Balgarianovinite.com President Iliana Iotova said that modern tourists no longer stay for a week or a month simply to rest, but seek to experience the atmosphere, culture, cuisine and way of life of the country they visit. She made the remarks during the gala evening “4 Seasons 4 You”, part of events marking the 20th anniversary of the National Board of Tourism. The anniversary celebrations are held under the patronage of the President and under the slogan “The Four Keys to Sustainable Tourism – Culture, Nature, Food and Innovation”.
Iotova said that 20 years is a significant biography for modern times, praising the leadership of the National Board of Tourism. She described the organization as the most important body in the sector and among the most significant in the Bulgarian economy, noting that it has succeeded in creating a strategic framework and vision for tourism development in Bulgaria, one of the country’s key economic priorities.
Iotova highlighted Bulgaria’s natural and cultural heritage, clean food and environment, as well as favourable conditions for wine production, which is gaining increasing recognition on global markets. She described Bulgaria as a treasure trove in this respect.
The President also pointed to the potential for cultural tourism, noting the country’s rich historical heritage and the many historical periods that have left their mark on Bulgarian lands. She said that traditional promotional tools such as billboards and printed catalogues are no longer sufficient in today’s world.
According to Iotova, a modern narrative is needed to attract visitors, while every person who visits Bulgaria today becomes an ambassador of the country and its brand. She noted that social media posts and short videos now carry more weight than traditional advertising and said that, if this is integrated into state policy with greater involvement of the non-governmental sector such as the National Board of Tourism, tourism promotion would become more decentralized and more effective.
Iotova warned that the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East will continue and will inevitably affect tourism, including through rising aviation fuel prices and ticket costs, stressing the need for preparedness. Turning to Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, she said she believed the government is aware of these risks and may need to take special measures, including legislative changes, to protect the sector, which she described as one of the largest contributors to the national budget.
The President also noted Bulgaria’s successful organization of events such as the Giro d’Italia and said the country is expected to perform well as a host of Eurovision Song Contest. At the same time, she stressed that infrastructure remains a major problem, citing the lack of road access to the Villa Armira archaeological site in Haskovo Region.
Iotova described human resources in tourism as a long-standing problem, calling for closer cooperation between employers and the education system. She said results are still not at the level everyone wants to achieve. At the same time, she noted that there is much talk about the riches of the Black Sea and the coastline, as well as the growing winter sports sector, including ski competitions and snowboarding, where Bulgaria already has strong athletes to showcase. She also urged the National Board of Tourism to continue supporting the authorities with ideas and expertise. President Iotova on National Board of Tourism Anniversary: Tourists Come to Discover Bulgaria, Not Just to Vacation 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-11 20:40:07 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law