site.btaTourism Minister for BTA: Bulgaria Will Rely on Easier Entry for Foreign Tourists, Domestic Tourism to Compensate for War-caused Losses

Approached by BTA here on Saturday, Tourism Minister Hristo Prodanov said that the lift of the COVID-19 restrictions for entry in Bulgaria is very important in light of the forthcoming tourist season, and he has taken the necessary steps to make that happen. The country will rely on the easier access to Bulgaria for foreign tourists and on Bulgarian tourists to compensate for the losses to be caused by the war in Ukraine.

Bulgarian tourism relies heavily on tourists from Russia and Ukraine during the summer season.

Minister Prodanov also told BTA that the winter season was twice better than last year's. He expects the summer season to be relatively better than in 2021.

As at April 1, there were 20,500 Ukrainian refugees staying at various accommodation establishments in Bulgaria. This figure varies in the time from February 24 to March 31, and hotel owners who provided refugees with accommodation during that period have until April 5 to apply for compensations. These resources will help the branch in covering their electricity bills and food expenses.

Prodanov was in Kyustendil to attend a party meeting with the regional council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the local party members. They discussed matters related to the political situation in Bulgaria, the Minister told BTA.