Bulgaria’s Brand Must Be Unique and Inspire Trust, BTA Director General Says

Veneta Litkova, Zhenya Ilcheva

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev at the First Congress Brand Bulgaria - Hospitality in Four Seasons at the University of National and World Economy, Sofia, November 21, 2025 (BTA Photo/Vladimir Shokov)

Sofia,

21.11.2025 12:40

(BTA)

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev highlighted the importance of a clear and recognisable national brand at the First Congress Brand Bulgaria - Hospitality in Four Seasons, as seen by young talent at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) in Sofia on Friday. He noted that the quest to identify a symbol that convincingly and memorably represents the country has been a long-term mission supported by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the university.

Valchev pointed out that his visits to UN member states gave him a personal perspective on national symbols around the world. “It is an interesting challenge to name a country and try to describe it with one word, a symbol, or a person. This is precisely the difficulty in finding Bulgaria’s brand, it must be recognisable, distinctive, unique, and inspire trust in the people who come here or take an interest in our country,” he said.

He stressed the value of involving young people in the search for such a symbol. Valchev pointed to successful BTA initiatives in which students contributed ideas for renovating the Agency’s building, the surrounding space, and the new look of LIK magazine, including the creation of the font used to brand all BTA materials. “Sometimes the students’ ideas were better than those of the seasoned professionals,” he added.

Valchev also informed participants about the upcoming BG Tourism forum organized by BTA. “Every year, ahead of the winter and summer seasons, we bring together media, mayors, ministries, universities, and professional associations to formulate Bulgaria’s specific message for the respective season. A general symbol is not enough, what matters is how it is communicated across the four tourist seasons,” he emphasized.

“Bulgaria truly is a four-season destination,” the BTA Director General concluded.

The forum continues with discussions, presentations, and panels dedicated to the development of Bulgaria’s tourism brand and the role of young professionals.

As part of the programme, students from the top teams across 28 programmes (over 1,500 talents) at UNWE will, for the first time, present short video clips showcasing their vision for promoting Brand Bulgaria in the country’s nine tourist regions.

/RY/RD/