site.btaBulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Celebrates 30th Anniversary

The Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BHRA) celebrated its 30th anniversary here on Thursday. The event was attended by BHRA Board Chair Georgi Shterev who said that the Association has turned into a serious factor in Bulgaria's tourism sector with its 36 regional and local branches and its 3,100 hotels and restaurants that are its members.

On behalf of the Association's leadership, Shterev pledged to bring the industry's problems to the attention of the government. "If necessary, we will also seek pressure to resolve them in the best way possible," he added.

Vice President Iliana Iotova, Minister of Tourism Zaritsa Dinkova and industry representatives also attended the event.

In her address, Dinkova stressed the importance of the sector in economic and political terms. Tourism is an extremely important local policy, the Minister said and highlighted its role as a tool for soft diplomacy. "There is no tourism without peace and security," she said.