site.bta Tourism Minister Discusses with Employer Organizations Tourism Sector Support Measures

Caretaker Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva held a meeting with nationally represented employer organizations and industry associations in the tourism sector to discuss the specific challenges the sector faces in connection with the Middle East conflict and possible short-term solutions, the Ministry announced on its website on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Bulgarian Industrial Association, the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association, who pointed to the rising costs of energy, fuel, and services, as well as the difficulties in fulfilling existing commitments amid the changed geopolitical and economic situation. According to them, this is putting pressure on the sector’s competitiveness on the eve of the summer season.

Georgieva said that the Ministry maintains an active dialogue with the industry and is seeking workable solutions within the framework of national and European instruments. "We are looking for solutions that can be implemented quickly and have a real impact on both business and consumers. It is important that actions be coordinated and aimed at maintaining stability in the sector," she said.

The Tourism Ministry's announcement read that options for stimulating domestic tourism and using vouchers as a form of compensation for cancelled trips were discussed. Employer organizations agreed on the need for measures to both stimulate demand through active advertising and optimize costs in order to maintain business sustainability.

At the end of March, while reviewing preparations for the summer season, Georgieva said that Bulgaria would position itself as a safe, welcoming, and affordable destination in the context of the complex geopolitical situation. Among the options for supporting businesses, she noted that a legal mechanism is being sought to defer tour operators’ obligations to customers for cancelled trips due to the conflict in the Middle East through vouchers, similar to the COVID model, while also recalling other compensation mechanisms for electricity and fuel.