Tourist flow from Azerbaijan to Bulgaria up by 21pct
For the first two months of the winter season 2017/2018 (December and January) the visits of Azerbaijan tourists in Bulgaria are 552, with a growth of 21 percent compared to the same last winter period (458 visits), Bulgaria’s Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
For the first two months of the winter season 2017/2018 (December and January) the visits of Azerbaijan tourists in Bulgaria are 552, with a growth of 21 percent compared to the same last winter period (458 visits), Bulgaria’s Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova said in an exclusive interview with Trend. “According to our national statistics, 3271 visits of Azerbaijani tourists in Bulgaria were reported in 2017. We hope that their number will increase in the current year and we already have positive results,” she added.
However, Angelkova pointed out that still less are the trips of Bulgarian tourists to Azerbaijan as the final destination.
“Last year they were 2104, which is nearly 2 times more than in 2016 (1055 visits). For the first two months of this winter season, Bulgarian citizens have made 156 trips to Azerbaijan as a final destination, compared to just 43 in the same months of last winter,” said the minister.
She noted that of course, the possibilities are much larger and the sides work together to realize them.
Angelkova recalled that in 2015, Bulgarian government approved a Protocol for expanding the cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan in the field of tourism, which is an appraisal of the importance of the sector for the two countries’ economic partnership.
“We are constantly striving to reveal to our Azerbaijani colleagues and business partners the advantages of Bulgaria as a tourist route - through participation in international events and exhibitions, with advertisements and presentations, exchange of information, business meetings,” she said.
Angelkova said that during the first week of April this year, the Ministry of Tourism will traditionally present Bulgaria in Baku as an attractive travel destination for AITF - the leading international tourism fair in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region.
Moreover, Bulgaria is a partner country at the exhibition and will be surely in the focus of attention as a year-round destination for summer, winter, balneoand SPA, wellness, cultural and historical tourism, she said, adding that the forum is an excellent platform for direct contacts between institutions and business.
“In 2017 we marked 25 years from the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries. We have created wonderful traditions in the cultural exchange and preservation of historical heritage. In this respect, tourism can be an excellent intermediary. We are grateful to Azerbaijan for its contribution to the restoration of the Trapezitsa fortress in the old capital of Bulgaria - Veliko Tarnovo and to the realization of other cultural events,” said the minister. “This experience can be very fruitful and I delightfully joined three years ago the Third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku, organized jointly with UNESCO as part of the UN Alliance of Civilizations initiative. Our bilateral meetings and events of other international organizations are permanent. We also work actively for the preparation of familiarization tours for journalists and tour operators on both sides. In November 2018, Sofia will host the second International Congress of World Civilizations and ancient routes. We will be happy if our Azerbaijani partners will take part in it.”