Universities that teach tourism have set up their own association, based in Varna. The launch took place on 27 September, World Tourism Day, and 17 rectors backed the new body, tourism minister Ilin Dimitrov said.

"We should no longer talk about Bulgaria as a cheap destination, but as one that offers the best value for money," Dimitrov said at the launch.

The association brings together universities that want a better tourism product. Members will share know-how, bring in new ways of working and connect people across the industry, the minister said, so the focus shifts from quantity to quality.

The group also includes a new National Observatory for Tourism Research. It will track what is happening in the sector, so decisions are based on data, not gut feeling, Dimitrov explained. The research should also settle the argument over whether Bulgaria is expensive or cheap, and whether its service is any good.

Visitors will leave feedback through a QR code placed at every site that needs a category rating. The observatory will also pull data from payment systems, the tax agency and the social security institute, but it will group the results by destination rather than by individual business.

Mayors who ask for it will get reports on their own region, showing what tourists don't like and what needs to change.

The observatory's first report will give an accurate picture of Bulgarian tourism, and further reports will follow regularly. Each one will show clearly how the industry is developing, the minister believes.

For now the association covers only Bulgaria. Members from the Balkans are expected to join next year, and later from across Europe, with the goal of making it a worldwide organisation by the end of 2029. Dimitrov is counting on support from the UN World Tourism Organization to reach that status.