From Mavrud to BLEND: Regenerative Ideas Emerging from Bulgaria’s AGORA Workshops

In 2025, the Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals (BAWP) completed a full cycle of national workshops under AGORAWork Package 4, bringing together professionals from across Bulgaria’s wine and tourism ecosystem to explore how regenerative tourism principles can be applied in practice. These workshops marked an important phase of the project, testing AGORA’s tools and methodologies in real local contexts and supporting communities in designing experiences that restore, enrich and strengthen the places they depend on.

The learning journey unfolded in several formats. It began with an online introduction to the foundations of regenerative tourism, where participants examined how tourism can move beyond sustainability towards actively renewing local nature, culture and community life. The discussion emphasised the central role of local identity and collaboration for developing meaningful and resilient wine tourism experiences. This theoretical grounding later proved valuable during the on-site workshops.

The field sessions, held at The Old Nest in the Eastern Rhodopes, allowed participants to experience regeneration firsthand. The location itself offered a powerful demonstration of what regenerative tourism looks like in practice: a 200-year-old traditional home restored with care, natural materials and minimal intervention; buildings harmoniously integrated with the landscape; open spaces shaped by nature; and a hospitality model built around local food, family recipes, and collaboration with local farmers. The silence of nature, the surrounding cliffs and the rare opportunity to observe the protected local vultures added emotional depth to the learning environment. Here, participants worked together using design thinking tools, mapped real customer journeys, experimented with the SCAMPER method and created service blueprints rooted in local strengths and community values.

Последният етап от семинарите беше фокусиран върху превръщането на идеите в структурирани туристически предложения. Участниците работиха заедно, за да разработят ново регенеративно национално преживяване – концепцията BLEND. Тази рамка стана основа за нова национална брошура за винен туризъм, представяща българското вино през призмата на принадлежността, любовта, преживяванията, природата и откривателството. BLEND по-късно се превърна в печатна брошура и пет тематични видео презентации, представени на 9-та глобална конференция на ООН за винен туризъм в Пловдив през октомври 2025 г. Наред с това групата работи по адаптирането на съществуваща инициатива – Международният ден на мавруда – като обогати градските винени фестивали с възможност за регионални щандове, по-задълбочени истории, майсторски класове и по-активно участие на общността. Адаптираният модел започна да се прилага още по време на фестивалите през 2025 г.

Feedback across all workshops was consistently positive. Participants reported a marked improvement in their understanding of regenerative tourism, with most rating their clarity as very high. They expressed strong motivation to apply the tools learned and highlighted the value of working together across professions. The hands-on sessions, especially the BLEND development, the SCAMPER activity and the service blueprint work, were among the most appreciated. Participants identified persistent barriers such as limited funding, lack of digital infrastructure and the need for stronger local cooperation, but they also demonstrated readiness to address these challenges collectively.

The Bulgarian workshops showed clearly that regenerative tourism is not an abstract concept but a practical direction for development in wine regions. Many wineries already embrace local storytelling, nature-connected hospitality and collaboration with their communities, which places them in a favourable position to pioneer regeneration as a strategic direction. The workshops strengthened networks, built new shared visions and supported the creation of tools that will continue shaping Bulgaria’s wine tourism identity.

The outcomes – from the BLEND brochure to the renewed concept of International Mavrud Day – illustrate how co-creation can generate real value for communities, visitors and local ecosystems. BAWP’s involvement in AGORA demonstrates the potential for Bulgaria to shape a distinct, community-based and regenerative wine tourism model aligned with European trends and global expectations.