Bulgaria's Schengen membership will boost foreign tourists' interest in our country

Minister Zaritza Dinkova held a meeting with our tourist attachés in Germany, Poland and Turkey

Bulgaria's Schengen membership will increase the interest of foreign tourists to our country, this became clear after an online working meeting between Tourism Minister Zaritza Dinkova and our tourist attachés in Germany, Poland and Turkey.

‘The role of tourist attachés abroad is extremely important for us. You are the proactive side of Bulgarian tourism abroad. We are a team.’ This is what the Minister of Tourism told our representatives in Germany, Poland and Turkey.

‘The positive effect of Bulgaria's admission by air and water to Schengen will have a direct impact on 80% of the passenger traffic from Germany to Bulgaria, which depends heavily on air transport,’ Tihomir Patarinski, tourist attaché in Germany, said. He stressed that the abolition of border controls and increased safety measures have a long-term image effect on the perception of Bulgaria as a European tourist destination.

Along with the German market, the Polish market also offers exceptional opportunities for development after our entry into the Schengen area. ‘Around 300,000 Polish citizens are expected to feel the positive change of our entry into Schengen in the upcoming summer season. This will contribute to increasing Bulgaria's credibility as a tourist destination. Our country is the closest destination by air to Poland where Polish citizens travel for their summer holidays,’ our tourist attaché in Warsaw, Nikolay Kostov said. He pointed out that the feedback in Poland from the easing of travel to and from our country has been extremely positive.

After our country's accession to Schengen, it is expected that foreign tourists, holders of Schengen visas, visiting Turkey, for whom there will be no other visa restrictions, will also take the opportunity to visit our country. This is according to the data from Turkey, our attaché Teodora Taskova noted. ‘More than 80 thousand Turkish citizens who hold Schengen visas will be allowed to visit Bulgaria for tourism purposes. To this number can be added the holders of Schengen visas of tourists arriving in Turkey from non-EU countries, who, if they wish, can also take the opportunity to visit our country as part of joint tourist packages, given the proximity of Turkey to Bulgaria,’ Taskova stressed.