Bulgaria's Govt to Take Visa Expenses for Russian Tourists
Business | February 17, 2009, Tuesday
The Bulgarian Government must take up the visa expenses for tourists from Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus. Photo by BGNES
The Bulgarian Government must take up the visa expenses for tourists from Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus, who have booked tourist services from a registered tour operator.
This is the opinion of 93% of 126 top managers in the Bulgarian tourist business, according to a survey done by the National Hospitality Management Club (NHMC), as cited by the Pari Daily.
This is the only way to save the 2009 Summer season, NHMC experts commented. A token payment for visa, which would be competitive with those of Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, or the visas to be payed for and given to the tourists upon their arrival to Bulgaria are also alternatives.
NHMC has made some suggestions to be discussed and eventually included in the anti-crisis plan for the tourist sector, which will be the main topic on the February 23 meeting of the Bulgaria's National Tourism Council.
The suggested measures include a decrease of the VAT of the tourist service, especially for Bulgarian tourists; better advertisement of Bulgaria in the neighboring countries; state aid in the means of "cash back" or tax refunds for Bulgarian tourists, who have spent more than five days in a Bulgarian resort.
The idea that the Bulgarian Government should assume the visa expenses for Russian tourists was voiced during a meeting with representatives of the tourist business regarding the new tourism law.
It was approved by the meeting participants who pointed out that this was how Romania and Cyprus were dealing with the crisis.
The project will cost the Bulgarian government EUR 8 M, according to estimates by Siika Katzarova, a representative of the Sharlapov Hotels group.
This is the opinion of 93% of 126 top managers in the Bulgarian tourist business, according to a survey done by the National Hospitality Management Club (NHMC), as cited by the Pari Daily.
This is the only way to save the 2009 Summer season, NHMC experts commented. A token payment for visa, which would be competitive with those of Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, or the visas to be payed for and given to the tourists upon their arrival to Bulgaria are also alternatives.
NHMC has made some suggestions to be discussed and eventually included in the anti-crisis plan for the tourist sector, which will be the main topic on the February 23 meeting of the Bulgaria's National Tourism Council.
The suggested measures include a decrease of the VAT of the tourist service, especially for Bulgarian tourists; better advertisement of Bulgaria in the neighboring countries; state aid in the means of "cash back" or tax refunds for Bulgarian tourists, who have spent more than five days in a Bulgarian resort.
The idea that the Bulgarian Government should assume the visa expenses for Russian tourists was voiced during a meeting with representatives of the tourist business regarding the new tourism law.
It was approved by the meeting participants who pointed out that this was how Romania and Cyprus were dealing with the crisis.
The project will cost the Bulgarian government EUR 8 M, according to estimates by Siika Katzarova, a representative of the Sharlapov Hotels group.
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