2024-02-16 06:16:37
Bulgaria will have a permanent representative for tourism in Romania. This is what the ambassador of our country in Bucharest, Radko Vlaikov, said in an interview for BTA.
“Within a few months, we expect an even wider presence of our country in Romania from the point of view of presenting the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria. It is about a wider and permanent representation of the Bulgarian tourism sector here in Bucharest. There will be a person, who will be responsible specifically for tourism issues,” explained the diplomat.
In response to a question from BTA, he expressed the opinion that Bulgaria should not consider Greece as a competitor in the field of tourism.
“Bulgaria and Romania, together with Greece, can work to attract tourists from distant destinations and make common routes together,” explained Ambassador Radko Vlaikov. He shared that he has already commented on the topic of potential cooperation with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism of Romania Lucian-Ioan Rus.
The diplomat emphasized that in recent years, Romanian tourists have been permanently in first place on the Bulgarian market.
“This fact obliges us to increase the numbers and the tendency of increase to be a constant process. There are excellent opportunities for this,” said Vlaikov.
Today he attended the opening of the spring tourist exhibition in Bucharest and visited the Bulgarian stand, where he met all the representatives and participants from our country. The diplomat also received an invitation to participate in the International Tourist Exhibition “Cultural Tourism” in Veliko Tarnovo in October.
Radko Vlaikov invited the ambassador of Greece to Romania, Lili Gramatika, to the Bulgarian stand, and the two took a commemorative photo together against the background of virtual images from Plovdiv.
The following is the interview that Ambassador Radko Vlaikov gave to BTA.
Your Excellency, how is Bulgaria represented at the spring tourist exhibition in Bucharest this year? Our country’s stand is again the largest.
Our performance is extremely worthy, I would say remarkable. Yes, indeed, our stand is the largest in terms of area – 300 sq.m., but it is also the most attractive in terms of vision. Many modern multimedia products, videos, photos are used. What satisfies me the most is that the various types of tourism that are developing in our country are presented. Because in the mass image of Bulgaria, it is the sea and skiing, winter resorts. Here, at the tourist exhibition in Bucharest, through various municipalities, through various tourist operators and especially through the advertising materials of the Ministry of Tourism stand, the opportunities for cultural, spa tourism, wine tourism, rural tourism, pilgrimage tourism are presented. This is most valuable.
And this year, Bulgaria expects the most tourists from Romania. But you yourself said that many associate our country mostly with the sea and ski resorts. How can we get Romanian tourists to expand their horizon of preferences for summer vacations in our country or to visit cities like Kyustendil or Gabrovo for example?
In recent years, Romanian tourists have been permanently in first place on the Bulgarian market. This fact obliges us to increase the numbers and the tendency of increase to be a constant process. There are excellent opportunities for this.
I can say with satisfaction that in a few months we expect an even wider presence of our country in Romania from the point of view of presenting the opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria, for establishing direct contacts in the field of tourism. It is about a wider and permanent representation of the Bulgarian tourism sector here in Bucharest. There will soon be a permanent representative of our country in the Romanian capital, who will be responsible specifically for tourism issues.
As for the tools I was asked about – advertising, promotion, mostly word of mouth. Because when Romanian tourists come to Bulgaria and are satisfied, they then share it with their friends and relatives. This word-of-mouth advertising is more powerful than advertising on television or in social networks. Of course, one doesn’t negate the other.
I’ll give you an example. 15-20 years ago, Romanian tourists did not go further down than Balchik, then they went down to Albena, to Golden Sands, to St. Constantine and Elena, reached Varna, passed Nessebar, Burgas, Sozopol. I was impressed today by the representation of the castle in Ravadinovo. This is how the interest of Romanians expands.
In the beginning, Romanian tourists came to Ruse on Saturdays. After that, they gradually began to jump to Veliko Tarnovo. Now on Saturdays and Sundays in Tarnovo, all places are occupied, especially when the weather is nice. Hard to find places from Romanian tourists. This is more than gratifying.
We also talked here with the representatives of Gabrovo – how to use this interest to go further down. The same is the case with a municipality like Kyustendil, let’s say, which offers great opportunities to combine a visit even to the Rila Monastery or Bansko. Or even if you want, Romanian tourists headed to Greece, why not spend a day or two in this area. To get to know Bulgaria.
In this regard, I do not think that we should consider Greece as some sort of competitor. Not only that we are neighboring countries, not only that our stands here at this exhibition are next to each other, but we must seek cooperation with them. I also commented on the topic with the state secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, that the three countries should cooperate – Bulgaria and Romania together with Greece should work to attract tourists from distant destinations. To make common itineraries, a few days in one side, a few days in the other. Because, agree, when a Japanese or South Korean tourist comes to Europe, he doesn’t want to go to just one country. He wants to visit a few. What better opportunity than our geographical proximity here to combine these routes.
You have been the ambassador of Bulgaria to Romania for two years now. And you travel a lot. What is your favorite tourist destination in Romania?
It’s very hard for me to pinpoint one. But in the first place I will put Brasov and Sinaia, where I always go with pleasure. I was very impressed by Iași, by Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu is a wonderful city, Timisoara, which I know well as a city even before I worked in Romania. I went several times, including in line with the fact that it was the European Capital of Culture. I’m interested. I also visited the Romanian Black Sea coast with interest. But my heart is in Brasov and Sinaia.