Maria Bakalova has been named an ambassador of Destination Bulgaria by the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism, and will promote the diversity of Bulgaria as a tourist location in her new role.

The actress was called 'a beacon of inspiration and pride for the country and its youth', and commented 'I am proud and honoured to be able to call myself a Bulgarian. To come back home after being away for so long I can feel my love for our beautiful country even more profoundly. As the first generation born into democracy we can finally look to a bright future without boundaries where our talent is celebrated globally. We will continue to share our culture and our gifts with the world and we look forward to welcoming more new people to travel to our country. I am honoured to be named Ambassador of Destination Bulgaria and I wish that more people visited our homeland and really felt the magic of Bulgaria'.