Bulgaria - Tourism Higher Education

In 1965, there was opened the first Department of Economics and Organization of Tourism in Bulgaria with a 4.5 academic year program. During the years of the socialist period many Bulgarian and foreign students graduated tourism major. Their interest was based on the philosophy of training which provides knowledge not only for the economy and tourism management in a centralized planned economy, but also for the market economy, international environment and skills needed to understand international conditions for tourism development. From the early period of democracy (1989) tourism education system in Bulgaria is generally concerned with its legal division into high school professions and university specialties (faculties). From 1997 Bulgaria adopted the classical approach for the academic levels of higher education and implemented the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The Assessment of the current situation of higher education in tourism in Bulgaria is based on SWOT analysis. The Opportunities concerned with the qualitative higher specialized training in tourism should enhance the efficiency of knowledge along with the formation of competencies and skills.