The fourth largest city in Bulgaria, Burgas, is located on the Black Sea before political issues in the area took center stage, was seeing a promising cruise outlook.

“Before the political issues in the Black Sea we were doing pretty well, increasing the number of ship calls and passengers year over year,” said Dian Dimov, executive director of the port.

“As ships have left Istanbul and Odessa, it has affected all the ports in the Black Sea, even if we don’t have safety or political problems,” Dimov said.

To put it in context, from a high of 50,000 passengers, Burgas is hoping for 5,000 this year.

Burgas operates a brand new passenger terminal for cruise ships, and is also renovating a warehouse to turn it into a second passenger terminal, which will include a maritime museum.

“It could be finished as early as August,” Dimov said. There are also plans for the waterfront-development of the entire Terminal East which includes a new project “The Zone for Public Access” оr “Super Burgas” that will open the port to visitors and locals.

The port and city are hoping to host the 2020 MedCruise General Assembly.