Feverish preparations on the Southern Black Sea Coast for the upcoming summer season. The first tourists are expected for Easter, and the business is actively looking for workers.
The industry promises 10% higher salaries than last year, but still reports a shortage of staff, BNT reported.
Around 200,000 people are needed in Sunny Beach alone. To get them, hoteliers want to hire more workers from third countries, which is proving to be a challenge after our accession to Schengen.
This hotel near Pomorie needs 400 staff. This year they will rely on more workers from third countries, as Bulgarians prefer year-round employment.
"Many of them have worked in the hotel industry and this gives hoteliers a sense of security. They come with certain knowledge and skills that are very suitable. There is no need to teach them, no need to show them. Especially if they are coming back for another season," said Georgi Hadzhiev, owner of the Agency for Hiring Workers from Abroad.
"I prefer to work with Bulgarian workers. I have certain people here, but they are few. You understand that there are no people in Bulgaria. For example - some arrived yesterday and lied to me that they can do this and that. It turned out that they can do nothing, they are illiterate. "I have signed about 30-40 people from Nepal, Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh," added Veselin Nalbantov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association.
Due to the slow procedures, preparations for issuing visas began back in November. The problem is particularly pronounced in India, where visas are also issued for Nepal, Sri Lanka and the entire region.
"If we are going to ask for help, for example, from our ministry, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the help is directed in this direction - to be able to increase the number of people, capacity and absolutely everything so that work visas can be issued," commented Stoyka Terzieva, hotel manager.
Our admission to Schengen additionally extends the process by 5 to 10 days.
"Because currently all countries in the Schengen area must provide confirmation for a given foreigner that he has the right to enter Bulgaria. If a year ago this was happening only from our embassy, now we need to receive confirmation from absolutely everyone," said Georgi Hadzhiev, owner of the Agency for Hiring Workers from Abroad.
Hoteliers are also afraid that some of the arrived workers may escape. The cases from last summer are not isolated.
"We have tried to fill it with more people, because we are aware that the same thing could happen, especially from Nepal," said Stoika Terzieva, hotel manager.
The most sought-after workers are for positions as cleaners, waiters and bartenders, and salaries range from 1,400 to 2,500 leva. Some of the hotels are opening at the end of April, and the first foreign workers are expected to arrive at the beginning of May.