site.btaGovernment Aims to Develop Bulgaria as a Four-Season Tourism Destination, Minister Dimitrov Says at Pamporovo Conference

The government's goal is to develop Bulgaria as a four-season tourism destination, Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov said on Friday at the opening of the Fifth National Health Tourism Conference, Challenges Facing Climate Health Resorts, in Pamporovo.

The forum is organized by the Municipality of Chepelare in partnership with the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism and Pamporovo AD. The development of climate health resorts is becoming increasingly important for Bulgarian tourism, Dimitrov said. He stressed that Pamporovo is ready for the summer season, describing the resort as a safe destination and noting that the recent landslide has not affected tourism activities.

Every euro invested in health and prevention saves seven euros in treatment costs, the minister said. According to him, the development of health tourism is among the government's main priorities. The concept of sustainable four-season tourism is based on Bulgaria's potential, including its winter resorts, climate therapy opportunities, clean air, hundreds of mineral springs and qualified specialists, he added.

"We are currently working at European Union level on the creation of a dedicated tourism budget. This will open up many opportunities for the sector and create access to numerous funding programmes," Dimitrov said.

The main objective of the conference is to identify the key challenges facing climate health resorts and propose effective solutions for their sustainable development. The forum brings together representatives of state institutions, health tourism experts and investors, medical professionals, academics, and managers of SPA and wellness hotels.

Earlier in the day, Dimitrov told journalists that he expected this summer season to achieve results similar to those of last year, while not ruling out growth in tourist numbers of between 2% and 3%. He said the full impact of the measures taken would become clear at the end of the summer season.

The minister noted that the initial slowdown in seaside tourism had been largely due to a decline in visitors from Germany and Romania. According to him, that trend is now being offset by an easing of geopolitical tensions and an expected decrease in fuel prices, which is having a positive effect on air travel.

Dimitrov said his Ministry had responded with an intensive promotional campaign targeting markets from which tourists can easily travel to Bulgaria by car.

He also announced plans for a campaign involving internationally recognized Bulgarians as informal ambassadors of Bulgarian tourism abroad. Discussions have already been held with Eurovision winner Dara, he added.

The average stay of tourists in Bulgaria is around 2.8 days, Dimitrov said, noting that most visitors come for long weekends. The Ministry's long-term objective is to extend the average stay through improved transport connectivity and support for charter flight programmes.