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BTA's BG Tourism – Summer 2026 forum

Tourism Minister Dimitrov: Bulgaria Is Safe, Welcoming for Tourists

Kaloyan Kirilov
Tourism Minister Dimitrov: Bulgaria Is Safe, Welcoming for Tourists
Tourism Minister Dimitrov: Bulgaria Is Safe, Welcoming for Tourists
Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov takes part online in BTA’s BG Tourism - Summer 2026 forum at the Ensana Aquahouse Hotel, Sts. Constantine and Helena resort, May 11, 2026 (BTA Photo/Hristo Stefanov)
Sts. Constantine and Helena resort, on the Black Sea ,  
11.05.2026 12:53
 (BTA)
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Bulgaria remains safe and calm despite conflicts and inflation, Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov told BTA’s BG Tourism - Summer 2026 forum at the Sts. Constantine and Helena resort on Monday. BTA Director General Kiril Valchev opened the event, organized with the European Spas Association, the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism, and the resort.

“Against the backdrop of raging conflicts, soaring inflation, jet fuel shortages, limited flights and growing distrust, Bulgaria remains a safe and calm place. We remain a model of hospitality and a destination for recharging and restorative holidays,” Dimitrov said.

Dimitrov said tourists are looking not only for a good price and a good hotel, but also for calm, security and a sense of welcome. “And here Bulgaria has a strong advantage. We are a secure, calm and hospitable country. A country that has much to offer its guests, both as an experience and as an attitude,” he added. He said that in the coming months the Tourism Ministry will work actively to fill the airwaves, digital space and social media with messages and content showing Bulgarian tourism in its best light.

Dimitrov noted the conference’s long-standing tradition, launched in Varna in 2022, and its aim to serve the sector. “Much has happened since then. Many governments have changed. Valchev began his second term as BTA director general, and I began my third as tourism minister, but we have always believed in the purpose and mission of this forum,” Dimitrov said.

He said the BTA forum offers a different kind of conversation about Bulgaria, bringing together like-minded people to discuss how the country is seen abroad and what messages it sends to millions of potential tourists. “We have gathered not only to discuss the media coverage strategy, but to focus on aligning our actions with the rapidly changing geopolitical environment and directing them toward the development of Bulgarian tourism,” Dimitrov said.

Dimitrov described the media not simply as observers, but as key players in shaping the country’s image. He said the media bear significant responsibility for a sector that contributes more than 10% of Bulgaria’s GDP. The livelihoods of more than 250,000 families employed directly or indirectly in tourism depend on their messages, he added.

Dimitrov also noted the shift in how tourists choose destinations, through social media and emotional storytelling, citing the Giro d’Italia cycling race, whose footage from Bulgaria drew hundreds of millions of views and became priceless advertising. “This is advertising that is difficult to buy with a budget. This is the power of the image, of emotion and of a well-told story. And it reminds us of something very important: Bulgaria has much with which to impress the world. Sometimes we forget this, but it is a fact,” Dimitrov said.

This is the ninth edition of BTA’s initiative to host forums twice a year, at the start of the summer and winter tourist seasons, to discuss messages for presenting tourism in Bulgaria in the coming season with representatives of state and municipal institutions, the tourism industry, non-governmental organizations, academics and experts. ESPA President and BUBSPA Chair Siyka Katsarova also took part in the forum.

/КТ/

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By 03:34 on 11.06.2026 Today`s news

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