With the signing of a memorandum between Bulgaria and Europe’s largest tour operator, TUI, Bulgaria and Varna are gaining a new ambassador, as well as opportunities for a significant increase in the number of tourists visiting the country, Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov said on Thursday ahead of the official christening ceremony for a TUI aircraft named after the Bulgarian Black Sea city.
The memorandum between the Bulgarian Government and the German tour operator is expected to be signed later in the day at the Evksinograd Government Residence in Varna.
Dimitrov stressed that the memorandum would establish a strategic partnership between the two sides. Under the document, TUI is committing to a gradual increase in the number of foreign visitors it brings to Bulgaria. According to the Minister, the current figure is slightly above 200,000 a year. The goal is for the number to exceed 400,000 when the memorandum expires in three years. Dimitrov recalled that the Government’s overall aim is for the number of foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria to reach 8 million by the end of its term in office – twice the current figure.
TUI is a tour operator that also has an airline fleet, the Minister added. He stressed that now that Bulgaria has a new strategy and is working directly with tour operators and businesses, it will also seek to increase the number of flights. “That is actually the key – flights, flights, flights,” Dimitrov said. He added that TUI operates across many European countries and that efforts would be made to strengthen Bulgaria’s presence in the main markets sending tourists to the country.
The Minister also said that positive responses had been received from two airlines, which would help restore Bulgaria’s position on the German market. According to him, next year they will provide more than 150,000 additional seats. The Minister added that there was also very good news from the Polish market, and that Polish tour operators’ impressions of Bulgaria were “more than good”.
The memorandum with TUI is a framework agreement, Dimitrov said. According to him, the next step is for the company’s and the Ministry of Tourism’s marketing departments to prepare a programme setting out specific measures and the expected results. “We will invest, but we will also seek an increase in the number of tourists, which will be set out in an agreement. We are seeking the maximum return on our investment,” Dimitrov explained.
He also said that the task now was to continue attracting more visitors in 2027 after the arrival of the first guests around Easter, including visitors for Eurovision. “We are currently planning a TUI marathon in Burgas, which would take place after the music event,” the Minister added. According to him, if an agreement is reached on this issue, next year’s season could effectively begin as early as the beginning of May and continue until the end of September.
Bulgaria Gains New Ambassador by Signing Memorandum with TUI Tour Operator THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-09-24 11:02:22
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