Comparative analysis of wine tourism in Macedonia and Bulgaria

Tourism as activity of people traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for leisure, business or other purposes is successful story of present time and has shown constant economic grown in past decades. The subject of this paper is comparative analysis of wine tourism in Macedonia and Bulgaria. Criteria for choosing these two countries are continental territory and candidate for accession to the European Union from Macedonia on the one hand, and membership in European Union and see border of Bulgaria on the other. The paper provides basic data for the two countries such as: population, number of international tourists, tourism and wine law, existence of a National Tourism Organization and promotion of wine tourism. Table showing government bodies responsible for tourism, national tourism development strategies concerning wine tourism is used to prepare a comparative analysis of two countries. For the purpose of this paper we use research methodology and secondary data sources by consulting official institutions and relevant literature of two countries. An analysis and review of selected documents has been made, based on systematical evaluation of their actual content. The paper concluding remarks are regarding the structure, differences and similarities of the wine regions and how the legislation and policy determine prospects and directions of wine tourism development in Macedonia and Bulgaria.