Minister Angelkova submitted to the tourism industry a presentation on the draft Rules of procedure of the Ministry of Tourism

The Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova  presented the draft Rules of procedure of the Ministry of Tourism during the second  workshop meeting held with the tourism industry.  She met the promise made during the first discussion with business and  tourism organizations held last week that the draft version of the document should be drawn up as soon as possible and should be discussed with them.

The Rules of procedure will govern the duties and structure of the Ministry of Tourism, which will be configured in a Directorate General, 6 Directorates, an Inspectorate, an Internal Audit Unit and a Financial Controller, Minister Angelkova announced. The specialized administration will include four directorates. The Minister highlighted the transformation of the Travel Policy Directorate into a Directorate General, which will deal with a developing a policy in the area of tourism as a new element in the activities within the Ministry. Directorate for Marketing, Advertising and Tourism Information will be kept effective, and two new Directorates for International Cooperation and Investment in Tourism and Programmes and Projects in Tourism respectively will be created.

Minister Angelkova stated clearly that no additional financial resources will be incurred under the new structure of the Ministry of Tourism and will be carried out within the existing size of the administration. It has been accomplished through an internal reorganization and optimization of the mega-ministry, she added.

Listening to Angelkova, it was clear that the new Directorate for International Cooperation and Investment in Tourism will assist the Minister in the representation of Bulgaria to the international tourism organizations. It will also coordinate the establishment of Bulgarian tourist representative offices abroad and manage the travel advisors in the offices for trade and economic issues to our foreign representations.

The other new Directorate for Programmes and Projects in Tourism will assist the Minister in the implementation of projects for development of tourism at national, regional and local levels, including the development of infrastructure. It will coordinate and manage the implementation of programmes and projects funded by the EU and will keep rerecords and monitor the   contracts signed under the OP "Regional Development".

All issues related to the legislative changes in the tourism as well as the cooperation of the new ministry with other institutions, will be updated and further reflected in the Rules of procedure of the Ministry of Tourism, as it was announced at the meeting.

A draft Rules of procedure is subject be published for a public consultation on the website of the Ministry of Economy and Energy.