Elena Ivanova

Most hotels in the largest seaside resort in Bulgaria - Sunny Beach will close for the season by September 10. The reason is the lack of charter flights and tourists to choose the months of September and October for their summer vacation.

Valeri Simeonov, deputy prime minister in charge of the economy and the social sector from the nationalist United Patriots coalition, who staged a series of nocturnal raids on noisy discos in Sunny Beach at the weekend, warned on Monday that he will extend his personal crackdown to other tourist resorts.

Global pizza brands Domino's and Papa John's are preparing an assault on Russia's provinces, betting they can turn a profit far from Moscow as online card payments become more widespread and consumers get to know foreign brands better.

Facing a serious problem with a shortage of workers ahead of the summer season, Bulgaria's booming tourist industry is seeking to employ foreign workers to meet the growing demand.

According to representatives of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, tourism in Bulgaria still maintains the best price to quality ratio.

The statement was made following the appeal Bulgarian PM Boiko Borisov made in Parliament, asking citizens to stay in Bulgaria over the upcoming Easter holidays, as reported by the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

Bulgarian hoteliers will stage a protest Wednesday at a section of the Burgas- Sunny Beach near Aheloy to demand a separate ministry of tourism and a solution to a number of other problems.

"Tourism is a fundamental sector of Bulgarian economy," said Sunny Beach owners' union chairperson Elena Ivanova, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

Bulgaria's hospitality industry has recorded a recent 20% decline in the early bookings of tourists from Germany, Britain and the Scandinavian countries.