site.btaHosting the 9th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism in Bulgaria Shows Country’s Growing International Role, Says Tourism Minister

The very fact that Bulgaria is hosting the 9th UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Conference on Wine Tourism is a guarantee that the country’s wine tourism is looking toward international markets and will establish Bulgaria as one of the important destinations, ranking alongside major and well-known countries. This is the first major step we are taking toward developing wine tourism, said Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh during a press conference ahead of the forum, which will take place in Plovdiv on October 6 and 7.

Borshosh noted that the press conference brought together people who had made significant contributions to making the global wine tourism event possible in Bulgaria. Among the participants were Plovdiv Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov, Chirpan Mayor Ivaylo Kracholov, Hisarya Mayor Iva Valcheva, Prof. Plamen Mollov from the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv, Sandra Carvao from the UNWTO, Gergana Todorova of WineTours.bg, and Pilar Rodriguez, chef and UNWTO ambassador for gastronomic tourism.

“This year, through our efforts both domestically and internationally, Bulgaria has succeeded in presenting itself as an important and significant player in tourism not only on the national level but also in the European and global context,” Borshosh said, adding that hosting the 9th Global Conference on Wine Tourism was clear confirmation of this.

He recalled that the event is the largest international platform dedicated to the discussion and development of wine tourism.

“Thanks to the focus on wine tourism this year a new national organization has finally been established in Bulgaria, bringing together the most important wineries offering wine tourism,” the minister said. He announced that, together with the newly formed Bulgarian Association for Wine Tourism (BAWT), his ministry is launching a comprehensive campaign to develop a national strategy for the sector.

Borshosh emphasized that tourism is a unique form of economy which, beyond its business aspect and revenue generation, shapes how a country is perceived. In this regard, wine tourism plays a powerful role, as it builds an image of a nation through its wine, gastronomy, and cultural and historical heritage - elements that distinguish it from others, he said.

The minister also pointed out that over the years, Bulgarian winemakers have succeeded in raising the quality of Bulgarian wine to a very high level. “Many of them have realized that by combining winemaking with tourism, they can achieve much greater success,” he added.