Zdravelin Georgiev, Consul General of Bulgaria in Dubai, has announced that Bulgaria is planning to launch a campaign to boost two-way investment and tourist traffic with the UAE, Zawya, a business information company in Dubai, reported late Tuesday.

Georgiev stated that the campaign, to be launched within weeks, was aimed at creating greater awareness in the UAE and the Gulf of Bulgaria's "immense tourism and investment prospects."

"The investment climate in Bulgaria remains good despite the current global meltdown. One of our goals is to promote two-way investment and tourist traffic with the Gulf region," Georgiev told the UAE newspaper Khaleej Times.

He said by the middle of this year, Bulgarian Airlines would launch direct flights between Sofia and Dubai as part of the government's effort to encourage tourists and businessmen to the country.

Georgiev said tourist flow from the Gulf region to Bulgaria remained low, partly because there were no direct flights. Last year, the Bulgarian Consulate General issued 2 000 visit visas in the UAE. "This is a very small number given the myriad of tourist attractions of a country like Bulgaria of 7.5 million people" he said.

In June 2007, Bulgaria and the UAE signed a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation and restriction of income and capital tax evasion. There are more than 7 000 Bulgarians living the UAE, Georgiev concluded.

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