The municipalities of Plovdiv, Sofia, Kazanlak and members of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators participate through the national stand of the Ministry of Tourism within the world tourism expo - Tourism Expo Japan 2024 (TEJ).

TEJ is a forum launched in 2014 with the main objective of uniting the efforts of the public and private sectors to stimulate the tourism industry, develop regional economies and promote employment. As one of the world's leading tourism events shaping future travel trends, TEJ is evolving into a platform for the tourism industry and its stakeholders to promote themselves effectively to far-flung markets, including through direct marketing opportunities. In 2024, the main theme of the exhibition is "Travel, An Encounter With New Value Awaits", with more than 150,000 visitors annually, and more than 1,200 organizations from 70 countries and regions taking part as exhibitors.

The Municipality of Plovdiv presents itself with an information desk within the framework of the national stand, at which the Deputy Mayor for Culture, Archeology and Tourism Mr. Plamen Panov, Ms. Juliana Yordanova, Director of the Tourism Directorate and Ms. Milka Paralska, head expert in the same directorate present the cultural and historical landmarks, the event calendar of the city, the new sightseeings and the projects under implementation in Plovdiv.

"According to data from various sources in the field of tourism, 2024 is the first year in which international tourism is considered to have fully recovered, which necessitates persistent actions to attract more foreign tourists, including from Japan," said the Deputy Mayor Mr. Plamen Panov.

According to data from the Ministry of Tourism and NSORB, Japanese tourists are interested in the opportunity to visit Bulgaria and get to know the culture, art and history of our country. According to NSI data for 2023, the Japanese market is the second most important distant market for Plovdiv after USA. The participation of the Municipality of Plovdiv in this forum is an image boost for the city and contributes to the increase in the interest of Japanese tourists to it.

The forum was also visited by the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Evtim Miloshev, who, within the framework of the format, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of tourism between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Japan Tourism Agency.