The potential for the development of Sofia and Plovdiv within the framework of Bulgaria’s "Destination Balkans" initiative was one of the topics discussed during a meeting between Bulgaria's Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh, Montenegro’s Tourism Minister Simonida Kordić. Montenegro’s Transport Minister Maja Vukičević and representatives of local authorities in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Tourism announced.

Ministers Borshosh and Vukičević emphasized that "Plovdiv is exceptional in historical terms and few European cities can boast such an extraordinary wealth, not just for Bulgaria but for the entire region. During the meeting, Sofia was presented as one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the region. In 2024, the Bulgarian capital had over 1.2 million tourist registrations, with the main flows coming from Italy, Romania, Turkiye, Greece, Spain, the UK and Israel.

In February, Sofia will host the annual B40 Mayors’ Forum, which brings together mayors of Balkan cities and capitals. This year's forum will focus on improving transport connectivity in the region – a key factor for facilitating tourist travel, according to BTA.