Updated: 2006-03-04

  Tourism Authority Lands Hand to Sofia 2014

  Business

  Bulgaria's Tourism Authority has declared its full support and cooperation to Sofia 2014 bid.

  The recently appointed tourism chief Mario Al-Jebouri and Sofia Mayor Boyko Borissov signed an agreement for strengthening the administrative and expert capacity of the two institutions to improve the bid's chances to win.

  As part of the accord, the municipality and the state agency will develop Sofia's tourist infrastructure and plan joint events promoting the hosting of 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

  Plans provide that Bulgarian venues, organized outside the capital city as well. Under the concept, the mountain pearls of Borovets and Bansko will focus the main activities to be part of the Olympic games.

  The project would cost more than USD 1 B to build, most of that for the alpine center at Bansko. The bid budget is seen at approximately USD 13 M.

  The first phase of the assessment by the IOC will be complete by June 22. Until then a group of experts and representatives of international sports federations will thoroughly assess the qualities of each city's bid.

  Seven cities will compete with Olympics 2014 bids, including also Salzburg, Almaty, Sochi, Borjomi, PyeongChang and Jaca.

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