Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Elisabeth Bleiker from Switzerland: Bulgaria must remain authentic to intrigue European tourists

Photo: BTA

The Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association has presented its annual awards for professional achievements in the field of tourism, in which it also distinguished the work of Swiss Elizabeth Bleecker in promoting Bulgaria as a tourist destination in three countries – Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We were surprised to find that Elisabeth Bleiker's interest in Bulgaria began long before she met her Bulgarian husband. She was only 19 years old at the time, and what provoked her curiosity was the millenia-old Bulgarian history.


Born and raised in a family of a farmer and writer in a Swiss village high in the mountains, Elizabeth admits that she had always dreamed of growing wings so she could fly and explore the world. She follows her dream, and today she manages to inspire European travelers to discover the beauty of our homeland. How do her recommendations to visit Bulgaria reach potential tourists from the three countries?

"Thanks to my profession and my husband's work, I have an extremely wide circle of acquaintances. Everyone asks me what we do in Bulgaria where we live for three months every year. So, I tell them about what they can experience and see if they visit the country. Thanks to my contacts, I also try to convince several travel agencies to offer a wider range of travel packages for Bulgaria, not just vacations on the Black Sea coast. I talk about the rich cultural and historical heritage, the Bulgarian monasteries, the mountains, the numerous mineral springs and the opportunities for spa and wellness holidays," Swiss Elisabeth Bleiker tells Radio Bulgaria.


Elisabeth has her own private practice as a psychiatrist, and her husband has worked for many years to attract Swiss investors to Bulgaria. Today, however, she is no longer involved in this, and the couple lives in Zurich. Their connection with Bulgaria though remains uninterrupted also thanks to the news and varied content of Radio Bulgaria. Elisabeth also often listens to the German-language podcast of Radio Bulgaria "Bulgaria Today", which we prepare every weekday, where we talk about different aspects of life in Bulgaria, lead the audience on interesting routes and immerse them in the diversity of Bulgarian music and traditions.

The surprising advice from Elisabeth Bleiker is that Bulgaria should not rely too much on tourism advertising. The explanation is that there are many examples of destinations in Italy and Spain, where overtourism is observed, to deal with which local authorities are forced to introduce various restrictions and fees.

"Bulgaria must remain authentic with its beauty, delicious and diverse cuisine, hospitality and rich culture and history, as it is at the moment. This is precisely what attracts the people I communicate with and makes them want to return to the country again and again."


You can hear the full interview of Joan Kolev with Elisabeth Bleiker from Switzerland on the German-language webpage of Radio Bulgaria.


Photos: BTA 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Anna Tertychna

200,000 Ukrainians have found temporary shelter in Bulgaria

Over 3.5 million Ukrainians have arrived in or passed through Bulgaria since the beginning of the war. Nearly 200,000 people have found temporary shelter in the country, announced Anna Tertychna from the Ukrainian Embassy in Bulgaria. She..

published on 11/29/24 5:12 PM
Prof. Bettany Hughes

Prof. Bettany Hughes: Bulgaria is a very special place

At the Bulgarian Embassy in London, Prof. Bettany Hughes presented excerpts from the new BBC series - Wonders of Bulgaria. Prof. Bettany Hughes is the author of two episodes of the documentary. Hughes is a historian, writer, author of..

published on 11/29/24 1:40 PM

Cardiovascular conditions are the main cause of death in Bulgaria

According to the Annual Report on the Health Status of Bulgarian Citizens for 2023, t he main cause of death in Bulgaria is diseases of the cardiovascular system (61.1%), followed by oncological diseases (16.5%) and diseases of the respiratory system..

published on 11/28/24 1:57 PM