site.btaUPDATED Tourism Minister: Security Bulgaria Ensures for Tourists Is of Key Importance

Tourism Minister Zaritsa Dinkova paid an official visit to the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), her Ministry said here on Monday.

“We are following with concern and attention the developments in Israel. Bulgaria’s Government took prompt action to ensure the safety of Israeli tourists in our country. This action is of key importance to all our foreign guests. Bulgaria is a safe travel destination,” Dinkova said at a working meeting with CEOE International Relations Committee President Marta Blanco and her colleagues in the tourism sector.

"Only by deepening cooperation within Schengen will we contribute to strengthening security within the EU," the Tourism Minister said, adding that Bulgaria ranks among the countries with the fastest-recovering inbound tourism.

Dinkova said that Bulgaria and Spain can work together in a number of areas in the tourism sector. Blanco expressed interest in a program for financing marketing activities of tourist services in the Black Sea municipalities in Bulgaria, which is the first one to allow for a partnership between businesses, municipalities, tour operators, and airports. “I can see that Bulgaria and Spain are faced with common challenges in digitization, destination sustainability, and year-round tourism promotion”, Blanco added.

Dinkova also participated in the 8th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in San Sebastian, Spain, organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC). She held a meeting with UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili, who said that his organization will prepare a culinary travel guide for Bulgaria. The guide will be distributed in all 159 UNWTO member states and during UNWTO events.