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Fri, Feb 10 2012
Drastic decline in tourism in Bulgaria's capital
Photo: Wikipedia
The number of tourists in Sofia declined drastically during the first half of 2009, compared to the corresponding period in 2008, a press statement from Sofia municipality has revealed.
The first six months of 2009 saw a little more than 112 000 tourists in the capital, a substantial drop from the 293 000 for the same period last year. The report from the municipality attributed the decline to the global economic downturn.
According to statistics, the average stay of foreigners in Sofia is three days and the purpose of their visit is predominantly business. The vast majority of tourists in 2009 originated from Greece, Turkey and Macedonia, followed by Italy and France. According to different media reports, there has been a considerable drop in British and Irish tourists.
Since the turn of 2009 more than 200 establishments have received accreditation for business in the tourist sector, mainly in the sphere of fast food service, coffee shops and bars, said Stoyan Lazarov, head of the Tourist Service in a statement quoted by Dnevnik daily.
However, this appears to have been more or less offset by the fact that more than 170 establishments had been closed within the same period due to the economic crunch - again in the business sphere. Moreover, sustained surveillance conducted by agents from the Tourist Service had revealed that many establishments had employed young people who were "severely lacking in professional qualifications and capacity, so contributing to the poor and inadequate service within the aforementioned establishments", the report said.
Worse still, a number of establishments were caught operating with forged accreditations, and were subsequently ordered to close.
The first six months of 2009 saw a little more than 112 000 tourists in the capital, a substantial drop from the 293 000 for the same period last year. The report from the municipality attributed the decline to the global economic downturn.
According to statistics, the average stay of foreigners in Sofia is three days and the purpose of their visit is predominantly business. The vast majority of tourists in 2009 originated from Greece, Turkey and Macedonia, followed by Italy and France. According to different media reports, there has been a considerable drop in British and Irish tourists.
Since the turn of 2009 more than 200 establishments have received accreditation for business in the tourist sector, mainly in the sphere of fast food service, coffee shops and bars, said Stoyan Lazarov, head of the Tourist Service in a statement quoted by Dnevnik daily.
However, this appears to have been more or less offset by the fact that more than 170 establishments had been closed within the same period due to the economic crunch - again in the business sphere. Moreover, sustained surveillance conducted by agents from the Tourist Service had revealed that many establishments had employed young people who were "severely lacking in professional qualifications and capacity, so contributing to the poor and inadequate service within the aforementioned establishments", the report said.
Worse still, a number of establishments were caught operating with forged accreditations, and were subsequently ordered to close.
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Appointments
British Council
Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.
CEZ
Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.
BASF Bulgaria
Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.
Rompetrol Bulgaria
Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.
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The Sofia Echo
"Valeri:
Spare me your stupid anti-American rants. Americans have more productivity in their little finger than most people around the world do. I know, I spent 24 years working there"
Sure, if only work was all there is to life, you wouldn't be running back for 3 months of the year. So between your 3 months in BG and I am assuming some traveling outside BG and US, it seems to me that you may be avoiding spending too much time in the US.
Why is that?
[...]
Read the full comment />
Janelle: I have seen what you talked about. My experience in BG is spending 3 months a year there, ever since 2000. I am treated wonderfully by my Bulgarian colleagues, and usually at least OK by Bulgarians who do not know me. But I have seen how horrible Bulgarians treat each otehr.
Think what a nice country BG would be if only Bulgarians treated each other the way they treat their foreign colleagues.
Valeri: Spare me your stupid anti-American rants. Americans have more productivity in their little finger than most people around the world do. I know, I spent 24 years working there.
I know how bad the Bulgarian "work ethic" can be. I have Bulgarian acquaintances who own and operate restaurants in Sofia. They have lazy sh*ts for workers. They stand around in the kitchen or at the bar, smoking and talking together, ignoring their customers.
I suggested firing a couple of the worst to set an example. They said it doesn't work. The [...]
Read the full comment replacement hires are just as bad as the original brats spoiled by the socialist system.
Having listened to the complaints of my friends, I must however admit that the service I get in Sofia is actually pretty good and friendly. It is not in expensive places but in nice neighborhood restaurants, like Prikazka by the hotel Pliska. Or Kra'chma pri Yafata in Iztok. Excellent service and food there. Decent prices.
Indeed,
lol, Australia is too isolated for Americans and Europeans.
24 hours flight makes a big difference. It's a killer flight even in business class.
Then you can't really use Asian tourists there since most of them need visas and your government won't give them one, and you have the biggest Muslims state next door with terrorists and all....
No wonder such a vast country doesn't have nearly as many visitors as tiny Bulgaria....
BTW I just checked the stats for Brazil:
BG has [...]
Read the full comment TWICE the visitors of Brazil - with Rio and all.... Brazil is almost 200 million people....
glad some fellow citizens finally saw what BG is really about. Also, we encourage the non-unifications of the eurozone for the sole purpose of uplifting the euro! Single currency is not the best for farmers and producers, etc.
Buck,
When westerners start pulling and heavy hand western europeans a devastating impact can and will be felt! I have advised americans and europeans to come to australia and new zealand for it has opposite seasons of the usa and the western eurozones, therefore these countries would be perfect place(s) year round without absurd and ridiculous winter AIR delays of bulgaria and tourist traps and lacking customer service.
Yes, Cosmos, it's not to blame the credit crunch, in others ( much nicer cities ) the flow of tourists never stopped.
And on the other hand, I've been "guiding" friends of mine to lovely places and they enjoyed/loved/adored it. Maybe because I did all the talks with all them unfriendly waiters, for instance. Yes, that's bad services put simple - it always seems like they're waiting for you to change your mind that you ever dared to enter their stenchy pub.
It says in the article that "the purpose of their visits are predominately business", which contradicts the headline, but this is why is good for you folks to read the whole thing before posting, based on the headline.
"They choose Sofia" because half of BG has moved there and it has a very dynamic economy, where everything is being sold and bought. Who cares for image if there's money to be made.
Shopping isn't bad at all, BTW.
Sofia is not a tourist destination. There's little to see. It's a busy, crazy city that [...]
Read the full comment I love, with an incredible amount of nightlife and restaurants, bars and cafes, not to mention flashy cars and hot women.
Cultural life is making a comeback. Theaters are beginning to put up good plays, opera is passable, even the drivers are beginning to be less rude. Very little street crime too. Not much different from cities in Spain - with trash and all, with hit and miss service quality.
I always get first class service, especially at the places I frequent, because they know that I tip well.. In fact at the better restaurants the service is superb. The other day I had a meeting at the Panorama Restaurant (on top of Японския Хотел) and the service was something one would rarely see in the West. We basically had waiters standing just far enough to give us privacy, but one had to only lift his eyes, and they were ready by the table. The head waiter had a sense of humor too.
I believe the bill was 300 Evro for 4 - average price for good food in the West, as far as the service - I haven't seen that quality anywhere in the Western EU.
I usually take that restaurant as too cheesy and never go there, (for Epami and "those in Europe" cheesy used not to indicate flavor, but describe style) but the meeting was there and I may return too. Not bad.
I think Sofia has image issue that need working a lot. I can see they installing/improving tram system, but there is too many car in the city which is the major issue. The government has to put footing on this issue in order to be acceptable for tourist.
I wondered why they choose Sofia, there are much better city such as Polvdiv and Varna. Don't forget there are various village.
The business has to understand why training is very important and need to do more for them.
H. [...]
Read the full comment
I've lived in Bulgaria for a few years and have worked, in a professional capacity, with Bulgarians involved with tourism (hotel and restaurant owners/managers). Long ago I concluded that the Bulgarian culture is the source of poor customer service. Most of these owners or managers are poorly traveled and have not themselves experienced first-class customer service. Hence, they cannot properly train their employees. Further, most employees of restaurants and hotels are poorly paid, untrained and completely unmotivated to provide great service. Bulgarian customers have come to expect poor service and just shrug it off as a part of their daily [...]
Read the full comment lives. Only when increasing numbers of Bulgarian entrepreneurs travel to countries with a well-developed tourist infrastructure will they create a climate that welcomes and serves foreign (and Bulgarian) tourists.
Здравейте всички!
I am an American and i've been to BG 4x. I love it there and i've never been treated poorly. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Maybe the problem is the average tourist expect people to cater to them like lap dogs when on vacation. I don't expect it and don't want it. The point of visiting a different country is to see how they live and experience their culture 1st hand. If I could, i'd move there tomorrow. Hang in there BG, you are making great progress!!
Обичам България
You are all missing the point what you have to remember is that BG was spoon fed by the commies for so long that they do not know what service is for. They have a jewel in the crown and do not know how to use it the old people are stuck in there ways it will take the up and coming generation to change things.
To all: chill out
I have travelled around the world and Bulgarians are not more or less friendly than anyone else. Its hard to reproduce Disney Worlds standards but I agree that good manners start at home. As a Canadian I can tell you that in General I have had good times in the US but I have seen some of my Us friends or other tourists making asses of themselves in other parts of the world. I have been to Bulgaria twice and I have had good and friendly service in most establishments. The restaurants had good [...]
Read the full comment food well prepared and generally fats service. It was no different from France, England or Greece. It is amazing however how in my most recent visits the attitude of people changed towards me when they realized I was a Canadian rather than an American. People became much more friendly and open. I love the US and I think most Americans are great people. Its too bad that the rest of the world takes it on individual Americans for the things that are sometimes blamed on the US government. This is the price that major powers must pay for their "success".
To all: chill out
I have travelled around the world and Bulgarians are not more or less friendly than anyone else. Its hard to reproduce Disney Worlds standards but I agree that good manners start at home. As a Canadian I can tell you that in General I have had good times in the US but I have seen some of my Us friends or other tourists making asses of themselves in other parts of the world. I have been to Bulgaria twice and I have had good and friendly service in most establishments. The restaurants had good [...]
Read the full comment food well prepared and generally fats service. It was no different from France, England or Greece. It is amazing however how in my most recent visits the attitude of people changed towards me when they realized I was a Canadian rather than an American. People became much more friendly and open. I love the US and I think most Americans are great people. Its too bad that the rest of the world takes it on individual Americans for the things that are sometimes blamed on the US government. This is the price that major powers must pay for their "success".
Mike,
and you must be one of those Americans who surf every forum from around the world, offering unsolicited opinions to everyone.
You guys are spamming the world! Go away!
No one builds hotels if they don't think they'll make money from them - money laundering or not.
If it wasn't for all those low class western tourists, flocking to BG like it's going out of style, we'd still have our seaside.
And the Americans are to blame for a lot. Like the economic crises we're [...]
Read the full comment all into right now.
"Sub-prime", "mortgage backed securities" ring a bell?
You people are bigger crooks than the worse mutra, a nation of malignant lawyers and fakes. No wonder you are not producing anything - that takes work!
Obama will take care of you. He's on the roll nationalizing your ass, before you know it, can you say USSR?
Your airports already remind me of the good old days...
Valeri:
Are you one of the paid State Security stooges that fill all of the forums with incredible amount of BS. To make it more clear, especially for you - BS means bovine excrements. In typical commie manner the Americans are to blame for anything that your Q-ball brain can think of. Instead of blaming the visitors that come with intention to spend their hard earned money, how about providing a half a$$ decent service so they'll have the desire to come back. You seem to forget the fact that the people who overbuilt the Black Sea Coast [...]
Read the full comment are the mobsters, whose main objective is to launder money, and who hate us Americans as much as you do, and have the same Russian brainwashed worldview as you. The rest of the world has Internet access, also, and people that are interested know exactly what's been going on in Bulgaria.
"According to statistics, the average stay of foreigners in Sofia is three days and the purpose of their visit is predominantly business."
Of course no one read that too, before jumping to vent their personal issues.
Business visitors are down!
Obviously because of the financial situation and how UK screwed up getting mixed with the Americans so much. False hope for me - tourists will stay...
10,000 people from Malta visited BG?
Didn't know there were 10,000 people there....
Janelle,
8.6 million visitors is the equivalent to 400 million in the US - can you imagine what ZOO that would be?
Besides, they were Americans! Don't tell me they aren't used to being despised around the world... only when they come to BG the expect us to bend over backwards.
No body treats American well, because they are go around bomb people and are generally sleazy...
I've been to Bulgaria many times over the past 15 years and I must say that while the quality of accommodations has improved, the over all level of customer service remains as low as it was on my first visit. Prices for most hotels are well within the western price range so you are not getting a bargain any longer and with the poor service it is hard to justify spending the money. Simply staying in a hotel that looks modern and up top western standards is not enough, you need western levels of service to justify the prices and [...]
Read the full comment you simply don't get that in Bulgaria. The entire country has been over built with hotels based on the idea that tourists will continue to pour in no matter how much the prices have rise so long as everything "looks" modern, but this is not reality.
Sorry, this is the Australian data:
http://www.tourism.australia.com/Research.asp?sub=
Marcus,
why do you people post as if the rest of us don't have access to the internet?
I can't believe that an Australian would call Bulgaria "isolated".
This is how many visitors BG had last year:
8 532 972 - total
http://www.nsi.bg/SocialActivities_e/Tourism_e.htm
This is how many visited Australia:
5. 6 million.
http://www.tourism.australia.com/Research.asp?sub=
8.6 million visitors is just too many for a small country. No wonder the crooks ruined [...]
Read the full comment our coast with hotels. Stay home already!
Bulgaria is so not a turist friendly destination.
I guess that from the 293 000 visitors in 2008, 290 000 will warn others to visit Sofia and 2000 posting bad comments on forum on the net, making tons travelers not to visit Sofia. "credit cruch" yee right
Australia my Country xD has excellent Customer Service. Bulgarians are in Australia and they love it here they would never go back.
Australia has put hundreds of hours into training the Service Industry proper customer service, communication skills etc.
Bulgaria does not have the money and cannot afford to do that since Bulgaria is isolated and is not near the EU Biggest Member States. Bulgaria will have to make do with what its got.
Australia has the money because we are close prosperous countries in the Asia Pacific. [...]
Read the full comment So its easier for us to trade etc. Also Bulgaria's population is very small and is not considered a priority among other countries and from the EU States.
Bulgaria will have to change with the scarce resources they will have otherwise that country will not be having any money coming into the country.
Sorry Janelle, it's still an 'industry problem'. People need to be trained in customer service. They also need to be paid. Bosses are responsible for this.
We use to put visitors up at the Jasmine Hotel in Simeonovo. However, the last group we placed there were so rudely treated we have never used it again. In one instance, the desk clerk actually had the nerve to talk about one of the guests in front of him in Bulgarian to a couple standing there. Unfortunately for her, the word "Amerikanetz" is rather obvious to anyone. He told her he knew she was talking about him and she had the grace to blush, but did not apologize. This woman was not some "young person". She was just a [...]
Read the full comment typical service-industry employee in Bulgaria.
In my years in Bulgaria, I have met a few cashiers, waiters, and clerks who were friendly and helpful. Sadly, I remember them well because they were incredibly unusual. This is not an industry problem, this is a cultural problem. Bulgarians don't only treat foreigners badly, they treat each other badly as well. Until every single Bulgarian begins to take responsibility for this problem, it will never go away. You can't have a flourishing tourist industry in a country where people treat each other like something that got caught on the bottom of their shoe.
Good.
I hope they don't return.
Perhaps only then the government will start taking down all those ugly hotels along the coast, and their owners wouldn't fight it, as they aren't profitable.
Sadly, I fear that all that has more to do with the economic crises - thank you US!
When will they ever learn,tourists will not return due to poor substandard services the credit cruch is not to blame.