In 2009, a state-owned company in Shanghai launched a yogurt on the market under the brand name "Musiliyan, as the village of Momchilovtsi is called in China. The еmergence of this product was accompanied by a large-scale advertising campaign, and the name of the Rhodope village quickly gained popularity in the Asian country, becoming a synonym for health and longevity. 

• Chinese Survivor in Rhodope’s Momtchilovtsi

• Bulgarian yoghurt appreciated by over 2 billion consumers worldwide

Soon, the first Chinese tourists arrived. Chinese promotional videos were filmed in the village, and even an entire season of the Chinese version of the reality show Survivor was shot there. ''At that time, the 7 participants in the reality show lived in people's homes and took part in their everyday activities- collecting hay, harvesting potatoes, etc.", recalls the Mayor of Momchilovtsi, Siyka Surkova:

"This sparked the interest of the Chinese to visit Momchilovtsi, to learn about the village and to experience the mystique felt by the team (of the Chinese company producing the Musiliyan yogurt) when they came for a survey, even before the brand became a reality. What impressed them the most was the village's geographical location, the beautiful nature, the kindness of the local people and the starry sky. The Chinese say they have never seen so many stars in one place, so close to them!"

Similar to many Asian countries, strict travel restrictions related to Covid-19 were lifted late in China as well. It wasn't until 2024 that the local tourism market began to revive and interest in Momchilovtsi returned.

"Little by little, we are starting to reach the pre-pandemic levels", says Siyka Surkova. Most Chinese tourists come during the three-day yogurt festival, which is organized together with our Chinese partners. During that time, the delegation from China includes representatives from the yogurt manufacturing company and various local influencers. They are so impressed that they keep sharing information with their Chinese consumers. As a result, our village is gaining more and more popularity."

Recently, Momchilovtsi and the entire Smolyan region participated in a major tourism exhibition in the Chinese city of Ningbo. "We had the opportunity to promote ourselves as a tourist destination with a focus on Momchilovtsi", said Momchil Karaivanov, a representative of the "Friends of China" Society in Smolyan.

"The idea is to make the Smolyan region, through Momchilovtsi and the surrounding area, recognizable on the Chinese tourism market, because their middle class numbers around 300-500 million, and these are people who can afford to travel. We expect increased interest from Chinese tourists in the entire region as soon as tourist exchange becomes easier with our entry into Schengen and the potential opening of a direct tourist line between our two countries", said Momchil Karaivanov.

Meanwhile, Chinese language courses are held in Momchilovtsi. The training is organized every summer with the assistance of the Confucius Institute in Sofia.

"The interest in this course grows year after year. Participants come from all over Bulgaria and join the training with great enthusiasm. Local people also take part. Thus, when they welcome Chinese tourists, they will be able to greet them in their language and exchange a few words. This is not an easy language, but those who are more motivated manage to learn a lot", says Siyka Surkova in conclusion.