Events in the Black Sea are not so far affecting early bookings for summer 2027, and Bulgaria remains a safe and calm destination, tourism minister Ilin Dimitrov said. He opened the 19th Black Sea Tourism Forum in Varna.

Bookings for next summer are at a very early stage. Winter bookings are going well and hoteliers are calm, the minister said. He said the tourism industry should present Bulgaria as a safe and peaceful place for a holiday in all four seasons.

Dimitrov said Bulgaria has no protests like those in France, Italy and Spain. He called on people not to look for a problem where there is none.

Changes to the Tourism Act take effect from New Year. Under them, mayors must put 50% of the tourist tax towards advertising and connectivity. Promotion of Bulgaria will no longer be decided only at the centre, Dimitrov said. Municipalities will be able to make their own plans and will have good chances to strike deals directly with business.

Dimitrov said he would be glad "if in Varna I finally see an air connectivity fund that covers all municipalities, even those in north-east Bulgaria, the way there is in Burgas and the region". He said such a fund is a way to attract more flights.

The minister will also be at the World Travel Market fair in London, where he has meetings with the biggest tour operators and airlines. The state negotiates with them directly, without middlemen, and the aim is to raise interest in Bulgaria, Dimitrov said.

He expects talks on a TUI marathon in Varna to wrap up in London. The city traditionally holds a marathon in May, and if Varna council accepts the idea, the race will carry the TUI brand. It is planned for mid-May 2027.

TUI will also sell the tickets, so Dimitrov expects a sharp rise in runners. There could be more than 10,000, and visitors will outnumber them many times over, because nobody will come alone, the minister said. He called branded marathons a very good initiative.

An observatory that will collect and process tourism data is due to start work in Varna after New Year. Dimitrov will present it on 25 November in Abu Dhabi, at a meeting of the World Tourism Organization. If the idea wins support, Bulgaria could host a global observatory that measures quality in tourism, and that would also be a product for export, the minister said.

The forum, titled "Smart Tourist Destinations – Innovation and Sustainable Development", is organised by the Varna Tourist Chamber. Talks cover tourism data, artificial intelligence and digital technology that can give tourists better experiences.

Regional governor Mario Smarkov, deputy mayor Snezhana Apostolova and the minister's adviser, Assoc. Prof. Krasimir Aleksandrov, attended the opening, along with representatives of business, universities and institutions.