site.btaChina, Central, Eastern Europe Capital City Mayors Meet in Sofia

China, Central, Eastern Europe Capital City Mayors Meet in Sofia

Sofia, September 27 (BTA) - Sofia city mayor Yordanka Fandakova is hosting the first meeting of mayors of capital cities in China and in Central and Eastern Europe under the "16+1" format.

The forum, entitled "Sofia - the Intersection of New Opportunities", will be attended by the mayors of Skopje, Koce Trajanovski, of Belgrade, Sinisa Mali, of Tallinn, Taavi Aas, and of Sarajevo, Ivo Komsic, among other officials.

In her opening address, Fandakova highlighted the importance in city management of green policy measures and of ensuring a safer living environment. The official also stressed the need for capital cities to turn into growth engines for their respective region.

On the occasion of the World Tourism Day, September 27, Fandakova said that tourism is among the top investment drivers and that the Sofia municipal authorities are making special efforts to develop and promote the city's heritage sites.

Over 550,000 tourists visited Sofia through July, up 8.6 per cent, Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova told the forum, adding that 916,000 tourists visited the Bulgarian capital last year, generating 116 million leva in revenue from overnights.

Angelkova said the local tourism sector is on track for a record 2016 after foreign arrivals topped 4.5 million through July.