The Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and the Secretary-General of the specialized UN agency Zurab Pololikashvili officially signed the agreement for Bulgaria to host the Ninth Global Conference on Wine Tourism of the UN World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism). The dates on which the prestigious forum will be held in Plovdiv are October 6 and 7. The agreement for the organization of the event was concluded at the UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid.
„We expect the event to gather delegations from countries from all over the world and to establish Bulgaria as a preferred tourist destination on the world map. For us, this is a strategic chance not only to present our country as a wine destination, but also to connect wine with the rich variety of tourist experiences that Bulgaria offers – from mountain and adventure tourism, to cultural, gastronomic and urban tourism“, said Minister Borshosh.
Wine is not only a product with high added value, but also a cultural symbol that carries with it history, terroir and identity. That is why wine tourism has the potential to be a strong catalyst for the development of other types of tourism and to extend the stay of tourists through accompanying experiences - tastings, festivals, cellar tours, culinary routes and routes in rural areas.
In April, Minister Borshosh, the Mayor of Plovdiv Kostadin Dimitrov and experts from the municipality and the ministry visited key locations in the city suitable for events of such a scale. The excellent coordination with local authorities and the proven organizational capacity made Plovdiv the natural choice to host the prestigious forum.
The development of wine tourism, as a specialized segment with long-standing traditions in our country, will contribute to the sustainable development of the sector and increase its competitiveness. The global conference will put Bulgaria in the spotlight of the international tourism community and will give impetus to new partnerships, investments and sustainable tourism policies.