BULGARIA should use the opportunity created by the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece to market itself to thousands of potential visitors.
This suggestion, by Tim Williams of US advertising agency R&R, was one of the proposals made during a tourism conference in Sofia last week.
Economy Minister Nikolai Vassilev said that there had been a great improvement in tourist services, with tourism yielding about $1 300 million in revenue last year.
The conference was told that the Government planned to emphasise culture and eco-tourism as drawcards for the industry in the coming year.
Companies in the tourism industry will continue to be charged seven per cent VAT rather than the 20 per cent charged in all other sectors.
A timetable is being devised for the adoption of a national strategy for developing tourism.
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg said Government policy was to encourage tourism as a major contributor to the economy, and said the industry already had made a significant contribution to the recovery of the economy.
Luigi Cabrini, regional representative for Europe of the World Tourism Organisation, said that Bulgaria had enjoyed vigorous tourism growth at a time of a global crisis in the sector.
Cabrini said the most promising elements that Bulgaria should develop further included cultural tourism, city breaks, conference, rural, sports and health tourism.
Janis Putelis, Greek president of the Hellenic National Tourism Organisation, said there should be a common tourism policy for the countries of Southeastern Europe.
Countries could not thrive as destinations on their own, she said.
During the Greek presidency of the European Union, Athens would give a strong push to the idea of a common European tourism policy, Putelis emphasised.
Gerd Hasselmann, former president of the German Travel Agency and Tour Operator Association, said that in 2002 Bulgaria had benefited from the shift of tourism patterns caused by the international security situation.
Indonesia had suffered a drop of 33 per cent in German tourists while Bulgaria had seen a 27 per cent increase, he said.
Gill Wilson, chief executive of the Central European Countries Travel Association, said that the key interest for Bulgarians had to be Sofia with its fantastic name.
She added that it sounds romantic, soft and with no conflict in it.
"I think you need to start talking about Sofia as a destination," Wilson said.
"Bulgaria's message has to be Sofia attracting more events into the capital city. Once you bring tourists to Sofia, it will be easier to sell the rest of the country. Everybody knows the Black Sea is hugely successful. Leave that but start concentrating on your unique selling point, which is Sofia and the people," she said.
This suggestion, by Tim Williams of US advertising agency R&R, was one of the proposals made during a tourism conference in Sofia last week.
Economy Minister Nikolai Vassilev said that there had been a great improvement in tourist services, with tourism yielding about $1 300 million in revenue last year.
The conference was told that the Government planned to emphasise culture and eco-tourism as drawcards for the industry in the coming year.
Companies in the tourism industry will continue to be charged seven per cent VAT rather than the 20 per cent charged in all other sectors.
A timetable is being devised for the adoption of a national strategy for developing tourism.
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg said Government policy was to encourage tourism as a major contributor to the economy, and said the industry already had made a significant contribution to the recovery of the economy.
Luigi Cabrini, regional representative for Europe of the World Tourism Organisation, said that Bulgaria had enjoyed vigorous tourism growth at a time of a global crisis in the sector.
Cabrini said the most promising elements that Bulgaria should develop further included cultural tourism, city breaks, conference, rural, sports and health tourism.
Janis Putelis, Greek president of the Hellenic National Tourism Organisation, said there should be a common tourism policy for the countries of Southeastern Europe.
Countries could not thrive as destinations on their own, she said.
During the Greek presidency of the European Union, Athens would give a strong push to the idea of a common European tourism policy, Putelis emphasised.
Gerd Hasselmann, former president of the German Travel Agency and Tour Operator Association, said that in 2002 Bulgaria had benefited from the shift of tourism patterns caused by the international security situation.
Indonesia had suffered a drop of 33 per cent in German tourists while Bulgaria had seen a 27 per cent increase, he said.
Gill Wilson, chief executive of the Central European Countries Travel Association, said that the key interest for Bulgarians had to be Sofia with its fantastic name.
She added that it sounds romantic, soft and with no conflict in it.
"I think you need to start talking about Sofia as a destination," Wilson said.
"Bulgaria's message has to be Sofia attracting more events into the capital city. Once you bring tourists to Sofia, it will be easier to sell the rest of the country. Everybody knows the Black Sea is hugely successful. Leave that but start concentrating on your unique selling point, which is Sofia and the people," she said.
