Dr Polina Karastoyanova, Executive Director of the National Board of Tourism
Polina Karastoyanova is a Doctor in the professional field of Public Communications and Information Sciences, UNIBIT, holds a Masters Degree in Economics of Trade at the University of National and World Economy, a second Master's in PR and Management of Mass Communications at NBU. She is a financial consultant of Bulgarian and international companies, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Organization for Congress Tourism; founder and executive director of the National Board of Tourism; Member of the 43rd National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and within the mandate Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Media, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and Tourism and Head of the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC). Member of the Board of the Union "Made in Bulgaria".
When I accepted the invitation of the Bulgarian Industrial Association for this edition, it was impossible to imagine that my first words would be an expression of respect for the memory of Radosvet Radev. In such moments, you realize that you are never prepared to part so unexpectedly with a person with whom you have a long-term professional and personal friendship. For us, Radosvet was the first among equals; in 2006, he chaired the founding assembly of the National Board of Tourism as chairman and then, over the years, had the authority of an impartial arbiter and mediator, a generator of ideas and opportunities for their implementation.
We empathize with his family; he will stay with us in our thoughts. May his memory be bright!
The year we were not prepared for
The year we were unprepared for began with COVID-19 spreading as a global pandemic, and the entire year passed under the shadow of this invisible destroyer, which inflicted immeasurable damage on people both socio-politically and personally. Therefore, we focused on finding solutions and formulating a clear vision in the National Board of Tourism (NBT), which aims to offer adequate measures to deal with the crisis and create a perspective for post-crisis recovery and development. Moreover, NBT is the only Bulgarian organization, which was allowed to monitor in real-time the assessments of the experts with international recognition as a member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Therefore, I would like to present a summary of the main ones that we communicated publicly to institutions and businesses:
- The COVID-19 emergency state in Bulgaria threatened over 300 thousand employees in the tourism industry. The worst economic crisis since World War II hit the tourism and aviation industries worldwide. Therefore, by supporting the local economy, we saved ourselves.
- It is necessary to introduce uniform rules of operation that ensure the safety of tourists and businesses—insisting on targeted financial resources in support of Bulgarian scheduled and charter airlines. Furthermore, proposals for concessionaires and tenants of beaches should be exempt from fees to the state for a certain period.
- We should launch holiday vouchers for all Bulgarian citizens. Vouchers for tourism and recreation are a topic formulated by the NBT in 2009, as we continue to stand behind the idea and are ready to offer a complete model for their issuance.
- We should prepare a working anti-crisis advertising program with two aspects: aimed at the internal market, the Bulgarian citizens who would choose Bulgaria for their vacation. The second aspect is working with the traditional markets - Germany, Great Britain, the Visegrad Four. Our focus of changing our market behaviour toward two key markets - Russia and Turkey.
- Reduction of VAT in the sector, which will lead to clarification of the industry and relieve entrepreneurs. The preferential VAT rate in tourism has been operating in many European countries for years and is a natural financial and economic logic that has shown good fiscal revenues and stimulates the national economy.
- Qualitative transformation in the management model of the Bulgarian tourism business to ensure an increase in the share formed in GDP, attracting solvent tourists who value nature, culture and opportunities for conference events as a product that creates high added value.
- Need to create a national plan for marketing in tourism, and after COVID-19, reach a consensus - we, as the tourism industry and the state. Together we should offer higher class tourist products, incl. regional brands in line with good practice.
- Coordinate a short- and medium-term crisis management plan, which will last at least until 2022, and the necessary measures in this horizon of action. We should draw attention to the competitiveness of Bulgaria after overcoming the crisis and creating an image that will re-introduce us to the international market - presenting a new, modern, rebranded broadcast because everything before COVID-19 is no longer relevant.
- Preparation of a unique program in support of large enterprises for the period 2021-2022. Tourism has a multiplier effect - every lev invested in Bulgarian tourism returns four times higher to the national economy.
- Employees in the tourism sector to be included as a priority in the national vaccination plan before the winter tourist season. The vaccination certificate should provide a fast track and a safe way for tourists to move. We could not oppose the public health interest to the economic interest. Priority vaccination in tourism will give Bulgaria a competitive advantage as a destination.
- Conducting a campaign and incentives for vaccination so that every vaccinated Bulgarian citizen receives a voucher worth BGN 50, which they can use when visiting a hotel, restaurant, etc. We should use tourism as a tool to achieve health prevention and promote economic consumption. Also, the Ministry of Health should allow foreign citizens to be vaccinated free of charge in Bulgaria as an additional opportunity to stimulate all tourist segments.
- Inclusion of the Tourism sector in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan. The EC has set up this financial mechanism with the explicit aim of providing an opportunity for the normalization and development of the most severely affected sectors of the pandemic. But, unfortunately, tourism isn't part of the concept, and this is equal to a verdict because the industry does not have an operational program that could provide these financial resources.
- Support for the Black Sea Highway construction with funds from the Three Seas Initiative Fund or a financial resource provided on a public-private partnership basis. It is an important international project for connectivity between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas, which is the initiative's goal, incl. for the Black Sea economic cooperation, and can attract over 80 million tourists in Bulgaria.
- Establishment of the Alliance "Bulgarian Black Sea Coast", which unites the efforts of all stakeholders in the tourism sector - municipalities, hoteliers, tour operators, airlines and airports to develop a strategy for the Black Sea coast after the damage caused by COVID-19. The goal of the Alliance is to create the most modern digital platform through which to enter the international tourism market, which can only happen with the participation of the state.
- The state has to provide 60 million euros for small and medium enterprises in tourism from the additional 120 million euros allocated by the EC under the Operational Program "Competitiveness and Innovation" to support Bulgarian hotels, restaurants, tour operators, tour guides and airlines as working capital support for SMEs.
The "new normal" for which we should be prepared
Tourism needs a new vision and fresh energy, intelligence and capacity. We need programmatic rather than mandated management of the industry and new business leaders who have those qualities and potential.
I want to end with gratitude to our members and partners from the Bulgarian Industrial Association, with whom, both so far and in the future, I hope to continue working in sync!
