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Thu, Feb 09 2012
New figures confirm impact of financial crisis on tourism in EU
Tourists take pictures in flood waters during a period of seasonal high water in Venice, November 30 2009.
Nice, south-eastern France, July 2009.
Bulgaria was among 26 European Union states that saw declines in hotel guest numbers in 2009, according to figures released by the bloc’s statistics office, Eurostat.
In the 27 EU member states in 2009, the number of nights spent in hotels and similar establishments was just more than five per cent less than in 2008.
The number of hotel nights spent by residents in their own country in 2009 fell by 1.6 per cent and hotel nights spent by non-residents fell by 9.1 per cent compared to the previous year.
The decline in the number of hotel nights in the EU27, which began in the middle of 2008, slowed down during 2009, according to Eurostat.
The number of hotel nights fell at an annual rate of eight per cent in January-April 2009 (compared with the same period of the previous year), of 4.1 per cent in May-August and of 3.6 per cent in September-December.
These estimates cover both business and leisure visits, Eurostat said.
For Bulgaria, the figures were that there was an overall decrease of 16.5 per cent. Among residents – in effect, Bulgarians staying at hotels in Bulgaria – the decline was 8.7 per cent, while for non-residents the figure was 19.5 per cent.
In Bulgaria, January-April 2009 saw eight per cent fewer hotel nights than in the same months the previous year. On an annual basis, the May-August 2009 decrease was just less than 17 per cent and September-December figures were 23.4 per cent lower than the same months of 2008.
Eurostat said that across the EU, the change in number of hotel nights varied in 2009 from a 23.3 per cent decrease in Latvia to a 0.1 per cent increase in Sweden, which was the only country to record an increase.
Amongst the Member States, the highest numbers of nights spent in hotels in 2009 were recorded in Spain (251 million nights, 6.5 per cent less than in 2008), Italy (238 million, -4.3 per cent), Germany (216 million, -1.4 per cent), France (191 million, -5.6 per cent) and the United Kingdom (170 million, -1.7 per cent). These five countries accounted for more than 70 per cent of the total number of hotel nights in the EU27 .
The number of nights spent in hotels in 2009 fell in all member states, except Sweden (+0.1 per cent). The largest decreases were recorded in Latvia (-23.3 per cent), Lithuania (-20.4 per cent), Cyprus (-19.7 per cent) and Slovakia (-18.1 per cent), and the smallest in Germany (-1.4 per cent), the United Kingdom (-1.7 per cent), Slovenia (-2.1 per cent) and Austria (-2.9 per cent).
In 2009, non-residents accounted for 44 per cent of the total number of nights spent in hotels in the EU27 compared with 56 per cent for residents, according to Eurostat.
Apart from the two Mediterranean islands, Malta (96 per cent) and Cyprus (89 per cent), the highest proportions of non-residents were registered in Latvia (73 per cent), Greece and Austria (both 72 per cent).
The lowest proportions of non-residents were recorded in Romania (15 per cent), Germany (20 per cent), Sweden (24 per cent), Finland (27 per cent) and Poland (30 per cent).
The highest numbers of hotel nights spent by non-residents were registered in Spain (142 million, -8.9 per cent compared with 2008), Italy (102 million, -7.5 per cent), France (64 million, -11.1 per cent), the United Kingdom (59 million, -7.8 per cent) and Austria (58 million, -4.6 per cent).
As to residents, the highest levels were observed in Germany (173 million, -0.6 per cent), Italy (135 million, -1.9 per cent), France (127 million, -2.5 per cent), the United Kingdom (111 million, +2.2 per cent) and Spain (109 million, -3.1 per cent).
In the 27 EU member states in 2009, the number of nights spent in hotels and similar establishments was just more than five per cent less than in 2008.
The number of hotel nights spent by residents in their own country in 2009 fell by 1.6 per cent and hotel nights spent by non-residents fell by 9.1 per cent compared to the previous year.
The decline in the number of hotel nights in the EU27, which began in the middle of 2008, slowed down during 2009, according to Eurostat.
The number of hotel nights fell at an annual rate of eight per cent in January-April 2009 (compared with the same period of the previous year), of 4.1 per cent in May-August and of 3.6 per cent in September-December.
These estimates cover both business and leisure visits, Eurostat said.
For Bulgaria, the figures were that there was an overall decrease of 16.5 per cent. Among residents – in effect, Bulgarians staying at hotels in Bulgaria – the decline was 8.7 per cent, while for non-residents the figure was 19.5 per cent.
In Bulgaria, January-April 2009 saw eight per cent fewer hotel nights than in the same months the previous year. On an annual basis, the May-August 2009 decrease was just less than 17 per cent and September-December figures were 23.4 per cent lower than the same months of 2008.
Eurostat said that across the EU, the change in number of hotel nights varied in 2009 from a 23.3 per cent decrease in Latvia to a 0.1 per cent increase in Sweden, which was the only country to record an increase.
Amongst the Member States, the highest numbers of nights spent in hotels in 2009 were recorded in Spain (251 million nights, 6.5 per cent less than in 2008), Italy (238 million, -4.3 per cent), Germany (216 million, -1.4 per cent), France (191 million, -5.6 per cent) and the United Kingdom (170 million, -1.7 per cent). These five countries accounted for more than 70 per cent of the total number of hotel nights in the EU27 .
The number of nights spent in hotels in 2009 fell in all member states, except Sweden (+0.1 per cent). The largest decreases were recorded in Latvia (-23.3 per cent), Lithuania (-20.4 per cent), Cyprus (-19.7 per cent) and Slovakia (-18.1 per cent), and the smallest in Germany (-1.4 per cent), the United Kingdom (-1.7 per cent), Slovenia (-2.1 per cent) and Austria (-2.9 per cent).
In 2009, non-residents accounted for 44 per cent of the total number of nights spent in hotels in the EU27 compared with 56 per cent for residents, according to Eurostat.
Apart from the two Mediterranean islands, Malta (96 per cent) and Cyprus (89 per cent), the highest proportions of non-residents were registered in Latvia (73 per cent), Greece and Austria (both 72 per cent).
The lowest proportions of non-residents were recorded in Romania (15 per cent), Germany (20 per cent), Sweden (24 per cent), Finland (27 per cent) and Poland (30 per cent).
The highest numbers of hotel nights spent by non-residents were registered in Spain (142 million, -8.9 per cent compared with 2008), Italy (102 million, -7.5 per cent), France (64 million, -11.1 per cent), the United Kingdom (59 million, -7.8 per cent) and Austria (58 million, -4.6 per cent).
As to residents, the highest levels were observed in Germany (173 million, -0.6 per cent), Italy (135 million, -1.9 per cent), France (127 million, -2.5 per cent), the United Kingdom (111 million, +2.2 per cent) and Spain (109 million, -3.1 per cent).
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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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Cosmos stick a sock in it, Valeri try not to get pissed off by people that can't afford their ticket home. In my opinion the tourist industry in BG indeed has a lot to learn, specially about internet. In BG people are very surprised when they find out you found them in internet, to me it seems many employees don't even know the company they work at has a website. Happened to me few times. People will learn, hopefully very soon.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language
Bulgaria has A LOT to learn about tourism. Actually talk to some normal people on the Black Sea coast. I lived in Balchik. All my Bulgarian friends there have said the tourism industry has killed the Black Sea Coast. The hotels and restaurants got too greedy, overbuilt, and now they're paying the price for their greed. There were some places who didn't even want Bulgarian tourists. None of my Bulgarian friends in Sofia want to go to the Black Sea after awful experiences there in previous years. They go to Greece or Turkey, where they say it's cleaner, cheaper, and [...]
Read the full comment they treat you better.
Well, the UK is almost 10 times more populous than BG, so you'll have to have 80 million tourist to be in the area.
UK treats foreigners like crap. I've had my annal exam there regularly.
I have to agree with Cosmos the Bulgarian people have no idea how to run a tourist industry, the hotel staff are rude and could not care less if you are a guest or not.
The UK had 23 million visitors last year, why because we treat people like gold dust that way they come back. The only thing BG has got is a could not care less attitude to any visitor as long as they can rip them off and you are correct it is not the global economic climate that has anything to do with the biggest downturn in BG for years its the lack of service from a population that is so backward
Cosmos:
".. it is so sad the country has it all but they do not know how to use it..."
My friend Cosmos, I do realize that members of your class, (in that famously class minded society the UK), habitually take, shall we say, perverse pride if you like, in their own lack of creative flair and intellectual debt, but surely even someone like you, would've start feeling the natural signs of boredom by now, posting the same post over and over again....
Yes, service was great in 2008 and [...]
Read the full comment this is why we saw 8.5 million visitors in BG, and it was bad in 2009 when it all went to hell. Global economic climate is completely unrelated to anything that happens in BG. Shall we move on?
Yes I know.I emailed a local corporate gas provider and asked them if they will be supplying "natural gas" in the area any time soon. To date no response. This was 6 weeks ago.
Why do these corporate companies have very nice websites, email contacts etc and then no response!!
This seems to be a BG phenomena, severe lack of basic customer service. My impression is that most employees here are not "empowered" to make decisions surrounding their positions or just could be so plain laziness or uselessness. Not sure which!!
Well said this sums up the BG and its tourist board. They deserve everything they get,they do not have a clue how to get custom and it is so sad the country has it all but they do not know how to use it.
Well, the tourist industry (bit of a misnomer) in Bulgaria is its own worst enemy. I could list many reasons but (to keep it short) an example is that I emailed a hotel in Veliki Preslav asking about reservations for specific dates. It took a second email, 48 hrs later, to get any response (they are open and advertising current specials so they should be on the ball)and all I got was prices and no indication as to whether rooms were available for the dates given. I can't bother with apathetic attitudes. I decided to stay at a friend's place [...]
Read the full comment instead. That means we are having a tourist break but we aren't showing on statistics in that regard.