Promotional Tour for Presentation of New Tourist Products Was Conducted from 18Th to 21St February 2016

PROJECTS WITHOUT BORDERS

The promotional tour for presentation of new tourist products was conducted from 18th to 21st February 2016. The trip was conducted within the project „Towards the opportunities and challenges of sustainable cross-border tourism”, with contract № РД 02-029-183/18.06.2015, financed under the third call for proposals of Bulgaria – Turkey Cross-Border Programme, co-financed by the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. 16 representatives of tour operators and tour agents, touristic informational centres, hotel and restaurant owners as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations with activities in the field of tourism participated in the tour.

Objects included in the 5 new tourist packages created with the purpose to promote the cross-border region Haskovo-Edirne as an attractive tourist destination were presented during the trip.

Objects along the route Haskovo– Harmanli – Svilengrad – Mezek- Ivaylovgrad –Keshan – Enez - Uzunkopru – Edirne – Svilengrad – Harmanli – Haskovo were visited within 4 days.

“The Hunchbacked Bridge” (1585) in Harmanli – the only well-preserved stone bridge above Harmanliiska River, and the Old Bridge above Maritsa River in Svilengrad (1529) were visited.

The Thracian Tomb (IVcentury BC) and the Medieval fortress (IV century BC) were visited in the village of Mezek.

In Ivaylovgrad the participants visited Villa Armira (I – IV century) – a richly decorated Roman villa with mosaics, marble sculptures and coating.

The Byzantine Church – Turbe of Yunus Bey, conqueror of Enez, dated VI century – XV century and the Fortress (IVth millennium BC – XV century) were visited in Enez.

The participants visited the Church in Uzunkopru, built in memory of St. John and the longest stone bridge in the world (1392 m), built in 1426 – 1443.

A lot of cultural and historical monuments were visited in Edirne. The participants were acquainted with the history of the Macedonian (Clock) Tower, built in II century, during

Haskovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry 4 Tsar Osvoboditel Str. 6300 Haskovo-BULGARIA tel/fax: +359-38-66-11-12 [email protected] http://www.haskovocci.com/ the reign of Emperor Hadrian; the Selimiye Mosque (1569 -1575) – the peak in the classic Ottoman architecture with its adjacent Museum of the Turkish and Islam art and the Waqf museum with the rich collection of weapons, jewelleries and household items from Ancient Thrace till ХХ century; the Tower of Justice (1561), built during the time of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, where meetings of the Imperial Council and the Supreme Court were held.

The participants also saw the remarkable architecture of the old bridges – the Fatih Bridge, built during the reign of Sultan Mehmed Fatih above the Tundzha River, between the Tower of Justice and the Iron Gate in the Sarayiçi locality; the Gazi Mihal Bridge, built in ХIII century, with a rainwater disposal system, which makes it unique for its time; the Yildirim Bridge (1608 – 1615) – the last bridge above the Tundzha River before it flows in the Maritsa River; the Palace Bridge, built around 1560, connecting Edirne with the the Sarayiçi locality, where the Palace of the Sultan was situated; the Maritsa Bridge – one of the symbols of Edirne, with 13 stone pillars, finished in 1847.

The participants visited also the Bulgarian Church “St. Constantine and St. Elena”, built in the period 3 March - 25 September 1869, vivid evidence for the Orthodox architecture of that time.

The last place visited during the tour was the biggest covered bazaar in Edirne - Ali Paşa.

All destinations were visited with the purpose to be promoted as tourist objects deserving attention and arousing interest.

The participants expressed their satisfaction of the non-traditional tour as well as their readiness to include the new itineraries in their tourist programmes, as well as to promote the visited objects.

Haskovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry 4 Tsar Osvoboditel Str. 6300 Haskovo-BULGARIA tel/fax: +359-38-66-11-12 [email protected] http://www.haskovocci.com/