site.btaStakeholders Pool Efforts for Sustainable Tourism Development in Bulgaria

The Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Tourism, organizations in the tourism industry and NGOs are pooling their efforts for the development of sustainable tourism in Bulgaria.

Outgoing Environment and Water Minister Julian Popov, outgoing Deputy Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva and representatives of tourism sector organizations on Tuesday signed a Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Bulgaria, which all stakeholders may join. The purpose of the Charter is turning Bulgaria into a round-the-year destination for sustainable tourism, responsibly conserving and utilizing the country's cultural and historical heritage and maximizing the benefits for the host local communities and destinations.

The Charter proposes objectives, principles and values to canalize the efforts of the tourism sector and the supporting institutions for asserting Bulgaria as a tourist destination with characteristic identity, for sustainable development of regions by sensible use of resources and an environmentally friendly tourism infrastructure, sensitivity to the conservation of the natural, cultural and historical heritage, benefitting local communities, and improving the accessibility of destinations by public transport.

Popov said that his Ministry rather moderates the sustainable tourism process. Their work will be facilitated if society, municipalities and business improve their communication, come to terms and reckon with tourism sustainability. The idea of the Charter is about human interaction with nature, hiking, dune preservation, etc., Popov explained.

Georgieva described the Charter as a platform on which local business, tourism business, institutions and NGOs can engage in teamwork for the implementation of sustainable and responsible tourism, which is one of the principal priorities of the Tourism Ministry. Taking action to preserve Bulgaria's incredible nature is part of the sustainable tourism cause, the Deputy Minister pointed out. 

Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (BTC) Board Chair Georgi Nikolov expressed the hope that the Charter will help preserve the country's scenic nature despite the irretrievable losses in the past.

Association of Parks in Bulgaria authorized representative Desislava Aleksova recalled that a Memorandum on Sustainable Development Tourism, initiated by the BTC and signed in 2014, provided a solid foundation for the launch of a process of conservation of tourism resources. She sees the Chamber as a natural outgrowth of this process.

Bulgarian Association of Experts in Tourism President Dimcho Todorov pointed to the need to pay attention to the condition of the environment and roadside pollution, and that municipalities have to be approached about the problem. He stressed the importance of preserving nature for the benefit of tourists and consumers in general.

Rumen Draganov of the Institute for Analyses and Assessment in Tourism pointed out that this is the beginning of a process. Developing sustainable tourism requires concern for environmental protection, he argued.

Pavel Antonov of the BlueLink Civic Action Network was pleased that despite the obstacles and delays, the idea of the Charter has been translated into reality. He said that there are plans to invite municipalities and all other stakeholders to join the Charter and to keep popularizing it.