At the insistence of the Minister of Tourism: Varna speeds up preparations for the summer season

A working meeting on the city's readiness for the upcoming summer tourist season was held today in Varna Municipality with representatives of the Ministry of Tourism, the tourism industry and local authorities.

The meeting with the local government and the industry was requested by Miroslav Borshosh and organized in response to the visit of the Minister of Tourism to Varna last week, when he expressed serious concerns about the readiness of the city to welcome tourists. 

The mayor of the city, Blahomir Kotsev, presented a report on all the issues raised during the minister's visit regarding Varna's readiness to welcome its first tourists at the request of the ministry and the industry, and from Sofia the meeting was attended by Deputy Minister Pavlin Petrov and an expert from the Control and Inspection Department.

One of the main focuses of the conversation was the maintenance of cleanliness in the city and resort areas. The municipality admitted that there is a shortage of drivers in the cleaning companies, but assured that currently the cleaning is carried out according to schedule. The collection of waste from the municipal bins will be stepped up in the St. St. Constantine and Helena resort, and a commitment has been made to renovate the bus stops to improve the infrastructure in the area, which will be completed before Easter. A new contract has already been signed for this purpose.

The municipality is committed to exercising increased control over the companies responsible for cleaning, repairs and construction to ensure that the activities are carried out on time and to the required quality.

Among the measures discussed was the strengthening of police presence in tourist areas. Additional officers will be seconded, which will lead to an increase in the number of patrol teams responsible for security and public order.

An important infrastructural topic at the meeting was the repair of the Varna – Golden Sands road, which is a key link for the tourist flow to the northern resorts. The municipality assured that the works will be completed by 10 May to ensure smooth access to the resorts at the beginning of the active season.

On the occasion of the upcoming holidays, it was announced that additional emergency vehicles, fire safety and police patrols will be provided to ensure a quick response if needed.

Construction activities in the city will not be completely suspended during the season, but control over cleanliness around construction sites will be intensified to avoid pollution and discomfort for tourists and residents.

During the meeting the issue of stray dogs was also touched upon, with the municipality explaining that they are following established practice – neutering, deworming, tagging and returning the animals to the places from where they were picked up.

For its part, the industry stated the need for more frequent communication with the local authorities so that emerging problems could be addressed in a timely manner.

The next workshop on Varna's preparations for the summer tourist season will be held on 7 April at the Varna Regional Administration. The host will be the regional governor Prof. Andriyana Andreeva and the conversation will be attended by the mayor of the town Blahomir Kotsev, representatives of the tourism industry and the Ministry of Tourism. The meeting will also be attended by representatives of institutions responsible for repair, restoration and construction works in the city.

The Ministry of Tourism will continue to closely monitor the process and insist on the effective implementation of all agreed measures to ensure a successful tourist season.