Sofia, June 2 (BTA/GNA) – Bulgaria has a leading role in spa and wellness tourism in Southeastern Europe, said caretaker Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov at the opening of the first ever thematic conference within the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) dedicated to spa and wellness tourism titled “Education and Skills in Health and Wellness Tourism”. The forum is part of Bulgaria’s hosting of the 68th Session of UNWTO’s Regional Commission for Europe, which is held between May 31 to June 2.
Dimitrov pointed out that in recent years an extremely large number of spa and wellness facilities have been built in the country, while the investments in this tourism area are “numerous and successful”. “Our hotels have an annual occupancy rate of 89% and we have more than 70 resorts and venues in the country that offer this type of service,” the Tourism Minister added. He reminded that Bulgaria ranks first in Europe in the number of mineral springs, and the hottest mineral springs are located in the country – in Sapareva Banya.
Dimitrov noted that the biggest advantage of this type of tourism is that it is accessible throughout the year, which generates serious added value.
He pointed out that the future of tourism is linked to the education of the staff and reminded that there are many programmes, projects and instruments at European level to “support the ambition of young people”, adding that the Erasmus programme is just one of them. “I welcome the approach to work not only on the education of the staff, but to direct them to specific niches of tourism,” Dimitrov said. In this sense, he pointed out that Bulgaria has a lot to offer in the field of medical and wellness tourism and that more than half of the students in Bulgarian medical universities are foreigners – “a proof of the quality of education our country offers”.
BTA/GNA