Bulgarian Experts Demand Separate Tourism Ministry

Experts and representatives of a range of political parties have agreed on the need to establish a separate Tourism Ministry.

Bulgaria's goals and priorities in the sphere of tourism were discussed at a public discussion at the headquarters of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS).

The agenda of the discussion included six topics, including creating a Tourism Ministry, declaring the development of an all-year-round tourist season a national priority, and developing different types of specialized tourism, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio.

During the discussion, industry representatives demanded that some BGN 60 M be allocated to promoting Bulgaria as a tourist destination.

Krasimir Stanev, member of the Board of Directors of the Albena resort complex, complained that oversight and the enforcement of compliance with legal requirements in the sphere were inefficient, stressing that the government had to take firm measures to remedy the situation and curb the substantial share of illegal businesses in the sector.

Bayko Baykov, Chair of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators, stressed the need for accountability for the management of the sector, adding that it was subjected to various experiments.

Branimir Botev, caretaker Minister in charge of tourism, informed that tourism revenues had increased by 3.6% and the number of tourists by 6.7% in the first six months of 2014.