site.btaTourist Sector Asks Government to Prepare One-Year Survival Programme for Saving Tourism, Transport

March 13 (BTA) - The tourist sector calls on the
government to prepare a one-year survival programme for tourist
and transport businesses, which are the two sectors most
affected by the spreading coronavirus. The Executive Director of
 the National Tourism Board, Poli Karastoyanova, told a news
conference that they ask the Prime Minister to form a national
economic task force with the participation of all competent
ministers, to prepare the programme.

It transpired at the news conference that data from March 11
show a 75 per cent decline of sales of tourist services and over
 90 per cent cancellation of events. 60 per cent of the
companies in the sector are shedding jobs. Hotels and
restaurants are seeing their turnovers nosedive by over 70 per
cent and bookings cancelled by 80 per cent.

The situation is dynamic and the figures are sure to get worse
by the day, said Karastoyanova.

The tourist businesses also asks the government to cover the
cost for social insurance payable by their employers and
themselves for a year, and allow an interest-free deferred
payment of VAT, local taxes and waste tax. Furthermore, they
insist that no less than 200 million leva be made available by
the Bulgarian Development Bank for refinancing loans taken out
by tourist companies and allow use of EU funding to support the
tourist sector. NV/LN/