Malko Tarnovo and Strandzha: a new tourism strategy for the Southern Black Sea Coast

BURGAS – Malko Tarnovo and the unique natural and cultural treasures of Strandzha will become a key element of a large-scale initiative to create a common tourism product, covering the entire Southern Black Sea coast. The goal is to offer a richer and more diverse experience to visitors, combining traditional sea tourism with the potential of the mountains. Plans for the joint promotion of the region were discussed at an important meeting, according to the press center of the Ministry of Tourism.

The talks, held in Burgas, were attended by the Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh, the regional governor of Burgas Vladimir Krumov, Member of Parliament Galya Vasileva, and the mayor of Malko Tarnovo Iliyan Yanchev. According to the official announcement, this meeting is a natural continuation of the decisions made in August, aimed at a unified advertisement for the region. The initiative also fits within the framework of the already launched campaign "Long Summer", whose main goal is to extend the active summer season and attract tourists in the spring and autumn.

Minister Borshosh emphasized that the strategic connection between the seashore and the mystical Strandzha offers tourists an exceptional opportunity to go beyond the traditional vacation. According to him, Malko Tarnovo with its pristine nature, rich culture, and ancient history will be the heart of this new tourism vision. This approach aims to geographically expand the tourist flow, directing it towards the interior of the country and to less-known but extremely attractive destinations.

Data provided by the municipality supports the thesis of growing interest in the area. For the first seven months of 2025, approximately 7500 tourist visits were registered. An interesting fact is that over 95 percent of these visitors are Bulgarians, which shows the potential for the development of domestic tourism.

The mayor of Malko Tarnovo Iliyan Yanchev figuratively described the town as "the gate to the spirit of Strandzha", emphasizing its symbolic and cultural significance. Regional governor Vladimir Krumov welcomed the initiative as a vivid example of like-mindedness and effective joint work between state institutions and local authorities.

The Ministry of Tourism assured that the inclusion of sites and events from the region in national and international advertising campaigns is forthcoming. The goal is to promote the Southern Black Sea coast as an attractive year-round tourist destination, capable of offering much more than the traditional sea beach.

In the context of these efforts to develop the sector, BTA recalled that earlier in the week, the relevant parliamentary committee approved at first reading a bill for the creation of a Tourism Guarantee Fund. The fund was created with the ambition to provide additional protection for consumers and to harmonize Bulgarian legislation with European standards, set out in Directive (EU) 2015/2302.