site.btaTourism Ministry to Organize National Conference on Investment in Health Tourism

The Ministry of Tourism will organize a large-scale national conference on investment and development of health tourism in Bulgaria, Deputy Minister Iren Georgieva said here on Saturday. She was speaking at the 2nd Air, Sea and Climate - Health Strategies health symposium, held at the seaside resort of Sveti Vlas. 

She specified that the conference is planned for the spring of 2026 and will be held in cooperation with the World Travel and Tourism Council. It will be based on a socio-economic analysis commissioned by the Ministry, which will point out the medical areas where Bulgaria has the potential to establish itself as a competitive destination.

Deputy Minister Georgieva stressed the importance of initiatives such as the health symposium, which she said clearly shows how the country's natural assets can be used intelligently and sustainably to benefit the national tourism product. "The health of people and tourists is something that tourism can contribute to. It is not just a leisure activity but has a strong social function," she said.

The Ministry has already set up an expert working group to outline strategic directions for the development of health and medical tourism in the country. Georgieva added that the analysis currently being prepared is expected to be presented in early September.

Air, Sea and Climate - Health Strategies was organized by INSPIRO Medical Center Foundation and Bulgarian Memory Dinevi Brothers Foundation. The meeting was attended by leading pulmonologists, medical specialists, and university representatives. The organizers and participants in the forum are united around the idea of restoring the sanatorium treatment in Sveti Vlas and in Bulgaria, and the aim is to attract public attention to the healing climate complex as part of modern health strategies for non-medication relief of chronic lung diseases.