Concession procedure for Plovdiv airport expected to start by the year end

The concession procedure for Plovdiv airport is expected to start by the end of the year and there is serious interest in it. More tourists are expected in the coming winter - an increase of over 14% on flights from abroad is projected compared to last ski season. This was stated by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova at the opening of the XI International Tourism Meeting in Plovdiv on November 14.

With the joint efforts of the state, local government and business, and taking into account the huge potential of Plovdiv, I am convinced that tourism will soon be a structural sector for the economy of the city and the region, said Nikolina Angelkova at the opening of the meeting.

She congratulated the new mayor of the municipality, Zdravko Dimitrov, that the tourism forum with the participation of representatives from more than 10 countries was among the first events at the beginning of his term in office. We suggest at the National Tourism Council, which will be held on November 19, that the Tourism Forum in Plovdiv fits into the calendar of the Annual Program for National Tourism Advertising, thus encouraging its sustainable upgrading, she assured.

The Minister expressed her satisfaction with the Strategy for Integrated and Sustainable Tourism in the Plovdiv Region until 2027. She also thanked the management of the America for Bulgaria Foundation for their support in the restoration of a number of cultural and historical monuments in the country.

Plovdiv is an important part of the cultural and historical destinations that the Ministry of Tourism created in 2015 shortly after its establishment as a separate institution. Interest in them is constantly growing. The municipality has great potential as a route for balneo and spa tourism and offers great prospects for it, as together with the Bulgarian Union for Balneology and Spa Tourism and the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce we made a historic breakthrough and signed an agreement with German health insurance funds, the minister explained.

They will send tourists to Bulgaria who want to use our health tourism services, including in private hotels. I believe that Plovdiv will do what is necessary both through its tourism strategy and through marketing tools to increase interest in the region as a balneo and wellness destination, the minister said, and announced that support for this type of tourism will continue. Plovdiv also participates in the wine and culinary destinations that the Ministry has developed. Accompanying events at the international forum is the Old Wine Fair in the Old Town, which attracts many tourists from the country and abroad.

Plovdiv's success in tourism is also in line with the good results in the sector throughout the country. Despite the difficult year and the negative campaign in the beginning, the statistics indicate a successful development compared to 2018, which was the record for tourism.

From January to September 2019 foreign visits to Bulgaria are over 7.8 millio. The decrease compared to the same period in 2018 is only 0.8%. According to national statistics data, revenues from stays in accommodation facilities amount to BGN 1.374 billion. The increase is by 4.2% compared to the same period of 2018. The persons who stayed in accomodationpalces with 10 or more beds are over 6.8 million, which is an increase of 4.9% compared to the same months of 2018, the minister further informed.

She thanked Prime Minister Borissov and her colleagues from the government for supporting the sector as an economic priority, as well as for the announced new measure to promote organized tourism through marketing and advertising to generating markets. In the near future, a public procurement will be announced for the implementation of the financial mechanism for market lots so that its effect can be piloted. It will fully comply with the Public Procurement Act and the European directives in this field. If this initiative is good and working, it will be sustainable in the policies of the ministry, she said.

Data from Plovdiv Airport project more tourists this winter - an increase of over 14% on flights from abroad compared to last ski season. The concession procedure at Plovdiv airport is expected to start by the end of the year and there is serious interest. It is important for us to work together to stimulate all leading urban projects, and transport links and accessibility are key to tourism, she stressed.

The Minister also stressed the great importance of EU projects in attracting additional funds for the sustainable development of the sector.

For the next programming period, we convinced the partners how important the integrated territorial approach is and that it will be crucial, so we rely on your proposals, she addressed the participants in the meeting. Businesses, and in particular tour operators, have made an exceptional contribution to guaranteeing a longer stay for tourists, for which non-traditional forms of advertising are already being applied, including for Plovdiv. Meetings with bloggers, vloggers and influencers are also important to increase interest to the country, said Minister Angelkova.

She assured that her team and the government will continue to work actively to facilitate business operations in order to make Bulgaria an attractive tourist destination and a good place for more investment. Over the past two years, the ministry has successfully promoted Plovdiv as the European Capital of Culture through pan-European and other media channels, and this policy will be upgraded in the future. There was a serious presence of foreign media at the Plovdiv forum presenting the vision for the development of Bulgarian tourism in their countries.