All countries in the Danube region were united in a common cause to promote the destination of Danube River. This became clear during the discussion of the possibilities for tourism in the Danube region, which took place in the representation of Baden Wurttemberg Province at the world tourism fair ITB Berlin. Bulgaria was represented by the Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Ivo Marinov. All 14 countries participating in this initiative - Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Ukraine, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Croatia, unanimously supported the idea of working together on promoting and marketing a common product Danube.
The development of the Danube brand and the alignment of the system for statistical analysis and monitoring of tourism are the main objectives of the parties involved. Deputy Minister Marinov stressed the key role played by the European Commission, the Danube Competence Centre and the World Tourism Organization to the United Nations in the region’s development. The meeting discussed the joint hiking paths of the Roman Imperial Roads and the Road of wine. The Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, in cooperation with the Danube Competence Centre has already established a contact point for strategy implementation. A creation of a regional unit in Ruse lies ahead.
Earlier the national stand of Bulgaria was visited by the President of the European SPA Association Martin Wan. He and Deputy Minister Ivo Marinov discussed preparations for the Annual Congress of the Association in May in Pomorie. The event was considered as the most important in the field of SPA and wellness tourism in the continent in 2013.