site.btaTourism Committee Chair Meets with National Tourism Board Representatives

At the initiative of parliamentary Tourism Committee Chair Rositsa Kirova, the first working meeting with representatives of the National Tourism Board (NTB) was held, GERB's press centre reported on Friday.

The main focus of the discussions was the need for closer cooperation between institutions and the tourism sector to address specific challenges and implement long-term policies in support of Bulgarian tourism.

The meeting was attended by NTB Chair Krassimir Guergov, NTB Deputy Chair Martin Zahariev, NTB Executive Director Polina Krastoyanova, NTB Board Chair Stoyan Denchev, and NTB Board Member Rumen Draganov.

At the beginning of the meeting, Kirova introduced her team, including Miroslav Borshosh, chief adviser and former tourism minister.

"The sustainable development of the sector requires consistency, continuity and the pooling of efforts around national priorities that go beyond the scope of individual mandates and institutions," Kirova said.
She stressed that tourism is among the sectors with the greatest potential for economic growth and regional development and that the state and business community need to work as partners to achieve shared goals.

"We are deeply grateful that only a week after taking office, you organized this meeting, and that we are the first organization you have met with, which demonstrates your strong commitment to the issues facing the tourism sector," Guergov said.

Participants discussed opportunities to establish a sustainable mechanism for coordination between state institutions and the tourism sector, based on shared responsibility and a common vision for developing Bulgaria as a competitive tourism destination. Denchev pointed to the influential role of the chair of the parliamentary tourism committee. He also outlined opportunities for active international cooperation, particularly in maintaining constructive relations with UN Tourism.

Among the key topics discussed was the continuation of the idea of creating an interinstitutional "Brand Bulgaria" Fund - a tool intended to unite the efforts of the state, businesses and all stakeholders in building and promoting a unified international image of the country.

During the discussion, participants noted that the need to create a national brand for Bulgaria has been debated for years and remains one of the strategic issues for the development of tourism and the economy.

Representatives of the National Tourism Board emphasized that the legislative initiative to establish the Brand Bulgaria Fund was developed by Borshosh during his tenure as tourism minister in 2025. The concept envisages the active participation of all relevant institutions, with the Tourism Ministry playing a particularly important role in its implementation.

NTB representatives welcomed the declared readiness for open dialogue and expressed support for initiatives aimed at improving coordination between institutions, strengthening the competitiveness of Bulgaria's tourism product, and developing a long-term strategy for promoting Bulgaria on international markets.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue active dialogue and establish concrete mechanisms for cooperation on key sector issues, including the development of a national tourism brand, improvements to the regulatory framework, and solutions to practical challenges raised by tourism businesses, GERB said.