site.btaSummer Tourism Outlook Not Critical but Concerning, Says National Tourism Board Deputy Chair

The situation regarding the upcoming summer tourism season is not critical but is concerning, National Tourism Board (NTB) Deputy Chairman Martin Zahariev said on Tuesday at a Tourism. Nature. Innovations. conference held at the University of Forestry in Sofia, with BTA as a media partner.

Zahariev said that early bookings in Italy and Spain are down by 20%, while in Bulgaria they are up by 3%. Some of Bulgaria’s key source markets, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, are showing a negative trend, with growth coming instead from Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland and Romania.

He also noted that kerosene prices have nearly doubled, warning that despite the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, shortages could still emerge. The European Commission, he said, claims that Europe has kerosene reserves for six months. "Bulgarian tourism is 100% dependent on air connectivity," Zahariev stressed.

He further pointed out that the country is still operating without a state budget, adding that a government is expected by the end of May and will need to urgently adopt one, as institutions are currently functioning on a one-twelfth basis of last year’s budget.

Zahariev said that the NTB 20th anniversary, part of which is being marked by the current event, will be celebrated on June 11 at the congress hall of the Hyatt hotel in Sofia, in the presence of President Iliana Iotova. On that occasion, the organization will present its mission for the next 20 years.

"Our task is to build and manage the international reputation of this country," he said, adding that changing Bulgaria’s image requires systematic and targeted efforts to develop the right policies.

He noted that the next step is an action plan aimed at reaching a final goal - the creation of a Brand Bulgaria fund, which, in his view, should be transparently and adequately financed by the state. The broader objective, he explained, is to ensure a common approach between the private sector and institutions.

Zahariev added that a strategic council has been established within the NTB in an open format, which met for the first time a week ago. "We have the task of developing an approach and proposing to the future government how to work on this issue in the long term," he said.