BULGARIA participated in the Vakantiebeurs tourism fair in Utrecht in the Netherlands from January 11 to 16.
This was the sixth time Bulgaria participated in the event. Among those taking part were Terra Bulgaria, Albena, Across Europe, Tempora Travel, Astral Holidays, Eurocult and the municipality of Smolyan. Vakantie-beurs, which was first held in 1970, last year attracted 1237 exhibitors and 176 000 visitors. The number of visitors from the Netherlands to Bulgaria in January to November last year was 24 967, an increase of more than 19 per cent compared to the previous year. In 2003, 21 726 Dutch tourists came to Bulgaria, a 31.55 per cent increase over 2002.
Dimitar Hadjinikolov, the Deputy Minister of the Economy, whose portfolio includes the tourism sector, sounded an optimistic note with a projection that the number of foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria would reach 5.5 million in the next two years.
Speaking at a tourism conference on January 7, Hadjinikolov said that it was expected that Bulgaria's tourism revenue would exceed 2.5 billion euro in 2007.
Foreign holidaymakers to Bulgaria numbered more than 3.7 million in January to November last year, an increase of 14.45 per cent year-on-year, and in that period the country's revenue from tourism was about 1.6 billion euro. According to previously released Bulgarian National Bank figures, tourism revenue in the whole of 2003 was 1.46 million euro.
Hadjinikolov said that in the next few years, about 25 000 new beds would come on to the tourism market through three-star, four-star and five-star hotels. This would mean an additional 22 000 staff would be required in the tourist industry each year, he said.
Given that this raised the issue of the proper training of tourism industry staff, he noted that this year a tourism staff training programme was to be launched with the support of the government of the Netherlands.
In a separate but related development, a new ordinance on rules for hotel categorisation was published on January 7. The new ordinance puts the definition of the categorisation of local tourist complexes into the hands of the Economy Ministry and municipal authorities.
The Economy Ministry will be in charge of categorising two, three, four and five-star hotels, motels, hotel villages, camping sites, recreation complexes and villas, and of independent restaurants and entertainment facilities, which are at least three star.
These categorisations will be decided on the basis of proposals by a group made up of representatives of the Economy Ministry, the state agency for tourism, and national sector organisations.
Mayors will be entitled to categorise family hotels, one-star hotels, motels and hostels, and up to two-star restaurants and entertainment facilities.
The categorisation of tourist complexes will be based on compliance with minimum compulsory requirements for construction, furniture, equipment, services, and professional and language skills of staff.
In Sofia, there was considerable interest in media reports about bids to buy the five-star Hilton Hotel.
According to Bulgarian-language daily 24 Chassa, Sibex of France, which owns 40.3 per cent of the Hilton Sofia, was looking to sell the stake. Sofia municipality holds 21.64 per cent of the hotel. The other large stakeholders are Hilton London (19.7 per cent) and construction company Glavbolgarstroy (18.36 per cent).
Bulgarian-language daily Dnevnik said that Bulgarian companies the Victoria Group, which owns luxury hotels on the Black Sea, in Pamporovo and Plovdiv, and Slanchev Den, which owns a seaside resort and inland hotels, were bidding to buy the hotel, while two foreign companies also had shown interest in the hotel.
According to Dnevnik, Victoria Group had been in talks with the Hilton's owners to buy a majority stake in the hotel for more than two months, and negotiations were expected to be completed within the next month and a half.
Bulgarian-language daily Sega said that, besides France's Sibex and Sofia municipality, Glavbolgarstroy would also negotiate with potential investors for its shares in the Hilton hotel.
"We are interested in selling the stock, because we cannot be an active factor, and we cannot expect to receive any dividends in the near future," the construction company's chief executive Evgeni Marinov was quoted as saying by Sega.
Meanwhile, record warm temperatures were viewed with concern by those who hoped to head for ski resorts as the winter season neared its peak.
But the warm weather across the country had not ruined the season for skiers in the resort of Bansko in Mount Pirin, or disturbed business for the local tourist industry, according to Bansko Ski Centre chief executive Ivan Obreikov.
He told Bulgarian news agency BTA on January 12 that all skiing facilities in the resort were operational, except for one short trail.
With clear skies and air temperatures above zero degrees Celsius, the snow cover on most ski runs was 20 cm thick, but there were occasional bare spots. The resort has more than 40 snow machines.