site.btaDeputy Minister Georgieva Opens 12th Annual Congress of Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism

In times of global challenges, people are looking not just for rest, but for opportunities for recovery, prevention, and quality of life, said Deputy Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva at the opening of the 12th Annual Congress of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA) at the Hyatt Regency Pravets Resort on Tuesday. BTA is media partner of the event.

According to Georgieva, the congress theme – “Balneology, Prevention through Nature, and Climate Resilience in the Future of Bulgarian Health Tourism”, is of great importance because the future of tourism includes health as an inseparable yet fundamental value. For this reason, she stressed, balneology combined with climatotherapy should not be viewed merely as a medical practice, but as an integral part of the tourism experience.

Georgieva voiced confidence that the forum would provide valuable guidance for the sector’s sustainable development, highlight new trends, and strengthen Bulgaria’s role as an attractive destination for health tourism in Europe.

The deputy minister noted that much of the ministry’s effort in developing health tourism is directed toward shaping Bulgaria’s image as a year-round destination, which also involves improving the regulatory framework. Health tourism has been recognized as a national development priority in Bulgaria’s updated Strategy for Sustainable Development 2014-2030, as well as in a specially prepared plan for the development of medical tourism, she said.

“We believe that climatotherapy is an inseparable part of health tourism, and when combined with balneology, it becomes a key element of the modern concept of healthy living,” Georgieva emphasized.

Citing data from 2024, she pointed out that the most visited destinations with well-developed balneology and SPA tourism were Velingrad (over 340,000 registrations), Razlog (over 170,000), and Hisarya (over 150,000). Other popular destinations include Sandanski, Pavel Banya, Garmen, Devin, Kyustendil, Sapareva Banya, Varshets, Mineralni Bani, Strelcha, Kostenets, and Dolna Banya.

Georgieva underlined that the advantages of balneology and SPA tourism for the economy are linked above all to the provision of comprehensive services, attracting higher-spending visitors, and creating new jobs.

She also pointed out that value for money is the primary factor influencing tourist choices not only in Bulgaria but globally. Visitors to SPA facilities in Bulgaria are predominantly domestic tourists, while the share of foreign guests is significantly smaller, mostly coming from neighbouring countries. Four- and five-star hotels, as well as specialized medical SPA centres and hotels offering such facilities, are the preferred choice, the Deputy Tourism Minister added.