Minister Angelkova: We expect the number of tourists in Bulgaria between April and September, 2016, to exceed 8 million

The official NSI data for September are awaited but predictions are that for the active summer season alone the number of international tourists will exceed 6 million. Adding Bulgarians to their number would make the total number of tourists exceed 8 mln. Thus said the Minister of Tourism, Nikolina Angelkova, during a debate on tourism staff entitled Career Growth in the Tourism Industry – Challenges and Opportunities, which was organized by the 24 Hours Daily. According to her, these are tentative data based on a worst-case prediction, which is perfectly possible to be exceeded.

"It is a very positive sign that we extended the summer season, with April and May growths exceeding 20%", Minister Angelkova emphasized. Revenues are on the rise as well – during the first 7 months of 2016 they have grown by nearly half a billion leva, thus exceeding BGN 3,4 bln., which is a 15% growth compared to the same period of 2015.

According to the Minister of Tourism, the biggest challenge now is to build on the achievements by promoting investments in facilities and staff. "Tourism requires high-grade staff in order to sustain growth but this demands effective measures across the industry’s entire horizontal structure", Nikolina Angelkova emphasized. She also reminded that according to 2015 data of the World Travel and Tourism Council, the number of people directly employed in tourism is over 92 000, but the absence of year-round employment remains a major issue.

The issues also include the fact that in the course of 20 years investments worth some EUR 18 bln. were made in Bulgaria, while just 12 000  specialists were trained at universities with the Tourism major. There is a stark deficit in the line positions – bellboys, chambermaids, waiters, receptionists, bartenders, cleaners, etc. On the other hand, tangible deficit is also registered in regards to specialized staff, new staff and the so-called “rare” staff (for golf, gourmet, spa services, etc.)

"An important step towards overcoming these issues was the establishment of the Interdepartmental Council on Tourism Staff, in whose framework all stakeholder institutions are seeking long-term solutions to the problems", Nikolina Angelkova emphasized. Four thematic task groups are already active within the Council: training programs; internship and qualification opportunities; labour migration; career growth and social aspects.

Another significant step towards staff recruitment was the adoption of the Implementing Regulations for the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act. It enables hiring of staff from third countries for tourism needs under a fast-track procedure. Owing to the changes, it will be possible for the first time to hire seasonal workers with work permits for up to 90 days, it was made clear during the forum.

The discussion was also attended by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Zornitsa Rusinova, the Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Denitsa Nikolova, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Dian Stamatov, hoteliers, restaurateurs,  and other representatives from the tourism industry, industry organizations, educational establishments, etc.