Tourism policy is guided by the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014-30. The Strategy aims to strengthen the competitiveness and efficiency of the tourism sector in Bulgaria using the resources in a sustainable way, in line with market requirements and consumer expectations for sustainable tourism development. These include: (i) Diversifying national tourism products; (ii) Promoting quality services and protecting the rights and safety of consumers; (iii) Ensuring effective co-ordination between the institutions and integrating tourism into related sectoral policies; (iv) Making Bulgaria a leading tourism development destination; (v) Raising awareness of Bulgaria’s year-round rich tourism offerings; and (vi) Marketing the destination effectively.
In 2023, the Ministry of Tourism completed a mid-term evaluation of the Strategy and prepared an action plan for its implementation until 2025. The evaluation led to updates in the Strategy to address key issues in Bulgarian tourism and support the country’s green and digital transitions. The focus until 2025 includes increasing tourism sector competitiveness, improving tourism data collection and sharing, promoting sustainable management at regional level and enhancing digitalisation for SMEs.
The main policy responses and initiatives to tackle the challenges for the sector include the Tourism Guarantee Fund, created by the Bulgarian government to protect consumers in the event of insolvency of tour operators due to force majeure.
Providing the sector with trained personnel to meet the ever-increasing demands of tourists is one of the biggest challenges facing the Bulgarian tourism industry. As popularity declines, there are less people interested in working in the sector. Several measures are in development, including, the adaptation of curricula and dual education programmes and campaign with the Association of the secondary restaurateur and hotelier schools aimed at raising awareness and increasing the image of tourism professions among the young people. At the moment in a process of implementation is revision of the List of the professions (incl. in the field of tourism), which will lead to revision and adaptation of the curricula in order to better respond to the needs of the business and the level of tourism development.
In the final phase of the elaboration are the amendments of the Ordinance for dual education. The amendments are aimed at improving the model of the dual education. Some of the changes that would be useful for the tourist industry, are allowing flexibility for changing daily to dual form of education and seasonal implementation of dual training, based on a training schedule, prepared by the business.
In 2022, Bulgaria launched an aid programme to support Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Co-ordinated by the Ministry of Tourism and a special ad hoc working group, the programme allocated hotels and other accommodation facilities for those seeking temporary protection (see box below).
Decentralisation for regional tourism marketing and promotion on the municipal level is also an important policy development. The Ministry of Tourism developed a targeted programme to support the promotion of the Black Sea municipalities, which allowed foreign tour operators, airports and municipalities to join efforts in promoting the Black Sea region, with an active and goal-oriented partnership.
Bulgaria is also developing programmes to support digitalisation and innovation in the tourism industry. This includes a strategic document for digitalisation of the sector, expected to be finalised by the end of 2024. Additionally, the country is also focusing on controlling air and water quality and achieving sustainable waste and water management, crisis management, stimulating tourism investment and climate change adaptation.
