On June 25th, 2024 Varna Economic Development Agency (VEDA) organized a seminar for local stakeholders, concerning the implementation of the TOURISMO project. VEDA is the Bulgarian partner responsible for the Varna pilot case, which will be executed during the busiest summer tourist months in the country, starting from August 2024 and continuing until June 2026.

The seminar brought together representatives from the project target groups, identified on the TOURISMO stakeholders’ map. Specifically, participants came from various organizations, both public and private, including the Varna Municipality, Tourist Information Center, Varna Regional Informational Center for EU Funds, Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Varna, National Palace of Culture and Congress Center Ltd – Varna branch, Black Sea NGOs Network, private companies, and others.

After the TOURISMO project presentation, the agenda featured a brief demonstration of the results from the analysis of tourist habits and tourism flows in the Varna pilot area during the initial months of the project. The meeting placed special emphasis on discussing the goals and specifics of the pilot test in Varna, exchanging several interesting viewpoints and useful ideas. Additionally, the event aimed to build synergy with other EU-funded projects related to sustainable tourism, cultural heritage, and regional development, ensuring the transferability and sustainability of project results.

This initial step was crucial for engaging local stakeholders, as VEDA seeks collaboration to support the successful realization of planned project activities.