Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Tour operators call for state aid, but tourist sector is divided

Protest of tour operators in Sofia, March 2,2021
Photo: BTA

Representatives of the tourism industry from the association "Future for Tourism" have organized a protest in front of the Council of Ministers in central Sofia. They are calling for state aid because of the pandemic. They want a reduction of VAT for tourism to 5% in the next 2 years. They also want an extension of the period for refund of prepaid amounts for cancelled trips abroad, which expires on March 13. It is demanded that a state guarantee fund of 35 million euros be created to cover the money to their clients.


The Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents told BNR's Horizon program that they did not support the protest. They believe that this will create inequality in the sector in relation to state aid.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarians are putting money into banks en masse before expected euro adoption

The Bulgarian National Bank reports a sharp increase in new household deposits . The growth in euro deposits is impressive. In just one month, amounts worth 334 million leva (over 161 million euros) were placed in deposit accounts. This is 57% more than..

published on 10/28/25 9:12 AM

Extraordinary parliament session to debate pay rise for young medical professionals

The President of the National Assembly, Natalia Kiselova, is convening an extraordinary parliamentary sitting today with a single item on the agenda – a vote on amendments to the Medical Establishments Act, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported...

published on 10/28/25 8:15 AM

Regional Defence Summit 2025 to discuss strengthening European defence capabilities

The international conference Regional Defence Summit 2025 takes place today in Sofia. It brings together defence ministers, representatives of the European Union and NATO, industry leaders, investors and innovators with the next..

published on 10/28/25 6:15 AM