Tourism Minister: Bulgarian food, wine key to tourism growth
Baku, October 16, AZERTAC
Tourism must offer increasingly high-quality food and promote local wine varieties, Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov said at a conference in Plovdiv on Friday focused on Bulgarian food and wine as drivers of tourism and competitiveness, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). The forum took place at the University of Food Technologies (UFT) in Plovdiv and is organized jointly with the National Tourism Board and in partnership with the Tourism Ministry.
Dimitrov highlighted the importance of authentic regional cuisine and wines in attracting visitors, adding that preparations are underway for a UN Tourism forum on cultural tourism and education, scheduled to take place in Kazanlak at the end of May 2027.
The minister also announced plans for an association of universities training tourism professionals, with ambitions to expand from Bulgaria to the Balkans, Europe and worldwide. He presented a new Tourism Product Quality and Sustainability Observatory, which will analyse sector data and assess tourism performance across destinations.
Integrating short-term rentals into Bulgaria’s Unified Tourist Information System (ESTI) could significantly increase tourist tax revenue, Dimitrov pointed out, noting that the government aims to bring more rental properties, including apartments listed on online platforms, into the formal system.
From next year, 50% of tourist tax revenue is planned to be allocated to transport connectivity and tourism promotion, with municipalities responsible for advertising their destinations. The move could provide an additional EUR 15–20 million for regional marketing, the minister said.
Addressing concerns over attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea, Dimitrov emphasized that tourism thrives on peace and stability and that there was currently no reason for concern, as early bookings for the main season had yet to get fully underway.
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