Our expectations for the summer tourist season are high, our optimistic forecast is a growth of 10%, and if it is above 10% it will be excellent. This was said by the Acting Minister of Tourism, Evtim Miloshev, in an interview with BNR. His optimistic forecast is based on his conversations with the industry, employers, tour operators and representatives of the sector.
„On Friday, we symbolically opened the summer tourist season. In Bulgaria, 70% of tourism is on the Black Sea and the summer season is our priority, Miloshev said.
And explained that we are in a post-covid era, and there is already a restoration of the tourist flow.
About the beaches, the minister said that this year with one more – a total of 23 have received the “blue flag”, which is a world standard for cleanliness. And the regional governors have a commitment to select the rescue teams on beaches that are not leased or under concession.
Regarding the security of tourists in the large complexes, Miloshev announced that he has Kalin Stoyanov's assurance and that after the elections on June 9, there will be police officers posted to our Black Sea resorts. In addition, there will be security officers from abroad, representatives of countries with the largest number of tourists in our country – Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, etc.
The business itself has an interest in improving its tourist product and constant control by the institutions – The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Agriculture, commented Minister Miloshev.
"Our water is clean and it should be known, we should not hate ourselves and create false news, rather we should know that we have something very good. I can say: Rediscover the Black Sea, go and touch it", recommended the Minister of Tourism.
He promised that he will not go on vacation, because it is unacceptable for the minister to rest in the height of the tourist season.
„I will be crucified if I take a break during the season. Every year I spend on the Bulgarian sea and I will rest if I am not a minister”, Miloshev vowed and shared that the ministerial post has turned his life around.
"In Bulgaria, this recovery was slower and in 2023 the levels of 2019 began to be reached, while in other countries comparable to us, it became faster. From the beginning of 2024, for the first 3 months, according to the European Tourist Commission, Bulgaria is in second place in terms of recovery compared to 2019, this is a good indicator. The second thing that gives us optimism is the weather since the beginning of May – the Easter and St. George's Day holidays, that according to rough data, tourist registrations are about 80,000 tourist registrations, which is a good start for the season", commented Minister Miloshev.
At the moment, he has to deal with two problems in tourism. The first is the VAT of tour operators. It is currently 9% and bookings have already been made since the end of last summer for the upcoming season. In reality, however, the tourist product will become more expensive, because from July 1 this year, the old rate of 20% returns.
„In organized tourism, selling the tourist product is pre-planned and such changes are not good. The big entries are from the end of last season. And now they start for the next season. This is a serious problem for business fairness and business logic. I am on the side of the state. But as a business logic, when it started in the conditions of 9%, it is incorrect and unfair to end in other conditions. As a ministry, we will raise the matter before the Ministry of Finance and if this happens, it will be a gesture to the sector, employers and businesses, argued the Minister of Tourism.
He identified the lack of staff as the biggest problem for tourism.
„The good thing that happened was this lobbying and the NA and it had the will to adopt the two amendments to the Law on Foreigners in Bulgaria regarding visas, but this does not solve the problem”, explained Miloshev.
According to him, the two amendments will ease the regime for foreigners from third countries, who will be able to extend their visas and stay here without returning to the country where the visa was issued.
For this year, workers are expected from Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, India, Bangladesh, because it turns out that the consular offices do not have the capacity. Miloshev is in talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send employees to consular services in countries in Asia.
"In India, enrollments are currently for the end of the year," said the minister.
Employers of large tourist sites along the Black Sea have promised Miloshev that they will give salaries 20% higher than last year.