site.btaCultural Tourism Directs Interest Toward Bulgaria's Interior Regions, Says Tourism Minister

Cultural tourism is one of Bulgaria’s great opportunities, as it extends the tourist season, directs interest toward the country’s interior regions, supports local economies, and gives new life to cultural heritage, said Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov here on Thursday. He was speaking at the opening of a national information event on “Cultural Routes – Bulgaria 2026,” which is held Plovdiv and Hisarya on Thursday and Friday.

The address emphasized that cultural routes are much more than a line on a map, as they connect places, people, traditions, and ideas. They provide both small and large municipalities with the opportunity to become part of Europe’s cultural map and to showcase their unique identity in a new and recognizable way, Dimitrov emphasized.

The Minister further noted that Bulgaria has been a member of the Council of Europe Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes since its establishment in 2010, and that Bulgarian organizations are full members of eight of the 49 certified cultural routes. "This provides a solid foundation, but the country has the potential for even more active participation in the initiative", Dimitrov said in his address.

He stressed that for this reason, it is important for institutions, academia, municipalities, businesses, and the cultural sector to work together so that cultural heritage can become a resource for tourism development through effective interpretation, accessibility, quality, and a strong focus on the visitor experience.

The event in Plovdiv is organized by the Tourism Ministry, the Cyrillo-Methodian Research Centre at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and the Heritage BG Centre of Excellence, with the support of the State Institute for Culture, Plovdiv Municipality, and the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria. BTA is the forum’s media partner.