The results of the summer tourist season are still below the levels of the pre-pandemic 2019. Among the reasons for this are the war in Ukraine, the absence of German tourists, rumors of sea water pollution and flooding along the Southern Black Sea coast, which led to a shorter season. As a result, many hotels are on the verge of survival, according to the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association.
According to the organization, a number of measures would help business – maintaining the 9% VAT rate, extending internships for students from vocational schools, allocating more funds for advertising the country’s tourism product and for staff training. It is necessary to emphasize more the quality of the service and the merits of Bulgarian tourism, the organization also points out.
A normal summer season, better than last year, but still weaker than the one in 2019, report hoteliers and restaurateurs.
Georgi Shterev, chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, explained to BNR that the summer season is relatively short – 45 to 60 days.
“The lack of Germans who come for 10 to 14 days makes the average stay shorter. Poles and Romanians are the main force. Their stay is of the order of a week. With Romanians, it’s for the weekend. We are the only country that did not develop its internal market during Covid. The cost part is extremely high. In the revenue department – you cannot afford to grow at the same pace. In the end, it’s a matter of survival,” he commented.
According to Atanas Dimitrov – deputy chairman of the organization, there are customers for every price category of an establishment.
“It simply reduces the stay in the establishment itself. The bills are also shrinking a bit. But I don’t see any concern at the moment. What worries us are the government’s indications of an increase in VAT. This will logically raise prices and decrease consumption,” he admitted.
The reduction of VAT to 9% in tourism was an anti-crisis measure, reminds Atanas Dimitrov. It is aimed at stimulating business, which has its own specifics. It is important that the 9% VAT rate remains.
“Throughout Europe, a differentiated rate is charged for this type of service. Countries that want to develop their tourism emphasize this sector. In destinations such as England, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Croatia, a differentiated rate is imposed. We have a strong case for holding the rate. It is economic. We will give our suggestions. We had an invitation from the Ministry of Finance. We hope there will be an audibility to preserve the business,” he pointed out.
And this year, the branch had to solve the problem of finding staff, pointed out Georgi Shterev.
“We found a way out by importing from abroad – Sri Lanka, India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. Colleagues are satisfied with the discipline of these cadres,” he explained.
“It is necessary to have greater activity on the part of the state to enter into its regulatory functions, says Veselin Nalbantov, who is the deputy chairman of the organization.
dnes.bg
