November 21 (BTA) - The business and the government
expect the upcoming 2021/2022 winter season to be challenging
and it will rely mainly on tourists from Bulgaria and the
neighbouring countries. This will be the second pandemic winter
Bulgarian tourism and it is expected to be much harder because
of higher electricity prices. Hotel businesses are some of the
most energy consuming and electricity bills account for a large
part of expenditures. In view of this, the Alliance of Tourism
Industry in Bulgaria called for urgent solution to the price of
electricity for businesses. The tourism industry called for
adequate compensation as the announced deductions of 110 lv per
MWh for October and November from electricity bills are not
enough.

Also, the Alliance called on the government to provide interest
free loans or loans at a lower rate with a long grace period for
 hotels to install photovoltaic panels and make a commitment to
buy excess energy.

At this stage the expectations for the winter season in view of
the fourth wave of the coronavirus in the country are cautious
and more late bookings are expected, said caretaker Tourism
Minister Stela Baltova at the end of October at an online
meeting of the National Tourist Council.

According to the estimates. Bulgarians will make trips for ski
and spa tourism and cultural destinations. Bulgarian tourists
are expected to visit Bansko, Samokov, Smolyan, and Chepelare,
Varna, Velingrad, Hissarya, Razlog, Plovdiv, Sandanski, Troyan,
Veliko Tarnovo, Burgas. Currently there are bookings from
traditional markets such as North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania,
Turkey, Russia and the UK but they may be cancelled.

The Tourism Ministry expects Czech tourists to return to
Bulgarian winter resorts along with tourists from Israel,
Germany, Poland and Ukraine.

The Tourism Ministry expect foreign tourists to visit mainly ski
 resorts and the capital Sofia.

At the peak of the fourth COVID-19 wave 730,000 adult Bulgarians
 (12.8 per cent) say that they plan at least one tourist trip
during the upcoming 2021/2022 winter season.

Traditionally, residents of the capital Sofia and regional
capitals are more likely to travel. The main concerns are
related to personal finances and the coronavirus.

Nearly 5 per cent of Bulgarians plan to travel abroad regardless
 of the ongoing pandemic.

People aged between 18 and 44 have the highest potential for the
 tourism sector, as they account for 80 per cent of those
seeking suitable offers. Thirty-seven per cent of them earn
between 2,000 and 3,000 leva per month. PP

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