On 23 April, Varna University of Management hosted the national workshop “Knowledge and Skills for Tourism in the Blue Economy” in Varna as part of the CodeBlue Project initiative and the European Maritime Day in My Country campaign.

The event brought together more than 70 participants, including representatives from academia, business, public institutions, the expert community, and students. The workshop served as a platform for discussing the sustainable development of coastal communities and tourism in Bulgaria and across Europe.

Among the key topics presented and discussed were:

• the results of the CodeBLUE national study on knowledge and skills needs in the sector;
• current trends in the development of the blue economy in Bulgaria;
• the importance of human capital and education for sustainable growth;
• examples of good practices from the tourism and culinary sectors;
• opportunities for stronger alignment between education and labour market needs.

The programme concluded with an inspiring culinary demonstration that highlighted the connection between innovation, local products, maritime identity, and sustainable tourism experiences.