site.btaNational Tourism Board Insists on More Ads to Attract British, German Tourists This Summer

The National Board of Tourism insists that the State advertise Bulgarian tourism more actively on the markets in Germany and the UK so as to attract more tourists from the two countries this summer, the organization said Tuesday. These two markets are traditional for the summer tourist season, and Bulgaria has to get German and British tourists back in order to compensate for the loss of Russian and Ukrainian tourists, the Board argues. Bulgaria needs to give a clear sign that the country is a safe tourist destination.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bulgaria used to welcome over 760,000 German and more than 460,000 British tourists. The 2021 winter season was somewhat restored precisely thanks to the return of British tourists, the Board notes.

The organization calls on Tourism Minister Hristo Prodanov to visit Germany and the UK, and to meet with his counterparts, as well as with local tour operators, agencies and airlines. He should also carry out proactive marketing on other important markets for Bulgarian tourism, such as Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Austria, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, and Turkey. The Scandinavian countries have been forgotten for a long time now, whereas years ago many tourist groups came from there, the Board recalls. 

At a meeting on Monday, National Board of Tourism representatives and the ministers of Tourism and of Transport, Hristo Prodanov and Nikolay Sabev, discussed options for launching bus services between the bigger settlements on either side of the border of Bulgaria and North Macedonia. That would be beneficial for broadening the bilateral cooperation and for promoting and implementing joint initiatives in the fields of education, sport and culture; it would also make easier the hiring of workers who are much needed for the summer season, the Board argues.

The organization believes that the State’s main efforts should be directed at conducting a smart, professional and efficient marketing campaign on the potential markets as soon as possible, in order to compensate for the lack of Ukrainian and Russian tourists this summer and, partially, for the war’s consequences. The Board has presented expert proposals on how to make that happen.