site.btaHead of Institute for Analysis and Assessments in Tourism Draganov: Electricity Price Upmark to Push Up Prices in Tourism

Head of Institute for Analysis and Assessments in Tourism
Draganov: Electricity Price Upmark to Push Up Prices in Tourism

Sofia, September 12 (BTA) - The inevitable expected increase of
the electricity price will in turn push up prices of the tourist
services, Chairman of the Institute for Analysis and
Assessments in Tourism Roumen Draganov said in a BTA interview
on Friday. This year's trend whereby the price of holidays
increased by about 10 per cent will persist in the coming years
and the average annual upmark will be between 7 and 10 per cent,
the same as the increase in tourism revenues, Draganov said.

Latest statistical data show that hotel revenue in July increase
from last year by 9.2 per cent on average. The revenue from
Bulgarian nationals staying in hotels increased by 20.9 per
cent, he said. An increase is also reported in foreigners'
accommodation in 4- and 5-star hotels.

Draganov expects winter tourism to increase by more than 10 per
cent, provided there is good snow in the new season. The sector
expects increased demand on the part of holiday makers from
Bulgaria and neighbouring countries, especially Turkey.

Draganov noted that last year's winter tourist season was poor.
The occupancy rate of winter hotels was no more than 23.4 per
cent. In Draganov's words, this is one of the persistent
problems here because the average annual occupancy rate is
around 33 per cent. He said that alternative tourism is one of
the ways to ensure better hotel occupancy.

The sector's expectations for a 12 per cent drop in revenues
from summer tourism are unchanged, Draganov said. The
hostilities in the Middle East caused a drop of about 17 per
cent in Israeli tourists. The rainy summer caused a 7.5 per cent
decrease in weekend visits by Romanians. There has been a 10
per cent drop in the number of tourists from Russia and Ukraine.
Draganov said the drop in the number of Ukrainian holiday
makers is not that big because many Ukrainians who have summer
houses in Bulgaria used them actively.

He said the events in Ukraine have had a negative impact on
trips from Central Europe. The number of tourists from The
Netherlands decreased by 30 per cent. Declines were also
reported by companies working on the German market.

In Draganov's words, the summer tourist season took place,
despite the developments in Ukraine, the difficult social and
financial situation in Bulgaria, and the bad weather. However,
decreases were reported in all business indicators in the
sector: number of tourists, overnight stays and revenue.