SOUTH-EAST European countries have signed a memorandum on co-operation in building the tourism industry, and attracting investments in tourism to the region as a whole.
Deputy Economy Minister Dimiter Hadji-nikolov signed the memorandum on behalf of Bulgaria during a four-day tourism forum in Athens.
Meanwhile Swedish ambassador Sten Ask visited Varna and Bourgas last week to officially open the summer season. A key purpose of the trip was to increase the number of Swedish tourists coming to Bulgaria, an embassy statement said. Last year about 65 000 Swedish tourists spent their holidays at the Black Sea coast.
"I am optimistic that during 2003, more than 70 000 Swedish tourists will visit the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. This would continue the very positive trend, where no other destination for Swedish tourism has had stronger growth than Bulgaria in recent years," Ask said.
He was not the only one hoping for a better tourism season.
Bulgarian tourist company Balkantourist, owned by MG Corporation, has forecast a 28 per cent rise in the number of tourists at Black Sea resorts this summer compared to last year, said executive director Nedialka Sandalska.
The number of foreign tourist visits to the country grew by two per cent in the period from January to April, according to the Economy Ministry. Tourist inflows from Greece, the UK and Germany occupied leading shares of all the tourists who visited the country. Revenues in the sector grew by 17.6 per cent to $111 million during this period.
MG Hotels and Resorts owns a total of six hotels at its Black Sea resort complex St. Elias and at the St Constantine and St Helena resort.
Bulgarian seaside resorts hosted 6000 Bulgarian tourists through Balkantourist bookings in 2002, and Balkantourist expects a 35 per cent rise this year in the number of foreign tourists coming from Austria, Germany and Israel, among others. The company registered 57 000 foreign tourists from May to October 2002.
The International Foundation for Environmental Education awarded the Blue Flag award to 11 Bulgarian beaches, said Simeon Mitsov, president of Blue Flag Bulgarian Movement.
"This is an international recognition of clean water, sand and environment. All applicants undergo strict and objective scrutiny," Mitsov said.
He said the big tour operators closely followed the list of the beaches and yacht ports that had been awarded Blue Flag recognition.
While Bulgaria is welcoming an increasing number of tourists, more than 860 000 Bulgarians travelled abroad between January and April this year, the Economy Ministry said in data released on May 19. Of these, 270 000 Bulgarians visited Turkey and 134 000 travelled to Serbia-Montenegro. About 67 000 Bulgarians visited Ger-many.
Deputy Economy Minister Dimiter Hadji-nikolov signed the memorandum on behalf of Bulgaria during a four-day tourism forum in Athens.
Meanwhile Swedish ambassador Sten Ask visited Varna and Bourgas last week to officially open the summer season. A key purpose of the trip was to increase the number of Swedish tourists coming to Bulgaria, an embassy statement said. Last year about 65 000 Swedish tourists spent their holidays at the Black Sea coast.
"I am optimistic that during 2003, more than 70 000 Swedish tourists will visit the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. This would continue the very positive trend, where no other destination for Swedish tourism has had stronger growth than Bulgaria in recent years," Ask said.
He was not the only one hoping for a better tourism season.
Bulgarian tourist company Balkantourist, owned by MG Corporation, has forecast a 28 per cent rise in the number of tourists at Black Sea resorts this summer compared to last year, said executive director Nedialka Sandalska.
The number of foreign tourist visits to the country grew by two per cent in the period from January to April, according to the Economy Ministry. Tourist inflows from Greece, the UK and Germany occupied leading shares of all the tourists who visited the country. Revenues in the sector grew by 17.6 per cent to $111 million during this period.
MG Hotels and Resorts owns a total of six hotels at its Black Sea resort complex St. Elias and at the St Constantine and St Helena resort.
Bulgarian seaside resorts hosted 6000 Bulgarian tourists through Balkantourist bookings in 2002, and Balkantourist expects a 35 per cent rise this year in the number of foreign tourists coming from Austria, Germany and Israel, among others. The company registered 57 000 foreign tourists from May to October 2002.
The International Foundation for Environmental Education awarded the Blue Flag award to 11 Bulgarian beaches, said Simeon Mitsov, president of Blue Flag Bulgarian Movement.
"This is an international recognition of clean water, sand and environment. All applicants undergo strict and objective scrutiny," Mitsov said.
He said the big tour operators closely followed the list of the beaches and yacht ports that had been awarded Blue Flag recognition.
While Bulgaria is welcoming an increasing number of tourists, more than 860 000 Bulgarians travelled abroad between January and April this year, the Economy Ministry said in data released on May 19. Of these, 270 000 Bulgarians visited Turkey and 134 000 travelled to Serbia-Montenegro. About 67 000 Bulgarians visited Ger-many.
