site.btaBulgaria Officially Joins Iter Vitis, Council of Europe Cultural Route Dedicated to Wine

Bulgaria officially joins the Iter Vitis Route, Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh said at a BTA-hosted event in Sofia on Thursday. Attending the event at the Bulgarian News Agency's National Press Club on the occasion of Bulgaria becoming part of the Iter Vitis Route, a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe dedicated to wine, were also Minister of Agriculture and Food Georgi Tahov, Iter Vitis European Federation President Emanuela Panke, Bulgarian Organization for Wine Tourism (BOWT) Chair Petya Minkova, Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals representative Emil Koralov, and BTA Director General Kiril Valchev.

Minister Borshosh highlighted the main objectives and benefits of Bulgaria joining Iter Vitis, emphasizing that membership has been long-awaited and is key to ensuring international visibility and positioning for Bulgarian wine production and wine tourism. The expected effect is an increase in international and domestic tourism, as well as the development of regions in the country.

Wine is a crucial element of Bulgaria’s overall economic image, Agriculture and Food Minister Tahov said. Bulgarian lands have millennia-old traditions in winemaking, said Tahov, adding that the natural assets - climate, terroir, and soil - are a prerequisite for developing modern wine tourism in the country. In his words, wine destinations are important not only for tourism but also for Bulgarian producers. "They help bring our unique wines and products to more consumers, including many international visitors," he added.

Bulgaria has become a key part of the European wine production and wine tourism network with its official accession to the prestigious European wine route Iter Vitis, Iter Vitis European Federation President Emanuela Panke said. She emphasized Bulgaria’s significance with its archaeological, historical and cultural assets, as well as its indigenous grape varieties such as Mavrud and Dimyat, which demonstrate both biodiversity and the civilizations that have passed through the country.

Bulgaria is now part of the large family of European wine routes, which is a great recognition, BOWT Chair Petya Minkova said. She pointed out that this is a long-awaited step, which is a plus for wineries and wine regions in Bulgaria and turns the country into a recognized European destination for wine tourism. Minkova said that recognition also brings great responsibility to maintain European and world standards. She announced that an expert discussion on standards, categorizations, and definitions for wine routes in Bulgaria is forthcoming, as well as the acquisition of know-how from the European organization.

Bulgaria's joining the Iter Vitis Route, is a significant step, but is only the beginning, Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals representative Koralov said. According to Koralov, Iter Vitis is a European seal of quality for our regions and wine routes, “now we just need to finalize them," he said. The inclusion of Bulgarian wineries in Iter Vitis means greater visibility among European wine consumers, tour operators, and the media.

The European cultural route Iter Vitis has been a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2009, BTA Director General Valchev said, emphasising that the accession process began during Bulgaria’s hosting of the 9th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism in Plovdiv. "Personally, I have often said that I wish we in Bulgaria would welcome our new wine in the way it is done in France. And here we are today, marking Bulgaria’s accession to the European Wine Route," Valchev said. He added that anyone wishing to find out where the wine route passes through Bulgaria can do so from a special issue of BTA’s LIK magazine, including in its English-language edition which Valchev presented to Panke.