Japanese Tourists visit Bulgaria because of Sumo Wrestler

The Sofia Echo, 2nd November 2006

The number of Japanese tourists interested in visiting the birth place of Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kaloyan Mahlianov Kotooshu is going up.

Nearly 30 per cent more foreign tourists are expected to visit his birth city of Veliko Turnovo in 2006 as compared to figures for 2005, Veliko Turnovo mayor Roumen Rashev said.

Kotooshu was rather popular in Japan and this is what caused the steady growth in the number of Japanese visits Veliko Turnovo, Rashev said as quoted by BGNES Sport agency.

The number of American tourists has also increased, said Rashev.

Rashev said that Veliko Turnovo attracted foreign tourists through the cultural, spa and sport tourism opportunities it offered.

Neatly 11 000 people visited Bulgarian spa hotels in Veliko Turnovo, BGNES reported. Foreigners coming to the city were mainly from France, Italy and the UK.

Foreign interest in spa tourism was on the rise. The number of foreign tourists who visited Velingrad and its spa centres went up by 18 per cent in 2006, BGNES reported.



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