A comprehensive approach is needed and a serious organization in Bulgaria so that we can establish tourism among the leading areas of cooperation with China. This is what Head of State Rumen Radev said taking a journalists’ question after his meeting with the CEO of the Chinese Tourist Corporation “Ctrip Corporation” Jane Jie Sun. The company is among the leading tour operators in the world and the Head of State visited its headquarters in Shanghai within his state visit to China.
Rumen Radev invited Jane Jie Sun to visit our country together with her team and to participate in an expert conference to strengthen the partnership in the sphere of tourism, which will lead to an agreement between the competent institutions in the two countries. In the President’s words, the Bulgarian Tourism Ministry should be more active and seek contacts with big tourist companies such as “Ctrip Corporation”, which is number one in the world in terms of online platform and the number of active users.
27,000 Chinese tourists choose to spend their holiday in Bulgaria per year, compared to the hundreds of thousands visiting other countries from Central and East Europe, which makes it necessary not only to improve the tourism packages, but also a more active advertisement. Rumen Radev thanked for the provided opportunity to our country by “Ctrip Corporation” to offer for free the most attractive information for tourist services that Bulgaria offers and also for its readiness to include it in its online platform.
Earlier the Bulgarian President delivered a lecture in the Shanghai University Jiao Tong. Within his visit the Head of State visited the Bulgarian research center at the university, which works to expand the bilateral partnership in the sphere of culture and education. The university is one of the oldest national schools of higher education in China. It is also the third ranking university in the Asian country. The Shanghai University Jiao Tong collaborates with the Bulgarian University for National and World Economy. Since January 2017 a Bulgarian-Chinese center for scientific programs and exchange of students between Bulgaria and China has been opened in UNWE.
Rumen Radev emphasized before the students that today not a single nation, no matter how big and strong it is, can cope on its own with the current challenges. Global phenomena such as climate changes, security, fighting poverty and counteracting terrorism require joint efforts and a global response. In the President’s words, the establishment of a strategic partnership between Bulgaria and China is namely a step towards the unification of ideas, approaches and actions in the name of peace and prosperity. “The leaders’ great task is not today, but to have an insight what is in store for us tomorrow,” Rumen Radev said and called on the young people to preserve their critical thinking and defend their ideas. The Head of State also voiced hope that a growing number of politicians will meet students so that they can see their viewpoint on the solutions which will define the future of the young people.