16.06.2008

Bulgaria Will Promote Spa and Wellness Tourism


The First Specialized Business Forum dedicated to Spa and Wellness was held in the sea resort "Albena" on June 11. The forum was organized by the National Spa and Wellness Association with the goal for tour operators and state institutions to reach a common vision regarding the development of spa tourism in the country.

The Agency's Chair Anelia Kruchkova announced the Agency’s new strategy for the development of spa and wellness tourism in Bulgaria.

The State Tourist Agency has already created an expert work group with the task to prepare a strategy for the development of the spa sector. University professors are also going to participate in the strategy's preparation, which is to be completed by the end of the current year. The document will determine the spa and wellness centers' criteria and standards.

Stanimir Stankov, Chairman of the Association's Managing Board explained that spa and wellness tourism would attract wealthier visitors to Bulgaria. Unofficial statistics from 2007 show that 130 000 tourists have used spa and wellness services last year, while there are 75 five-star hotels in the entire country.

According to Stankov, Bulgaria offers spectacular nature and climate for the development of the spa and wellness tourism but the sector needs new strict and enforced rules so that the repeating the mistakes made in the sea and ski tourism sectors could be avoided, adding that currently the hotels in Velingrad and Sandanski are overbooked while in a place such as Varchets with excellent possibilities for the development of spa and wellness tourism nothing had been built in years.


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