The economic boom and relative prosperity that businesses in Sofia are currently experiencing and the relatively new-found prosperity in which the capital's inhabitants are in the midst does have drawbacks.

As more and more international and local businesses alike discover that Sofia has many things going for it, there is an enormous squeeze on one of those attributes vital to a successful business - labour.

Due to a mixture of negative demographics and bright young graduates using their new-found freedom to exercise professions abroad, the supply of not only well qualified labour but also the supply of labour generally is starting to become a real thorn in the side for many businesses.

Throw the aforementioned statement in the melting pot together with the fact that new entrants on the labour market locally are often ill-equipped for the tasks that modern day employment requires, and it's easy to understand some of the frustrations human resources people face. Part of this frustration is down to the gap between the knowledge gained via the education system - which has proved itself to be more than comparable with anything the rest of Europe has to offer - and the skills set for which prospective employers look in the 21st century.

That is not to say that these are universal issues across all facets of all industries, but they do seem to be becoming a familiar talking point with those tasked to run and direct businesses.

So what's the relevance of all this to travel and tourism?

Well, think of all the hotels and tourist-facing enterprises that have mushroomed at the Black Sea and the ski resorts. The hotels in particular are "what the tourists have paid for" and today's traveller has become more discerning and more demanding. Gone are the days when a room over Spiro's taverna will suffice (as was the case in Greece) or some old Soviet-style edifice with half-board food, which even the local strays wouldn't touch (in Eastern Europe).

The world has moved on and so too, fortunately, has the Bulgarian travel industry, which, in terms of accommodation and resort infrastructure, has risen like a phoenix from the ashes, thanks largely to entrepreneurial spirit.

However, having great beaches, nice marble foyers and several swimming pools at your disposal is not entirely what makes or breaks the quality of a holiday: think service.

The quality of service is paramount to success, yet providing quality service depends very much on training - and it's this sort of training and the preparation to enter the leisure service or hospitality industry that can be left wanting.

Thousands of people this summer will work for the first time in the leisure and hospitality industry, yet many will not receive more than an elementary initiation to form or training.

There are some good reputable educational facilities around, such as the Albena College for Tourism and the SHMS (Swiss Hotel Management School) that are able to produce up-to-date and relevant teaching materials and thus prepare their students for the challenges ahead. However, these may be described as an oasis in the desert and many more quality educational facilities of their standard are required if Bulgaria is to remain a serious player in the European tourist industry.

The alternative is to rely on in-house training modules. In-house training goes far beyond a new recruit watching someone do his or her future job. The international branded hotels found locally such as the Hilton and Radisson have a noticeably professional approach to service and one can see in their staff the attention to detail and ordered service etiquette that has all stemmed from training.

Local hotels chains such as the Fair Play group, which owns and operates hotels such as Crystal Palace and Arena di Serdica, also embrace training as an asset to their business with the result being a noticeably proficient and service-orientated workforce.

It's not just the seasonal or labour-intensive aspects of the hospitality business that require attention; management is also an area that creates an issue for business owners. Some management still hangs around from the previous era, together with their lack of relevant skills and the knowledge required in today's fast-moving tourist and hospitality industry.

Several management-level hotel staff newly returned to these shores after stints abroad have commented to me how much they "didn't know" about the industry when they left here, despite their thinking to the contrary. All credit to them for returning home to the fray. However, that still leaves many facilities at the whim of ill-trained or even un-trained management, the qualities of which filter down through the ranks.

There is no quick-fix answer to the issues highlighted. Rather, a co-ordinated approach is required that ensures people are attracted to the leisure and hospitality industry. For them to be attracted, they need to have adequate and thorough training in modern techniques with access to up-to-date training materials. They need teachers and mentors that know the industry in practical terms rather than theoretical aspects. And finally, they need to have the safety of knowledge that a career path lays ahead of them where their skills can be used and valued.

Mark Thomas is managing director of Jamadvice HRG.