26. Current conditions and prospects for the development of tourism in the region of Plovdiv

The region of Plovdiv is one of the fastest growing areas in Bulgaria. The GDP per capita in the region for 2011 was EUR 8,318, which ranked it seventh in the country in terms of GDP.
After the severe economic crisis we are now witnessing a process of sustainable development. In this area there is a large concentration of businesses and foreign investments that are still growing, thus becoming an important factor for increasing the levels of employment.
Tourism in all its forms is strongly developed in the area. In 2013 there were 2,344 hotel and restaurant businesses that functioned in the area, or 6.7% of all businesses in the area. These enterprises produced an output of BGN 11,851,412 thousand, i.e. 1.9% of all production. This led to a growth of 112.58% when compared with the year 2012.
The development of the tourism industry in the region of Plovdiv is very dynamic. The fact that the city of Plovdiv has been chosen to be European Capital of Culture in 2019, presents even more excellent opportunities and prospects for the development of the tourism industry in the area.