2024-03-09 00:35:13
A dispute over the BGN 5 million for advertising, distributed for projects of the Black Sea municipalities, separates long-time partners
Against the background of the good data for tourism, which for the first time this summer has a chance to achieve the results of the pre-pandemic 2019, the industry organizations fought among themselves.
They did it on Friday – the day NSI published a report on overnight stays in 2023 – increased by 11.1% year-on-year, and hoteliers’ revenues – by 24.1% compared to a year earlier.
At the same time, a group of seven industry organizations, including the National Board of Tourism (NBT), called on the authorities with an open letter to replace the Minister of Tourism Zaritsa Dinkova during the rotation. Their motives are a palette of accusations – from incompetence to lack of interest to the fact that the branch defended its positions alone in the parliament.
Hours later, one of the founders of NBT – the head of Albena Krasimir Stanev, told “24 Chasa” that he was leaving the organization. On Monday, the board of directors of “Albena” AD – the company that owns the resort of the same name, made a decision
to leave the National Board of Tourism,
the executive director announced.
“At the time, we were very enthusiastic about the idea of the industry uniting.
But we see that the organization is becoming more and more ineffective, we are falling into small-mindedness and staffing.
It is not the business of the industry to discuss who the minister is
and who doesn’t, this is a political issue and we are obliged to work with any minister”, Stanev is categorical.
The tourism board’s reaction was almost immediate. From there, they released a statement suggesting that the new way of distributing advertising funds may have skewed the industry.
“Unfortunately, over the past 9 months we have witnessed an unprecedented division of the industry and a breakdown of established practices of institutional partnership and constructive interaction between business and the state. Most likely
channeling a huge resource of budget funds for tourism advertising
to a very limited range of users is at the root of this distortion,” the statement said.
The dispute is about BGN 5 million for advertising and marketing of tourism, which the ministry decided for the first time not to distribute through public procurement, but to distribute on a project basis to the Black Sea municipalities. They were invited to apply in partnership with local tourism businesses, tour operators, airports and airlines, with municipal partners able to add more funds to the project.
According to the latest figures, the five million has thus been almost doubled, as many hotel owners have made the commitment
to add their own funds to marketing activities
Prof. Rumen Draganov, who is a member of the control board of the National Board of Tourism, however, assessed to “24 Chasa” this 5 million BGN as “the most meaningful investment made in Bulgaria recently”.
“It was seen that even with a little money, but with more thought, things get done,” said Draganov to “24 Chasa”.
A similar assessment was given by the Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in Bulgaria, the Union of the Tourism Industry in Bansko, the Association of Inbound Tourism Agencies, and hoteliers.
And the owner of “Griffid Hotels” Grigor Fidanov commented to “24 Chasa” that he and his colleagues can cover even a fifth of the advertising costs when it is known that the state is behind the venture.
When reporting on her activities, Minister Dinkova announced that the program will be extended to include municipalities in the interior of the country, as well as mountain resorts.
And in an interview with “24 Chasa”, Chief Ivan Manchev praised the minister for her initiative to start the country’s application procedure for the world-famous culinary guide “Michelin” to come and evaluate restaurants in our country.