AT the closing of the 2002 tourist season MG Hotels and Resorts AD won the Economy Ministry’s Investor of the Year In Tourism competition with 106 million leva of investment in seven tourist sites and 1 066 jobs new jobs.
The Bulgarian Association of Tourist Agencies chose Balkantourist as best tour operator.
The competition was organised in connection with World Tourism Day (September 27), when Deputy Minister of Economy Dimitar Hadjinikolov noted a significant increase in foreign tourists. He said that holidaymakers to Bulgaria rose by 8.23 per cent compared to the same period last year. Between January and August Bulgaria was visited by more than 2.1 million guests, and in August alone there were nearly 500 000 tourists. Most were Germans, numbering 357 000, a rise of 23 per cent. Next came Greek tourists who numbered 232 000 followed by a more than 60 per cent increase in British tourists at 90 000.
The increase in Polish tourists was also noted at 60 per cent, while Russian holidaymakers decreased by 25 per cent.
“Ukrainian tourists also decreased by 44.7 per cent due to the visa regime for the two countries,” Hadjinikolov said, adding that by the end of the year the growth in the number of foreign tourists would exceed 10 per cent compared to last year. According to him, revenues for the balance of payments from international tourism will rise by more than 9 per cent. In 2001 they were about $1.3 billion.
According to data from the Ministry of Economy, revenues from international tourism for the first half of the year amount to $ 484.5 million.
“Many Britons are buying homes in Bulgaria, choosing this country over France, Spain and Italy because of the lower cost of living and better climate,” said Lord Hanningfield of Chelmsford of the Essex County Council at the meeting in Varna Friday. He said that relaxing the procedure for sale of housing property to foreigners is an easy way to increase the numbers of solvent foreign tourists in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile British Embassy press officer Miroslava Simeonova said.
1750 visa applications had been submitted in the past month. Of them 1400 were positive and 290 were refused. The rest of them have not been decided yet, Simeonova said.
After the fast-track system was launched on September 2, 550 applications were submitted to the visa section of the Embassy.
The Bulgarian Association of Tourist Agencies chose Balkantourist as best tour operator.
The competition was organised in connection with World Tourism Day (September 27), when Deputy Minister of Economy Dimitar Hadjinikolov noted a significant increase in foreign tourists. He said that holidaymakers to Bulgaria rose by 8.23 per cent compared to the same period last year. Between January and August Bulgaria was visited by more than 2.1 million guests, and in August alone there were nearly 500 000 tourists. Most were Germans, numbering 357 000, a rise of 23 per cent. Next came Greek tourists who numbered 232 000 followed by a more than 60 per cent increase in British tourists at 90 000.
The increase in Polish tourists was also noted at 60 per cent, while Russian holidaymakers decreased by 25 per cent.
“Ukrainian tourists also decreased by 44.7 per cent due to the visa regime for the two countries,” Hadjinikolov said, adding that by the end of the year the growth in the number of foreign tourists would exceed 10 per cent compared to last year. According to him, revenues for the balance of payments from international tourism will rise by more than 9 per cent. In 2001 they were about $1.3 billion.
According to data from the Ministry of Economy, revenues from international tourism for the first half of the year amount to $ 484.5 million.
“Many Britons are buying homes in Bulgaria, choosing this country over France, Spain and Italy because of the lower cost of living and better climate,” said Lord Hanningfield of Chelmsford of the Essex County Council at the meeting in Varna Friday. He said that relaxing the procedure for sale of housing property to foreigners is an easy way to increase the numbers of solvent foreign tourists in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile British Embassy press officer Miroslava Simeonova said.
1750 visa applications had been submitted in the past month. Of them 1400 were positive and 290 were refused. The rest of them have not been decided yet, Simeonova said.
After the fast-track system was launched on September 2, 550 applications were submitted to the visa section of the Embassy.
