The Decline in Summer Tourism This Year is Below !%

The decline in summer tourism this year is below the percent, said the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova. As for the consequences of the Thomas Cook bankruptcy, she said that about 2500 - 3000 clients of the company are still in our country, but in days they will be transported to their homeland. Minister Angelkova and the Princess of Jordan Dana Firas participated in a tourist forum dedicated to the Danube Cultural Cooperation.

Minister Angelkova said that so far there is no information about canceled reservations for holiday of foreigners in Bulgaria in the future, caused by the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook.

Nikolina Angelkova - Minister of Tourism: Our job at the moment is to focus as much as we could on the Thomas Cook reservations, to try to redirect it to the other major tour operators and increase it.

Minister Angelkova explained that the agency also helps hoteliers affected by the bankruptcy of the British tour operator to file a class action.

According to the ministry, despite the problems, the summer season is successful.

Nikolina Angelkova - Minister of Tourism: For the months from January to August we have over 6 800 000 foreign tourists and only 0.6% decrease.

Earlier today, Minister Angelkova and the Princess of Jordan Dana Firas opened an international forum aimed at developing cultural tourism.

9,200,000 tourists visited Bulgaria in the year, 5 million of which were only on the line of cultural and historical heritage.

Bulgaria and Jordan are set to launch a joint educational program on cultural heritage conservation.

Dana Firas, Princess of Jordan: A balance has to be struck between tourism and the preservation of cultural and historical heritage from a very young age. Through culture, identity can be built, it teaches us to preserve our values, it develops creativity, it teaches us respect for diversity.

The line ministries are yet to specify in what form the educational program will enter the schools.