YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARTSAKHPRESS.
Caretaker Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov said that more foreign tourists from all traditional markets will visit Bulgaria this year.
Compared to 2021/2022, the bookings for the forthcoming winter season have increased by 15% from Israel, by 12% from the UK, by 10% from Romania, and by 5% from Greece, Dimitrov said on Nova TV Sunday morning.
“Unfortunately, we have lost the Russian market for obvious reasons,” the Minister said, adding that North Macedonia is steady as a market.
Prices in the Bulgarian ski resorts have risen by a far lower margin than in competitive destinations, Dimitrov said, adding that the price quality ratio is very good. “Bulgaria offers from two- to five-star accommodations, both budget and upmarket visitors can afford a holiday here,” he added.
The Minister admitted that the hospitality sector is having a serious problem with the shortage of bar tenders, waiters and cooks. As he put it, Bulgarians are good workers, which is why they are in demand on the foreign labour market.
Theodosis Stoitsas of the Association of Hotel and Apartment Owners in Greece, confirms this observation. He said on Nova that having Bulgarian staff gives them a huge advantage in both communication and in trying to upgrade the standard of service, considering that a large percentage of vacationers there are Bulgarians.
In Greece, a Bulgarian working at a hotel could average some BGN 1,500 monthly, and the actual pay level could be far higher than that.
