At the start of April 2008, Bulgaria’s State Agency for Tourism (SAT) came up with the final version of the national strategy for sustainable development of tourism in Bulgaria between 2008 and 2013.
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Environment and Water Affairs was now discussing the strategy, SAT head Anelia Kroushkova told a news conference. The strategy was first presented in the end of January 2008 and was offered for public discussion until the end of February 2008. It is the first serious attempt for a national tourism strategy made in the past 15 years.
According to the document, the average annual increase of the revenue from tourism would be 20 per cent. If income from foreign tourists in 2007 was 2.4 billion euro, in 2013 the amount should increase three times to six billion euro, Kroushkova said, as quoted by Dnevnik daily.
The strategy identifies several strong points of Bulgaria as a tourist destination, among which beautiful and relatively clean environment; an image of a relatively safe destination; the hospitality of local population; new or renovated tourist accommodations; good price-quality ratio and legislation that regulates the tourism business. The weak points are the lack of an easily recognisable image of the country as a destination; underdeveloped infrastructure away from tourist areas; insufficiently experienced and trained personnel; unsatisfactory co-ordination of state institutions; relative neglect of the domestic market; the attraction of insolvent tourists and the involvement of the shadow economy in the tourism business.
The four strategic goals of the strategy are positioning Bulgaria as a tourist destination for richer tourists; improved competitiveness and efficiency of the sector by using natural landmarks and human resources; improvement of the infrastructure and implementation of international standards, best European practices and innovative products.
Once the environment ministry approves the strategy, all other ministries and the Cabinet have to approve it as well, which will take several months.
Whether the strategy turns out successful is yet to be seen, but tourism companies have already said that the forecast annual revenue increase is unrealistic. Kroushkova countered with the argument that if hotel owners declared their real revenues, the increase could indeed reach 20 per cent. However, big tour operators’ data showed that in 2008 some of the main markets will scarcely keep up with the figures from the previous year or register only a slight increase. Others, such as the Scandinavian market, are showing an unexpected decrease. Only the Russian market is expected to report double-digit growth.
One should not forget the serious and long-standing problems Bulgarian resorts have with over-construction, infrastructure failures and service quality – not a factor that will attract crowds to diminishing, dirty and over-crowded beaches. If the sector fails to solve these problems, it risks instead to turn from an inexpensive to a cheap destination, something both authorities and business are keen to avoid.
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Monday, October 13 2008
Expat of the Week
redryler
Grew up in Ireland. Wnet to college in London. This was an eye-opener to the world. Have worked for ... read more
What`s on in Bulgaria
Theatre
12 Angry Monologues/12 razgneveni monologa What: The play is a compilation of 12 of the best monologues from Bulgarian actor Velko Kunev on the National Theatre stage over the past 30 years. Alone on the stage, Kunev re-experiences the fates, thoughts, worries and fears of his characters - including Ham When: October 7 and 25, 7pm Where: Ivan Vazov National Theatre
Volpone What: This comedy, written by English Renaissance playwright Ben Jonson, tells the story of Venetian nobleman Volpone who pretends he’s at death’s door to lure the numerous aspirants to his large inheritance and thereby expose their greed and foolishness. Starr When: October 10, 22 and 28 at 7pm Where: Ivan Vazov National Theatre
The Taming of the Shrew/Oukrotyavane na opurnichavata What: Director Marious Kourkinski returns to the stage of the Satirical Theatre with this Shakespearean comedy, which was one of the master’s earlier plays. The original play depicts a nobleman, Petruccio, who, for pragmatic reasons, marries a shrew – a loud-mo When: October 10 at 7pm Where: Aleko Konstantinov Satirical Theatre
Cultural Institutes
Pavel Besta and his inspirations What: This exhibition by Czech artist Pavel Besta coincides with his 50th birthday. His paintings are in the realm of the grey and sorrowful. Besta discusses universal questions touching on the beating hearts and disillusioned faces who dwell in the country’s o When: Until October 31 Where: the Czech cultural centre, 100 G. S. Rakovski Str, Sofia
Art
Painters from Plovdiv exhibit in Sofia What: Natally gallery is organising a general exhibition featuring artists who have depicted Plovdiv’s gentle pace of life in their works. Visitors can admire the delicately smiling characters looking over from Angel Vassilev’s paintings, or the colourful abstr When: Until October 30 Where: Natally, 38A Gourko Str, Sofia
The return of Dimitar Voinov What: Racoursi gallery presents Bulgarian painter Dimitar Voinov, who has lived and worked in Germany since 1986. Now, 22 years later, he is exhibiting in Bulgaria for the first time. His paintings reveal the use of classic techniques, combined with ambiguous s When: Until October 31 Where: Racoursi, 4A Han Kroum Str, Sofia
Eva Peneva and Yulian Yordanov’s graphics for four hands What: This collaboration between two artists is a long-nurtured idea that finally comes to life. Yordanov presents 13 of his graphics including titles like Leda, Fragrance or Temptation. To find an adequate answer to his challenge, Peneva painted glass using va When: Until October 20 Where: Teo, 34 Macedonia Str, Varna
Soshana: Around the world in 80 years What: Austrian painter Susanne Schuller-Soshana is a true cosmopolitan. As one art critic puts it, she has travelled the world not in 80 days, but in 80 years. During her nomadic life, she has met some of the defining titans of the last century’s art scene – in When: Until October 16 Where: Astri, 34 Tsar Samouil Str, Sofia
The apple in the minds of several artists What: Though it has a small exhibition area, this gallery always offers carefully selected artists the chance to flaunt their talents. In this general exhibition nine artists have come together to explore the ‘apple theme.’ Works by Boiko Kolev, Rossen Rashev, When: Until October 20 Where: Art Gallery Paris, 8 Paris Str, Sofia
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER – ANI KARALAMBEVA AND NIYA ABRASHEVA What: Drawing on her experience and expertise as a long-time textile designer, Ani Karalambeva collaborates with her daughter Niya Abrasheva to create beauty in the ever-saturated world of fashion and interior design. The exhibition presents mixed media wall pa When: Until October 8 Where: Azza Gallery of Modern Art, 25 Cherni Vruh Blvd, Sofia
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