Bulgaria unveils new tourist brand

The new tourist brand of Bulgaria as a tourist destination was presented on 17 January 2013 by Ivo Marinov, Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism (MIET).

The new brand will be used officially in Bulgaria's marketing activities from September 2013 on.

The new brand portrays Bulgaria as a friendly, charming, and as-yet-undiscovered destination and the main slogan is "Bulgaria – A Discovery to Share."

The new brand was developed under a project financed under the Regional Development Operational Program worth BGN 1.4 M.

Apart from the national tourist logo and slogan, ten sub-brands have been developed for the different types of tourism, as well as a branding strategy for the different tourist regions and a pilot brand of the Trakia region.

All logos and symbols of the brand will be free to use after a registration on an online platform which will be opened in March.

According to MIET, the new brand was developed on the basis of an in-depth analysis of the current perceptions of Bulgaria as a tourist destination and a comparison with a range of rival destinations. The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in its turn traditionally supports any effort to create a new attractive image of Bulgaria. The Chamber participates as a partner in two projects funded by the OP "South East Europe": "RECULTIVATUR" and "SAGITTARIUS". The projects are aimed at the development of religious and cultural tourism and encourage investment in the cultural and historical heritage of the country.

MIET expects a 25% increase in tourists in the first five years of the implementation of the strategy.