Ministry of Tourism holds workshop on the situation in the Middle East

On the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, a working meeting was organized with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs /MFA/, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Administration /CAA/ and tour operators in connection with the complicated situation in the Middle East and the extraordinary dynamics of events in the region.

During the meeting, the potential security implications and optimal safety, health and life of Bulgarian citizens planning to travel to Israel's neighbouring countries were discussed.

During the talks, various aspects of the dynamic situation in the countries for which tour operators have prepared travel programs were discussed, as well as the particularities of the destinations and places where travel takes place were assessed.

The CAA advised that there is currently no flight ban and airlines are carrying out their trips. Programmes organised by tour operators are able to take place. Group travel on charter flights, including to the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada in Egypt, has been organised and may continue. Tour operators and customers are able to act according to the package travel contracts concluded between them. During the meeting, it was specified that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, published an update on the world situation on the ministry's website. Anyone wishing to travel can inform themselves and make their own decision when visiting the respective tourist destination.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva, the Head of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Tourism Mariana Kordova, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism Miroslava Nikolova, the Director General of DG Civil Aviation Administration Anelia Marinova, the Director of the Situation Centre, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tiana Dimitrova and the Executive Director of ZD Euroins AD Rumiana Betova. The tourism industry was represented by Future for Tourism, Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents, Tourism Association, as well as outbound tourism companies.