REVENUE FROM TOURISM MAKES UP 11.4% OF BULGARIAN GDP

Revenue from tourism makes up 11.4% of Bulgarian GDP, according to engineer Lilia Kaloyanova, expert with the Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations in Varna, Focus Information Agency informed.

The figures were announced during the International meeting under the Black Sea Network for Regional Development BlasNET project, which was held in the Romanian town of Constanta. Mrs. Kaloyanova pointed out that tourism in Romania made up just over 5% of GDP, while the figure in Bulgaria is much higher at over 11% of GDP. “This is a very big figure, as tourism makes up an average of 10.1% of GDP in Europe,” Mrs. Kaloyanova commented.

The most serious problem for the hotel and restaurant business in Romania is EU funds absorption due to the lack of consultancy firms. According to the expert, 40% of the Romanian tourism sector are concentrated in Constanta. In addition, the biggest tourism association in the country is located there. It is this organisation that expands relations with its colleagues from Moldova and Bulgaria.

Tourists are mainly Romanians and very few foreigners, and 80% of the revenue comes exactly from this region in Romania. The share of enterprises in the hotel and restaurant sector in the Black Sea region in Bulgaria is 20.98%. Lilia Kaloyanova said that the share of tourist operators and tourist agents is 25%. Small and medium businesses in the tourism sector in the Black Sea region total 21.27%.

The quality of tourism services in Bulgaria is lower than that of rival destinations, according to 48% of the representatives of tourism businesses and organisations. Only 21% of foreign tourists who spent their holiday in Bulgaria will visit the country again. Some 43% would recommend Bulgaria to their relatives and acquaintances. This was revealed by a survey among 108 foreigners who spent their holiday in Bulgaria.