Background
Providing information for tourists and visitors of a certain place or region in Bulgaria is an area which needs development, improvement and accumulation of experience in collecting complete tourist information and publication of information materials. In 1997, in the framework of the Pirin and Rila Eco and Sustainable Tourism Project supported by the Know How Fund of the UK Government, the Pirin Tourism Forum (PTF) was established. This is a regional tourism organization uniting representatives of the municipalities of Southwest Bulgaria, tourist businesses and other partners. PTF is one of the 22 structures forming the National Tourism Council.

Assisted by British experts and in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Waters, the Ministry of Trade and Tourism, the National Center for Territorial Development and Housing Policy to the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Pirin National Park and local tourism organizations, PTF begins its activity for providing tourist information services with creating a tourism inventory of the region and publishing a series of leaflets entitled Get to Know the Pirin Region .

Practice
With the assistance of British consultants, PTF creates a complete regional tourism database, including a tourist services inventory, accommodation establishments and places to eat, attractions and events. To develop the electronic version of the information, detailed parameters describing each site are specified in collaboration with experts in the relevant field - nature, ethnography, tourism, etc. As part of the database, PTF develops a photographic collection of the Pirin Region, which features more than 2000 slides stored on magnet-and-optic disks and over 4000 pictures. A 22-minute film showing the most beautiful and attractive places in the region is produced.

The tourism inventory is conducted with the assistance of the municipalities, tourist businesses and other partners. It includes a full listing of nature spots and sites (land relief, climate, waters, flora, fauna, protected natural sites), heritage sites (archaeological and ethnographic sites, churches and monasteries, museums, folklore singers, local craft workshops, contemporary and traditional customs and holidays), branches of economy, infrastructure (roads, communications, transport, culture, sports, education, media, as well as commercial, public, health and bank services, etc.), accommodation establishments and places to eat, tourist companies, tourist products available.

PTF information strategy includes publication and dissemination of a set of detailed tourist information leaflets entitled Get to Know the Pirin Region , a monthly newsletter, interpretation panels and signing, direct contacts with tour operators, journalists, etc. Local private tourist businesses have the possibility to advertise their establishments in the PTF newsletter, thus contributing to the funding of the publication.

A series of 10 tourist information leaflets about the municipalities in the Pirin Region and a general brochure entitled Where to stay? , describing tourist accommodation in the region are produced. The leaflets are A3 format, printed on color paper, with a print run between 2000 and 3000 copies. They provide accurate, detailed and easy-to-use information about each municipal centre and the municipality itself. Especially useful are the detailed maps of the municipal centre and the municipality, marking all attractions, accommodation establishments and places to eat, with telephones included. The Pirin Region is the only place having such detailed publications available in Bulgarian and English.

The leaflets are attractively designed and inexpensive to produce. They can be easily reprinted since information changes quickly. These information materials are disseminated to all municipalities in the Pirin Region, tourist centres, museums, hotels and restaurants, educational institutions. Beyond the region they reach companies, journalists, tourist fairs etc. They are part of the PTF overall marketing strategy for publicising the Pirin Region.

Results

- Active partnership between the municipalities in the Pirin region, strongly supported by the local people;
- Complete regional tourist information database created on the basis of a tourism inventory of the region;
- A series of tourist information leaflets entitled Get to Know the Pirin Region and a colour promotional booklet in Bulgarian and English;
- Monthly PTF newsletter providing up-to-date information about every municipality on the territory of the region, featuring accommodation establishments and tourist services;
- A marketing strategy and detailed action plan for organizing and publicizing tourism in the region until the year 2000;
- Support for the establishment of information bureaus to the Tourism Councils in the region.