Eng. Krasimir Koev, head of the Executive Agency on Vine and Wine, spokein an interview with FOCUS News Agency about the European Day of Wine Tourism, which is held for the first time in Bulgaria's second-biggest city of Plovdiv
 

“Bulgaria has century-old traditions in wine production and wine tourism as a sector has not yet developed its full potential in the country,” he said.
 

“After we develop it [the potential], more tourists and wine lovers will visit Bulgaria and have the chance to become familiar with our wine that has century-old traditions here and worldwide. We hail this idea; all natural landmarks, historical and church monument that have not been visited and developed enough will be made popular through it,” Koev pointed out.
 

He added this would additionally stimulate the economy and promote Bulgaria and tourism in general.
 

As regards the activity of advertising wine tourism in the country, Krasimir Koev opined it could always be better.
 

“Bulgarian wine is in the world’s top 5 in terms of quality,” the expert remarked.
 

“In terms of the amount of produced wine, we are in the world’s top 20. In terms of the quality of produced wines, we are in the world’s top 5. This is not simply a statement or opinion of mine but is based on all 370 awards, 150 of which gold ones, that our wines won at world competitions last year and the year before last year,” Krasimir Koev commented.
 

In his words, this best attests to the fact foreigners taste our wine and have a high opinion of it in blind tasting without knowing where it was produced.
 

“Due to the new vineyards and new technologies in wineries we have not only maintained a stable quality over the past years but it has increased each year,” the specialist was explicit.