Caretaker Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov told bTV on Sunday that there were 23% more tourists in Bulgaria in the 2022-2023 winter season compared to 2019-2020.
Dimitrov said that his ministry’s budget is 0.3% of Bulgaria’s GDP, and that tourism contributes directly 7% to the state budget, while indirectly between two and three times more. According to him, the ministry is underfunded and has a budget of BGN 28 million. He said funds for the Tourism Ministry should be gradually increased.
Dimitrov described as a "victory" the fact that the VAT rate of 9% for restaurants remains in the 2023 State Budget Bill. He said that according to data from the National Revenue Agency this measure has brightened the sector. He noted that companies involved in the restaurant business have declared twice as much profit and will pay twice as much tax. According to him, the measure also aid sustainable development in the sector.
In his opinion, Bulgaria loses billions every year due to the fact that cultural and spa tourism were not well developed in the past. Over the years, the investment has been mainly along the seaside, Dimitrov said.
The ministry is currently developing a digital map with the ministries of agriculture and culture, in which every site should be mapped, every landmark should be present and tourists should be able to buy tickets online, watch 3D visualization and have a 3D guide that can provide information in different languages, Dimitrov added.
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