Moscow/Sofia, March 23 (BTA) – Bulgaria’s Deputy Tourism Minister Nadya Marinova met with Russia’s Deputy Culture Minister Alla Manilova to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation in cultural travel and pilgrimage tourism and a joint programme called “Bulgarian Memory Paths,” the Tourism Ministry in Sofia said on Saturday.
The two met during the 22nd Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (MITT), which was held in the Russian capital between March 18 and 21.
The Bulgarian section at MITT had a floor area of 450 square metres. It featured 24 travel companies and five municipalities. A Bulgaria-Russia business forum was held in the sidelines of the exhibition to discuss bilateral tourism cooperation.
Marinova also met with Vladimir Chernikov, who is in charge of tourism in the Moscow City Government, and his deputy Sergei Shpilko, who is also President of the Russian Tourist Industry Union (RST). The sides considered tourism presentations and meetings in Russian regions between business people from the two countries. Marinova reaffirmed the readiness of the Bulgarian Tourism Ministry to help organize an RST board meeting in Bulgaria, which will be attended by leading Russian tour operators.
The 22nd MITT is the largest tourism exhibition in Russia and the third largest in the world. A total of 2,056 companies from 203 countries and regions took part in the event.