Tour operators expect a difficult and challenging winter season. There is a risk that the traditional winter tourists from Great Britain, the Scandinavian and Bulgaria's neighboring countries will give up their intentions to come to Bulgaria.

The epidemic situation may negatively affect the decision of foreign tourists to spend the winter in Bulgaria, says Dimitrina Goranova, chairwoman of the association of Bulgarian tour operators and travel agencies. Rising electricity prices will also have a negative effect on Bulgarian tourists, on whom the sector relies heavily.

"Because electricity already reflects on both the prices of the service and the purchasing power of consumers."

Some hotels may not open this winter due to a shortage of qualified staff, Dimitrina Goranova added.

"A factor that will affect the demand for destination Bulgaria is the fact that this year all winter resorts in Europe will be open, which was not the case last year, ie last year foreign tourists who wanted to travel abroad had no one knows what choice, while now of course we will have to compete with resorts in Austria, Italy and so on.”

/BNR