Bulgaria Exceeds Winter Tourism Expectations with 25% Surge in Foreign Visitors
Bulgaria's winter tourism season has surpassed expectations, with a remarkable 25% increase in foreign visitors compared to initial projections
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The ban on smoking in the restaurants does not affect the growth of the tourists in our country, their number is growing steadily every year. This is what the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova said in the corridors of the parliament today, she was asked to comment on the idea of Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Simeonov for the return of smoking in separate rooms in restaurants and night clubs.
If it comes to such a legislative proposal or initiative, it is advisable to be as broadly public as possible and to assess the impact, she said.
Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelova declared herself against the return of indoor smoking. "I am a non-smoker and am totally opposed to returning the ban on smoking, especially in establishments where people are eating," she said. According to her, after all the efforts made over the years to have no smoking in such places, we should not go backwards.
"For the last two years we have more than 25% growth of the foreign tourists who visited our country, only last year we have more than 8.9 million foreign tourists, and this year we expect growth of more than 10%," said Angelkova.
She added that the data showed growth in terms of attendance at boarding houses and accommodation. "That fact is that the ban we introduced a few years ago for smoking in public places does not in any way reduce the number of tourists - on the contrary, they increase steadily every year, thanks to the efforts that are being made to promote Bulgaria as a tourist destination and be known as a four-season destination, "she said.
On 13 April, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Demographic Policy and Party Leader NFSB Valery Simeonov said he intends to propose a bill for a change in the Health Act, which would allow smoking in separate rooms, ie partially restoring the old regime .
From the party of Simeonov do not want the old regime to be entirely returned, ie. there will be a ban on smoking in certain public places such as theaters, halls, and so on. The Deputy Prime Minister said he did not understand the meaning of restricting smoking in catering establishments, as long as this law is also not observed.
However, it quickly became clear that the idea of a correction would not meet GERB's support.
GERB leader and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has made it clear that he is opposed to such proposals for the liberalization of the regime. "We at GERB, introduced the ban some time ago and are convinced, as I have now supported all the actions related to the fight against smoking that this bad habit damages human health, and that will be my opinion if the topic is raised," the prime minister said.
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