Message from Ms. Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary Gala Ceremony of the National Tourism Board of Bulgaria
18.06.2026Dear Mr. Guergov,
Prof. Denchev,
Dr. Karastoyanova,
Dr. Zahariev,
I wish to thank you most sincerely for your invitation to attend, as Guest of Honour, the Gala Ceremony marking the 20th Anniversary of the National Tourism Board of Bulgaria.
It is with regret that I will be unable to join you on this occasion. The Gala coincides with our Executive Council, taking place in Toledo, which requires my presence.
I am especially sorry to miss this celebration given the active and constructive role that Bulgaria plays in UN Tourism, including as a member of our Executive Council.
Please allow me, nevertheless, to pay tribute to the important work of the National Tourism Board of Bulgaria over the past two decades. As the only Bulgarian Affiliate Member of UN Tourism and the largest employer organization in your country’s tourism sector, the Board has become an important bridge between public institutions and private investors.
Through this role, it has contributed to the shaping of Bulgaria’s tourism policy, strategy and regulatory framework. The scale of your achievements speaks for itself: more than 100 conferences and events, some 500 distinguished speakers and over 3,000 media publications generated in support of Bulgarian tourism.
It is particularly fitting that this anniversary is being celebrated under the patronage of the Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria, with the institutional support of the Ministry of Tourism and in partnership with national media and leading universities. This represents well-deserved recognition of the Board’s standing and of the trust it has earned.
On behalf of UN Tourism, I extend my warmest congratulations to the Executive Committee, the Supervisory Committee, the entire team of the National Tourism Board and all your partners on the occasion of this important anniversary.
I look forward to continuing our cooperation in the years ahead in support of a stronger, more sustainable and more resilient tourism sector.
Yours sincerely,
Shaikha Al Nuwais
