site.btaTourism Minister Angelkova Sees No Reason to Submit Requested Resignation

Sofia, October 9 (BTA) - The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova told journalists Monday that she sees no reason to submit her resignation as requested by the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents (ABTTA).

The fact that the policy in the tourist sector has caused displeasure as expressed by that organization is the opinion of just part of the branch associations. There are over 300 associations in the National Register, the organisations related to travel and tour operator activity are three, while the registered travel agents and tour operators are over 3,000, Angelkova said. Eight to 90 of these are members of ABTTA, the same is valid for the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agents (BATA) and the Tourism National Association.

The facts about the sector show this is the right road to follow, the minister said. Of course, more is definitely needed, because the ministry has been in existence for three years, while problems have been accumulating for years, Angelkova said. The arguments in support of the current policy include the fact that in January-August the total number of foreign tourists who have visited accommodation establishments with over ten beds exceeded 6.5 million, national statistics show.

In connection with Bulgaria's forthcoming EU Presidency the minister said that six key events have been planned. These include an EU tourism ministerial on the subject of tourism and economic growth (February 13) and an international conference with the included participation of ministers from countries outside the EU. The venue is to discuss the problems of tourism, digital advertisement and marketing. Bulgaria is also to take up the rotating leadership of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. For this reason, a top-level conference on tourism and energy is scheduled for May 23.

In another development, representatives of ABTTA again outlined in detail their arguments to ask for Angelkova's resignation at a BTA-hosted news conference. These include, in their words, the inadequate and unfocused national tourism advertisement and exaggerated data about the number of foreign tourists , chaotic tourist marketing, the lack of Bulgarian tourism offices in the main issuing and promising tourist markets, among others.

ABTTA Board member Daniela Stoeva refuted the ministry's information that highly solvent tourists have begun to visit Bulgaria. In her words, there is no way to speak of a quality tourist product with average prices of 19 to 26 euro per overnight.