2014 National Center for Regional Development. Concept for tourism regionalization of Bulgaria. Draft All rights reserved

  CONCEPT  FOR  TOURISM  REGIONALIZATION  IN  BULGARIA      

(DRAFT  SUMMARY)  

Background  The  National  Center  for  Territorial  Development   is  preparing  a  Concept  for  Tourism  Regionalization  in   Bulgaria   (dividing   the   country   into   tourism   regions)   –   a   project   assigned   by   the   Ministry   of  Economy  and  Energy  -­‐  directly  linked  to  the  execution  of  the  new  Tourism  Law  from  26.03.2013.    

The  cited  Law  does  not  introduce  the  idea  of  tourism  regionalization  for  a  first  time.    There  is  a  half  a  century  of  history  of   various  different   interpretations  of   it,  with  no  practical  application  until  now.  Meanwhile,   nearly   all   stakeholders   in   the   travel   industry   in   Bulgaria   acknowledge   the   need   of   the  tourism  regional  management  and  marketing.    

According  to  Art.  15  (1)  of  this  Law,  the  goal  of  the  tourism  regionalization  is  to  create  regional  travel  products  and  to  market  and  advertise  the  regions'  tourism.  The  Law  also  stipulates  that  each  region  will   be   governed   by   a   Regional   Tourism   Management   Organization   (RTMO)   and   defines   its   main  functions.  These  main  functions  can  be  grouped  into  3  core  groups:    

• Regional  tourism  products  creation  and  development;  • Marketing  and  advertising  of  the  region  • Tourism  coordination  and  management  at  regional  level  

Results  driven  approach  

The  goal   behind   the  new  Concept   for   tourism   regionalization   is   to  develop   competitive   tourism  at  regional  level.  This  competitiveness  will  be  achieved  by  applying  regional  tourism  policies  in  line  with  the   territorial   specifics   of   different   parts   of   the   country,   and   by   carrying   out   effective   regional  marketing.  The  expected  results  are  to  make  the  regions  nationally  and  internationally  recognizable  and   their   regional   travel   products   competitive   both   domestically   and   globally.   Expected   results   in  detail:  

• Filling   the   gap   between   local   (municipal)   and   national   level   of   destinations'   management   and  marketing  by  creating  a  middle  level  for  these  functions    

• Unifying   the   efforts   and   using   all   resources   to   develop   a   complex,   diversified   and   competitive  tourism  products  through  regional  interaction  and  cooperation  as  opposed  to  local  ‘egoism’,  the  last  one  leading  to  the  inability  to  offer  high  quality  attractive  tourism  products;  

• Increasing  the  appeal  of  Bulgaria  as  tourism  destination  with  many  possibilities  and  "faces",  that  can  satisfy  the  needs  of  a  vast  array  of  market  segments,  versus  generic  national  advertising.    

• Reaching  more   effectively   potential  markets   through  presenting   large   enough   regions   that   are  ‘visible’’  on  the  map  and  recognizable  not  just  for  Bulgarians  but  also  for  foreigners;  

• Achieving  appropriate  financing  for  destination  marketing  through  government  support,  as  well  as   through   methodological   and   logistical   support,   and   transferring   part   of   the   marketing   and  advertising  resources  to  the  tourism  regions.    

           

2014 National Center for Regional Development. Concept for tourism regionalization of Bulgaria. Draft All rights reserved

PLEASE  NOTE:  This  is  a  draft  Concept  and  it  is  open  for  a  public  discussion.  The  Concept  is  WORK  IN  PROGRESS   and   it   does   not   represent   a   FINAL   DOCUMENT.   At   this   stage   the   Concept   is   open   and  flexible   enough   to   accept   changes   suggested   during   the   public   discussions   with   stakeholders   and  reflect  their  opinions  stated   in  meetings,   interviews  &  surveys.  After  the  public  discussions  and  the  analysis   of   the   opinions   collected   in   the   expert   surveys,   changes   on   the   proposed   regions  may   be  made  regarding  territorial  extend,  tourism  specialization,  regional  centers  and/or  other  attributes.  

The   proposed   Concept   (see   Figure   1)   is   in   line  with   the   provisions   of   the   Law   for   Tourism,  which  stipulates   that   the   tourism   regions   must   cover   the   entire   territory   of   the   country   and,   that  municipalities   are   the   smallest   territorial   entity   used   to   outline   the   borders   of   regions.   Thus   nine  tourism  regions  were  outlined    

Figure  1.  Proposal  for  the  territorial  extent  and  geographic  naming  of  the  tourism  regions  in  Bulgaria  

 

The  Concept  was  based  on:  

• Sound  theoretical  and  methodical  principles  of  tourism  regionalization  • In-­‐depth  analysis  of  past  concepts  for  tourism  regionalization  in  Bulgaria    • Analysis  of  best  practices  in  tourism  regions  creation  and  development  • Identification  of  territorial  tourism  formations  that  have  ‘naturally’  developed  –  regional  tourism  

associations,  grouping  of  municipalities  during  the  conceptualization  and  execution  of  European  projects   as   a   part   of   the   Operational   Program   for   Regional   Development   2007   -­‐2013,   other  regional  structures  related  to  the  tourism.  

           

2014 National Center for Regional Development. Concept for tourism regionalization of Bulgaria. Draft All rights reserved

During   the  development  of   the  Concept,  other   important  principles  and   requirements,  were   taken  into  account:  

• Requirement:   the   territorial   extent   and   size   of   regions   should   meet   the   real   dimensions   of  tourism   development   (including   present   organization   structures)   and/or   discovered   tourism  potential;  

• Requirement:   territorial   integrity:   fragmentations   or   overlaps   are   not   allowed,   i.e.   each  municipality  must  be  part  of  only  one  region    

• Diversified   resources  mix:     availability   of   significant   attractions   and   rich   resources   for   creation  and   management   of   a   vast   array   of   tourism   products   and   thus   guarantying   competitive   and  sustainable  development  of  the  region.  

• Homogeneity:  existence  or  planned  development  of  relatively  similar  natural,  anthropogenic  and  socio-­‐economic  resources  and  product  structure,  that  can  define  a  common  regional  identity  to  serve  marketing  of  the  entire  region  (vs.  its  components  separately)    

• Infrastructural   security:   current   and   planned   infrastructure   can   meet   the   increase   in   tourism  flows  and  accelerated  development  of  the  tourism  business    

• Politically   and   publicly   consensual   integrity:   to   preserve   as   much   as   possible   the   territorial  integrity  of  existing  regional  associations  and  other  voluntary  formations  amongst  municipalities.  

Naming  

The  limitations  of  the  project  impose  that  at  this  stage  only  geographic  names  of  the  regions  should  be  proposed.  After   discussions  with   stakeholders,   brand  names  might   be  proposed,   although   they  will  be  finalized  during  the  development  of  brand  strategy  for  each  region.  

Regional  Tourism  Management  Organizations  (RTMO)  

According   to   the   Tourism   Law,   each   tourism   region   (TR)   will   be   managed   by   a   Regional   Tourism  Management  Organization.   The   city/town  where   this   RTMO  will   have   its   headquarters  must  meet  the  following  criteria:  

• Central  geographic  location  within  the  region  and  convenient  transportation  links  • Capital  of  province  thus  insuring  administrative  support  and  interaction    • High  level  of  actual  tourism  development  

Based  on  the  above,  the  following  cities  were  proposed  for  centers  of  the  respective  tourism  regions  (see  also  Fig.1):  

• Danube  region:  Rousse  • Stara  Planina  (Balkan  Mountains)  region:  –Veliko  Turnovo  • Rose  Valley  region:  Kazanluk  • Thrace  region:  Plovdiv  • Rhodopes  region:  Smolyan  • Rila  and  Pirin  region:  Blagoevgrad  

           

2014 National Center for Regional Development. Concept for tourism regionalization of Bulgaria. Draft All rights reserved

• Sofia  region:  Sofia  • Varna  (Northern  Bulgaria  Black  Sea)  region:  Varna  • Burgas  (Sothern  Bulgaria  Black  Sea)  region:  Burgas      

Regional  Tourism  Specialization  

The   Project   requirements   also   include   a   task   to   define   specialization   (main   and   ancillary)   for   each  region.  This  is  very  difficult  task,  since  in  Bulgaria  there  are  resources  to  develop  at  least  7  out  of  the  10  main   types   of   tourism   strategically   included   in   all   official   documentation.  With   no   information  about   the   actual   demand   for   each   type   of   tourism   in   the   regions   and   lack   of   special  market,   the  specializations  of  regions  are  determined  through:    

• Desk   research   and   analysis   of   current   advertising   brochures   for   the   regions   developed   by   the  Ministry  of  Economics  and  Energy  (2013);    

• Desk   research   and  analysis   of   project   proposals   and   concepts   for   the  development  of   regional  tourism  product  as  a  part  of  the  OPRD  –  measure  3.2;    

• Desk  research  and  analysis  of  current  advertising  materials  developed  by  separate  municipalities  and  groups  of  municipalities;    

• Desk  research  and  analysis  of  municipality  website  and  tourism  portals;    

As  a  result,  for  each  tourism  region  are  proposed  2  types  of  tourism  as  main  specializations  and  up  to  4  ancillary  specializations.  These  specializations  could  be  a  starting  point  in  the  future  development  of  regional  product  marketing  and  branding  strategies.    

The  main  specialization  is  composed  by  two  different  types  of  tourism  and  defines  the  uniqueness  of  each   the   region.   The   broad   specialization   includes   the   types   of   tourism   that   can   be   developed   as  ancillary  to  the  main  specialization.      

In   Table   1   are   listed   both   main   and   broad   specializations,   including   the   ancillary   ones.   All  specializations   (main   and   ancillary)   are   open   for   changes   during   the   public   discussions   with   the  stakeholders,   as   well   as   after   an   analysis   of   the   experts'   opinion   voiced   during   special   meetings,  interviews  and  surveys.    

Table  1.  Tourism  regions  of  Bulgaria:  main  and  broad  specializations    Tourism  regions   Main  specialization   Broad  specialization  Danube  region   Cultural  and  cruise   1.  Cultural  heritage  tourism    

2.  River  cruise  tourism  3.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  4.  City  breaks,  entertainment,  and  shopping  tourism  5.  Wine  and  culinary  tourism  6.  Religious  and  pilgrimage  tourism  

Stara  Planina  region  

Mountain  and  ecotourism    

1.  Mountain  trekking  and  nature  tourism  2.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  3.  Cultural  heritage,  events,  creative  tourism  4.  Rural  tourism  5.  Religious  and  pilgrimage  tourism  

           

2014 National Center for Regional Development. Concept for tourism regionalization of Bulgaria. Draft All rights reserved

6.  Ski  and  nature  tourism  Rose  valley  region  

Health  and  cultural  tourism  

1.  SPA  and  wellness  tourism  2.  Cultural  heritage,  events  and  festivals  tourism  3.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  4.  Mountain  and  nature  tourism  5.  Wine  tourism    

Thrace  region     Cultural  and  wine  tourism    

1.  Cultural  tourism  (all  types)  2.  Wine  tourism  3.  Business  tourism  (MICE)  4.  City  breaks,  entertainment  and  shopping  tourism  5.  Health  tourism  (all  types)    6.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  

Rhodopes  region  

Mountain  and  rural  tourism    

1.  Mountain  and  nature  tourism  -­‐  all  types    2.  Rural  tourism  3.  SPA  and  wellness  tourism  4.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  5.  Cultural  heritage  and  festivals  tourism  6.  Religious  and  pilgrimage  tourism  

Rila  and  Pirin  region  

Mountain  and  religious  tourism    

1.  Mountain  tourism  (all  types  –  ski,  trekking,  nature)  2.  Religious  and  pilgrimage  tourism  3.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  4.  SPA  and  wellness  tourism  5.  Cultural  and  festival  tourism  6.  Wine  tourism  

Sofia  region   Business  &  MICE,  and  cultural  tourism  

1.  Business  tourism  and  MICE  2.  Cultural  tourism  (all  types)  3.  Mountain  tourism  (all  types)  4.  Health  tourism  (all  types)  5.  Religious  and  pilgrimage  tourism  6.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  

Varna  (Bulgarian  Northern  Black  Sea)  region  

Sun  &  Beach,  and  sports  tourism  

1.  Seaside  recreation  tourism  2.  Sports  &  Golf  tourism  3.  Cultural,  events  and  festival  tourism  4.  Business  tourism  and  MICE  5.  Health  tourism  (all  types)  6.  Ecotourism  

Burgas  (Bulgarian  Sothern  Black  Sea)  region  

Sun  &  Beach,  and  cultural  tourism  

1.  Sun  and  beach  tourism  2.  Cultural  tourism  (all  types)  3.  Adventure  and  ecotourism  4.  Health  tourism  (all  types)  5.  Rural  tourism  6.  Religious  and  pilgrimage  tourism