Sofia has the potential to become a leading destination for cultural tourism in Europe. One of the most ancient capitals on the continent welcomes many tourists marveling at its beautiful churches, rich museums and art galleries and its diverse cultural life. Its fascination as a city both ancient and modern however has been overshadowed by the country’s famous seaside and mountain resorts attracting hundreds of thousands of foreign guests. For most of them Sofia is a stopover for either the ski tracks in western Bulgaria or the Black Sea coast in the East.
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Unlike most of Europe’s capitals Sofia has no distinct vision how it should develop as a place for cultural tourism. Experts in the sphere believe it is high time for Sofia to promote its brand on tourist markets as a cosmopolitan place with countless opportunities for recreation and fun. For this purpose the capital city needs branding backed by good management, marketing and advertising. Only then Sofia could successfully compete with other popular cities. To respond to the challenge the Sofia City Hall has started work on a strategy for the development of cultural tourism. Financial support comes from the Regional Development Operational Programme. The Austrian company ATC Consulting has been invited to assist the project. The foreign specialists have drawn up an analysis of Sofia’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as a tourist destination. According to it, Sofia has got many faces. Its most emblematic sights include the St. George rotunda from 4 c., the magnificent St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the nearby Mount Vitosha that can offer excellent conditions for skiing. Furthermore local cuisine, folklore and street festivals should be accentuated, as an indelible part of Sofia’s atmosphere. More from Walter Cherni from ATC Consulting.
The Ivan Vazov National Theatre is the oldest and most authoritative theatre in the country and one of the important landmarks of Sofia.
In the meantime, one of Sofia’s weaknesses is its poor infrastructure, foreign experts agree – bumpy streets, lack of enough road signs, information centers and parking lots for tourist buses. To make things worse, some beautiful buildings downtown the capital badly need renovation. Austrian experts have recommended the development of common tourism products with neighboring countries. As to marketing and advertising the advantages of the internet should be used fully, as this is the medium that can provide fastest and most comprehensive contact with potential visitors of the city of Sofia as an emerging center for cultural tourism.
English version: Daniela Konstantinova