube River Municipalities.

Bulgaria shows its traditional and new tourist products. The focus is on the potential of the country as an all-year-round tourist destination. The guests from Germany could extend their idea of Bulgaria as a predominantly sea summer destination and rediscover it as an ancient country with rich history, beautiful nature, offering a wide range of alternative forms of tourism. Information routes are growing in popularity among German tourists.

At the Bulgarian stand wines are tasted, martenitsi are woven, presented as gifts to visitors. A novelty is Bulgaria’s presentation with virtual reality glasses, showing tourist attractions.

In addition, the Ministry of Tourism demonstrated Bulgarian EDEN destinations (European Destinations of ExcelleNce). The initiative is of the European Commission and promotes sustainable development of tourism in the European Union. In Bulgaria there are 12 EDEN destinations, selected at three national competitions on the subjects of cultural tourism, protected territories and aquatic tourism, including Belogradchik, Lukovit, Vratsa, Silistra, Kavarna, Strandzha Natural Park, Kardzhali, Kazanlak, Belitsa, Sandanski, Sapareva Banya and Kyustendil.  The presence of the EDEN destinations at the exhibition provides an extra opportunity for showing them to potential tourists and professionals engaged in tourism (tour operators, organizations of sustainable tourism, etc.). Participation of the project in the exhibition is part of the overall campaign for promotion of EDEN destinations and contributes to generation of further tourist interest in these geographical regions.