BIA’S PRESIDENT RADOSVET RADEV MEETS BSEC SECRETARY GENERAL MICHAEL CHRISTIDES

On 4 April 2019, in Sofia Hotel Balkan was held an international high-level conference on the topic: “Inter-basin cooperation on marine litter: a focus on the Danube river and the Black Sea”.

Representatives of BSEC, EC, MOEW, MFA, branch organizations, regional economic associations, representatives of competent institutions, local authorities, etc. took part in the conference.

During the event, BIA’s President Radosvet Radev and BSEC Secretary General Michael Christides held a bilateral meeting in which they discussed opportunities to promote tourism in the Black Sea region.

Some of BIA’s proposals are as follows:

• Bicycle trail (not only on the river delta, but all the way to Belgrade, Budapest and Vienna);
• “Blue Growth” in the Black Sea Basin (small-scale cruise tourism, etc. in the Black Sea);
• Interesting routes in the wider Black Sea region, such as “The Road of the Roman Emperors”, “Wine Routes in the Black Sea Region” and others;
• The possibilities for creating an annual yacht race in the Black Sea to cover some of the most important and beautiful places on the “free” Black Sea coast, something like the “Black Sea Yacht Rally”;
• Opportunities for conducting an international bicycle race called “Black Sea Tour” and “Albena” Rally for Electric Cars on the Black Sea Coast;
• Increasing the impact of the Blue Flag initiative in the Black Sea Basin as a tool and guidelines for improving the tourist infrastructure (beaches, yachts, small vessels for recreation and fishing) and thus attracting more international “sustainable” visitors to the region;
• Proposals for working with the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and organizing seminars on how to attract more overseas visitors (especially from China and India);
• Discuss the development of other sectors, such as energy (alternative energy sources, energy saving, climate change, etc.), with the possibility of involving private businesses from BSEC Member States.

At the end of the summer season, Bulgaria is expected to host the International Business Forum for Promotion of Tourism in the Black Sea Region. The event is initiated by BIA.

The other 11 BSEC member countries - Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism, tourist associations and entrepreneurs will also be invited to the forum.