Cabinet to Work on Bulgaria’s Long-Term Tourism Development Strategy

The Cabinet will work on a long-term strategy for the development of Bulgaria’s tourism, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said during the opening of summer season 2007 in Golden Sands resort. Such strategy should specify what type of tourism destination in Bulgaria trying to be and what should the priorities of the sector be.

Over the past year, Bulgaria saw the visits of more than five million foreign tourists, representing an increase of nearly 7 percent. The revenue from tourism in 2006 exceeded two billion euro.

When drafting the strategy, Cabinet was going to take into consideration the needs and requirements of companies operating within the sector, Mr. Stanishev was quoted as saying.

Apart from traditional sea and winter tourism, Bulgaria has the potential to develop spa, cultural, rural and eco-tourism. The State Agency for Tourism (SAT) said that the strategy should be finalized by September 2007.