site.btaEUR 2.5 Mln Campaign Advertises Bulgaria on Paneuropean TV Channels

EUR 2.5 Mln Campaign Advertises Bulgaria on Paneuropean TV Channels

Sofia, March 19 (BTA) - Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova on
Thursday launched a Bulgaria advertising campaign on the
Paneuropean TV channels Eurosport, Discovery Channel, Euronews
and National Geographic Channel, Angelkova's Ministry reported.
The advertisements are already being aired by the four channels.

The year-round campaign costs 2.5 million euro (exclusive of
VAT) and is financed by Operational Programme Regional
Development 2007-2013.

The push is part of an effort to offset the fall in Russian and
Ukrainian tourists visiting Bulgaria. "We expect stronger
interest from Germany, Austria and France," Angelkova said.

Tour operators expect that the flow of Polish tourists to
Bulgaria this summer will increase by 6 to 7 per cent and Czech
tourists will increase by 5 to 6 per cent. Increases are also
expected for visitors from Bulgaria's neighbours Turkey (10 per
cent), Greece (10 per cent), Macedonia (3 per cent) and Serbia
(2 per cent). Tourists from Lithuania, Latvia and Moldova are
expected to rise by more than 40 per cent. A 5 per cent rise is
predicted for Belarusian travellers to Bulgaria. "Nevertheless,
tourism professionals are very worried about the summer and we
are trying to use all opportunities to attract more tourists,"
Angelkova said.