6. Free city tours as a marketing tool for presenting local tourist landmarks /following the example of the city of Plovdiv/

Author: Stefan Videv, Greta Hristeva

Abstract

The article deals with the city tours of foreigners in the city of Plovdiv organized and guided by a tour guide not connected or linked to any tourist agency or tour operator. Questions related to the profile of tourists visiting Plovdiv are discussed, also tourists’ motivation for visiting and their evaluation of the destination as well as the typical tourist behavior during the stay. Reasons are given justifying the need to develop travel packages that allow the extension of stay, diversification of offered tourist services and increase of the income from tourists, as well packages focused on young tourists who visit Plovdiv independently without using a travel agency.

Keywords: free city tour, tourist destination, city landmarks, tourists’ profile, tourist behavior during the stay, guide, assessment of stay.