site.bta Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators Slams Proposed Revision to Tourism Act, Wants Brand New Law

Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators Slams Proposed Revision to Tourism Act, Wants Brand New Law

Sofia, January 24 (BTA) - The Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents (BTOTA) Tuesday slammed proposed revisions to the Tourism Act and said that they fail to protect consumers and will not improve regulation in the sector. The BTOTA want to see a brand new law on tourism.

The controversial revisions introduce additional safeguards - a guarantee fund or a customer account - together with the effective professional liability insurance for tour operators, explained BTOTA chairman Bayko Baykov. He said this new requirement will drive up the prices of tourist services for end-clients without ensuring a better protection for the client.

Baykov would not commit to specific figures about the increased price of services as it remains unclear how much tour operators will be asked to contribute to this guarantee fund.

As proposed, the revisions say that the contributions will be set by a new government-controlled unit and it will likely set them unilaterally, BTOTA said.

Dimiter Popov of BTOTA said that the state extortion in the tourist sector has been continuing for ten years now. As examples of such extortion he mentioned the high tourist charge which is something of a hidden tax and does not match the work input by the state administration, as well as the administrative burden for businesses with the lacking e-government.

The BTOTA leadership hopes to have a chance to discuss the matter with the next power-holders.