Bulgaria’s Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova will open a meeting of the Danubian countries devoted to sustainable tourism through cooperation and efficient use of EU funds and investments.

The special guests of the event include, among others, Taleb Rifai Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Walter Deffaa, Director General of DG Regional Policy of the European Commission, and Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General of DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission, according to a media statement of Bulgaria’s government.

The agenda of the meeting, scheduled to take place at the Central Military Club in Sofia, includes discussions on topics such as funding opportunities under the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, stimulating regional development and growth through tourism investments, the role of local authorities for improving cooperation in the Danube Region and developing joint tourist products, opportunities for cooperation between the business sector and academia to ensure the long-term development of tourism in the region, etc.

The discussions, which have been included in three panels, will bring together experts from the central and local authorities, academic representatives, and tourism industry representatives.

Nikolina Angelkova and Taleb Rifai are to sign a letter of intent on the creation of an international network of tourism observatories.