site.btaBulgarian, Walloon Tourism Ministers Confer in Brussels

During her visit to Brussels, Bulgarian Tourism Minister Zaritsa Dinkova conferred with Valerie De Bue, Wallonia's Minister of the Civil Service, Tourism, Heritage and Road Safety, Dinkova's Ministry said in a press release on Friday.

The guest noted that there is room for improvement in tourism cooperation between Bulgaria and Belgium. "Bulgaria is a year-round tourist destination offering a variety of tourist experiences: seaside and mountain, a rich cultural heritage, preserved traditions, gourmet, cultural and spa tourism," the Bulgarian Minister emphasized.

De Bue pointed out that the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council will focus on the contribution of tourism to sustainable development, economic growth and Europe's attractiveness. "In a bid to highlight the significance of subject for the development of the sector and the challenges that it faces at this point, the Belgian Presidency is planning an informal meeting of tourism ministers in February. Beside this, a separate item on tourism will be included in the agenda of a March 7 meeting of the EU Competitiveness Council," the Walloon Minister said. 

With regard to the Belgian Presidency priorities, Dinkova stressed that Bulgaria fosters the performance of the activities included in the European Agenda for Tourism 2030, which presents a forward-looking vision of the tourism ecosystem, reckoning with present and future challenges, and will insist on the implementation of the appropriate instruments in support of the tourism sector.