site.btaTourism Minister Meets with Fraport Twin Star Airport Management CEO Frank Kwante

Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh met with Frank Kwante, Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Black Sea Alliance and CEO of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, concessionaire of the airports in Varna and Burgas (on the Black Sea), the Tourism Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday. During the talks, Kwante presented the company's activities and initiatives for the development of the two seaside airports as well as the Alliance's efforts to affirm Bulgaria as a leading tourist destination.

Among the highlights of the meeting was the partnership between leading airlines and tour operators, implemented with the active role of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD. This cooperation is expected to lead to a significant increase in tourist flow from Germany to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast in 2025, 2026 and 2027, with two Airbus A320 aircraft to be based at the airports in Burgas and Varna in the first year. The programme is planned to expand to four aircraft in 2026 and seven in 2027, depending on demand. At the beginning of last summer, the large-scale event "Erlebe Bulgarien/Experience Bulgaria" brought together more than 180 leading travel experts from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

This initiative, in partnership with key tourism organisations, promoted the Bulgarian Black Sea coast with considerable success, and preparations for the next edition are already underway.

Minister Borshosh stressed the importance of these initiatives and strategic partnerships. Cooperation between the State and the private sector is essential for the success of these efforts, he noted.

According to Kwante, the Bulgarian Black Sea coast has a huge potential that needs to be developed with the right strategic partnerships and sustainable investments. In this regard, he stated his readiness to work in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism to achieve this goal. 

Among the topics discussed were the upcoming infrastructure projects, including the rehabilitation of the runway of Burgas Airport and the innovative concept Gate Garden - an environmentally sustainable passenger area with open green spaces, the first of its kind in Europe. The official opening is planned for the summer of 2025.

The sides agreed on the need to streamline the process of issuing tourist visas for guests from the United Arab Emirates and to develop a long-term strategy to position Bulgaria as an attractive tourist destination on this market.