Bulgaria is seeking to expand its appeal in the UK with a new advertising campaign around the slogan “Magic Lives Here.”

The campaign was launched to coincide with the country’s activities at the World Travel Market event in London, forming part of a wider marketing push to target Bulgaria’s main markets in Germany, Russia and the UK. The campaign aims to highlight some of the country’s lesser-known attractions, such as its spas, eco-tourism destinations and the richness of its culture and folklore. The Bulgarian minister of economy, energy and tourism, Traycho Traykov, explained the intentions behind the new campaign.

“Nearly 300,000 UK tourists visited Bulgaria in 2010,” said Mr Traykov. “With the help of the new advertising campaign our target is to increase this number to around 500,000 by 2020. A lot of people still assume that Bulgaria is a country for mainly cheap beach holidays and skiing but there are many other offerings which deserve to become much better-known.”

The minister pointed out that Bulgaria has over 40,000 ancient sites for visitors to visit, including nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, 330 different museums and 160 monasteries. He said the government has committed to investing over £65 million in the future of the country’s tourism industry, improving the infrastructure of the country and restoring and improving visitor attractions – from mountain trails and historical sites to ski resorts and beaches. He said that health and beauty facilities were fast becoming one of the country’s main attractions, thanks to the country’s natural resources.

“Our country is rich in mineral springs. We have more than 600 sites that provide endless opportunities for health and beauty treatments,” said Mr Traykov.