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Representatives of the tourist sector are moderate optimists that the forthcoming winter season in Bulgaria will be a successful one.
This was stated by Bulgarian Deputy Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva, who attended the opening of the Go2Balkans tourist exhibition in Inter Expo Center in Sofia on Wednesday.
All tourist representatives from Bulgaria are concerned about the warm weather, but the rate of bookings is going well, with their number expected to grow at the last moment.
This winter Bulgaria will rely in an increase in the number of tourists from Israel, Moldova, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Macedonia as well from the traditional Balkan markets – Greece, Romania and Turkey.
The three Balkan states are among the countries generating the greatest number of tourists and revenues to Bulgarian incoming tourism.
In 2014, there were more than one million Greek visitors to Bulgaria, the number of tourists from Romania was slightly over half a million, while Turkish guests were slightly below half a million.
The minister had no observation that the crisis in Greece has reflected on the number of tourist trips completed by Greeks in the summer and expressed hope that it would not seriously affect the forthcoming winter season.
Georgieva assured that the tourism ministry will support each initiative on creating joint tourist Balkan products, with one such possibility existing within the framework of the Danube strategy and the development of cultural-historical routes in particular.
According to her, Bulgaria was working hard on creating a Danube brand.
The minister reminded that Bulgaria and Romania have signed a memorandum on cooperation and have advanced on the creation of a joint tourist center in China.
There were also negotiations with Greece on developing similar joint products and means aimed at establishing the Balkan region as a tourist destination.
Georgieva revealed that Bulgaria was also participating in the so-called 16+1 format, which brings together sixteen countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and China.
In her words, the participants in the format are holding talks on Chinese investments in CEE and in particular the tourist coordination center created with the aim of attracting Chinese tourists to the region.
She reminded that Chinese tourists are interested in visiting at least three destinations per trip, with their holiday lasting minimum of ten days to two weeks.
Georgieva expressed hope that in the near future Bulgaria will be able to attract Russian tourists not only to come on holidays, but also to experience the more specialised kinds of tourism offered by the country.
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