Yambol, Southeastern Bulgaria, August 23 (BTA) - "We expect between 7 and 10 per cent growth of tourism until the end of the year compared to 2016, with more than 5,700,000 overnight stays. State budget revenues from this sector topped 2,400 million leva for the first half of the year, which is 13 per cent more than in 2016," Bulgarian Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova told journalists here on Thursday.

Large tour operators say that Bulgaria is increasingly becoming a destination for high-quality rather than low-cost tourism. Some of them have expressed intentions to build 5-star hotels in this country. "The status of our national resorts needs to be defined, as well as the activities that can be carried out there. The places for family holidays and for sight-seeing tourism should be differentiated from party destinations and other types of recreation," Angelkova said.

Eleven wine culture routes will be launched in Bulgaria until the end of the year in response to the keen interest that foreign tourists take in inland trips, she noted.

On Wednesday the Tourism Minister toured the Thracian and Ancient City of Kabyle near Yambol.