Fourth DETOCS Stakeholder Meeting in Bulgaria

On November 21, 2024, the fourth meeting under the DETOCS project—Decarbonising the Tourism Industry Post-COVID-19 Support—was held in the Council Chamber of Burgas Municipality. The event coincided with a session of the Advisory Council on Tourism to the Mayor of Burgas Municipality.

The meeting brought together a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives from public administrations such as Burgas Municipality, municipal enterprises, and the standing committees on Tourism, Science, Innovation, and Operational Programs, and International Cooperation and Civil Society Relations. Also in attendance were leaders from the Burgas Regional Tourist Chamber, the Burgas Regional Tourist Association, and the Bulgarian Association for Climatic Treatment and Health Tourism. Representatives from the State Enterprise "Port Infrastructure," Burgas Airport, Aleko Konstantinov College of Tourism, and the non-governmental sector also participated, while the Regional Energy Agency - Pazardzhik (REAP), a technical partner of the project, joined the meeting online.

During the session, the primary objectives and progress of the DETOCS project were presented. Experts from Burgas Municipality provided an overview of the Long-Term Program for Promoting the Use of Renewable Energy Sources and Biofuels (2021–2030), which will be updated as part of the project.

Participants also shared insights and best practices learned from visits to tourist sites in Chania, Crete, Greece, where energy-efficient solutions have been implemented. Bulgarian partners explored with attendees how similar approaches could be adapted to local conditions, promoting integrated green tourism in urban and tourist zones.

The meeting laid the groundwork for strengthening cooperation and implementing energy-efficient and sustainable practices in the tourism sector.