Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Eastern Europe

Azerbaijan Set for Starring Role at This Year’s ITB Berlin 2013

Aleksandr Shatskih

Tourism officials in Azerbaijan are busy finalizing their preparations in advance of next month’s ITB Berlin 2013, an event in which the Eastern European country is set to feature prominently as its official Convention & Cultural Partner.

Turkey to Build World’s Biggest Mega Airport

Aleksandr Shatskih

According to the Turkish Ministry of Transport, Shipping and Communications, the total number of airports inside Turkey will grow to 56, including the massive plans for a mega facility targeted for Istanbul 2020. The third Istanbul project in the North of the city will reportedly accommodate 150 million passengers a year. The projected cost of that facility is some €7 billion euro.

Danube Bridge Vidin – Calafat to Open on Europe Day

Aleksandr Shatskih

A new bridge which will unite Bulgaria and Romania, also known as Danube Bridge 2, will be ready for the official opening on May 9th, on Europe Day, Novinite.com reports. Boyko Borisov, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, announced that José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, and Johannes Hahn, the Regional Policy Commissioner will personally attend the opening ceremony on May 9th.

Non-EU Airports Had Bigger Growth in 2012 than EU Airports

Aleksandr Shatskih

Freight traffic and passenger traffic slowed down in Europe in 2012 as data from the European airport trade body, ACI EUROPE, reveals. Europe’s airports overall passenger traffic saw an increase of only 1.8% compared to 2011. Airports in the European Union countries had an increase of merely 0.2% in 2012 (and had been in recession since October), while non-EU airports saw an 8.8% increase. Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Iceland and Moldova are the leading countries from this point of view. In what freight traffic at European airports is concerned, it decreased by -2.8% during the last year.

Greece Targets Russian Tourists

Aleksandr Shatskih

Russia has recently become the go to market for countries seeking to boost tourism. Greece is the latest to hit the news with a Russia-focused strategy as 50 Russian tour operators are expected to attend a Greek-Russian tourism forum that will take place in Athens on Sunday, 10th of February at the Acropolis Museum. The […]

5 Romantic Destinations for Valentine’s in Eastern Europe

Aleksandr Shatskih

Love is a wonderful feeling and all the people who are happy in their relations would confirm that. Meeting THE one for you and spending the rest of your lives together, getting through the bad moments and enjoying all the great ones is for sure everyone’s dream. February becomes an international love month as Valentine’s Day starts to spread all over the world. Special offers for several nights, great packages including romantic dinners, relaxation moments and roses can be found in many cities. In the end, why not have a special day dedicated to love?

“Brand Bulgaria” Suspected of Conflict of Interest

Aleksandr Shatskih

Recently Bulgaria revealed new branding for tourism promotion. The new logo and slogan (“A Discovery to Share”) are to be used starting this fall in all promotional materials. But it is not as simple as that it seems, as the new identity is now criticized and the bid is now referred to the Prosecutor’s Office on suspicions of conflict on interests, Novinite.com reports.

Eastern Europe Scenic Bits: The Šar Mountains

Phil Butler

Situated in western Macedonia and southern Kosovo, there lies a wondrous place most readers will never have heard tell of. The Šar Mountains (Sharr) are some of the most remote and impassable peaks in the Balkans, in Europe in general in fact.

Poland’s Hidden Highlights: Five of the Best

Aleksandr Shatskih

From its rolling deserts in the north, to the expansive Alpine-esque Tatra Mountains in the south, Poland is choc-a-block with magical attractions vying for your attention. Today Argophilia takes a look at some of our favorite, less well known, Polish highlights.

Candoco Dance Company in Yerevan Today

Aleksandr Shatskih

The Candoco Dance Company is one of the world’s most prolific dance troop comprised of both disabled and non-disabled artists. Founded in 1991, the company is scheduled to give further performances in Yerevan coming up in March as well.