site.btaWinter Resorts' Tourism Representatives Single Out Unregulated Activity as Worst Problem

Winter Resorts' Tourism Representatives Single Out  Unregulated Activity as Worst Problem

Bansko, Southwestern Bulgaria, October 19 (BTA) - Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova said on Monday that irregularities in the tourism industry are on the decrease. In Bansko she met with representatives of local government, the control bodies and the industry before the start of the winter season.

Industry representatives commented mostly on the fight against the grey sector. Angelkova pledged full support for the effort to crack down on unregulated activity in tourism in aparthotels and apartment complexes.

The Tourism Ministry has launched this effort with an ordinance on star rating which regulates aparthotels and apartment complexes for the first time. They get the same treatment as hotels and are required to fully meet hotel standards for fire safety, as well as all legal requirements.

The concept of unregulated tourism activity has been defined and larger sanctions are envisaged.

The number of tourists increased by 8.5 per cent between December 2014 and March 2015, said Angelkova. Bansko posted a 5 per cent increase in tourists, most of whom were foreigners. The drop in the number of Russian tourists was offset by Turks, Romanians, Greeks, Macedonians and Serbs - the top five groups of foreign tourists. The visa issuing procedure for Turkish citizens will be relaxed again, and the Foreign Ministry is piloting an online visa application project with Turkey.