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Bulgaria in shape to attract 15 mln business travellers annually

Dnevnik Daily, 08.07.2005

Bulgaria's hospitality industry has the potential to service some 15 mln business travellers annually, said Josef Halbherr, general manager of Varna's Kempinski Hotel Grand Hermitage and member of the board of directors of the Bulgarian Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB). The coastal city of Varna is the fastest growing tourist destination in this country, according to Friedrich Niemann, chairman of the BCVB board. National statistics shows that one third of Bulgaria's tourist bed capacity is concentrated in the area of Varna. The region has the advantage of good infrastructure, including an airport. What needs to be done, however, is to extend the Hemus highway, making it possible to get from Sofia to Varna in three hours, Niemann commented. Another problem is the lack of way-finding road signs in the English language in Varna. To attract business tourists, Bulgaria needs a well-educated labour force fluent in English. The BCVB advised the local hoteliers to build sport facilities such as golf courses in proximity to the hotels and to make sure that the hotel rooms are spacious and have master bathrooms. According to BCVB data, foreign participants in trade exhibitions stay for an average of six days in this country, while delegates to conferences and congresses spend seven to ten nights. During their stay they spend an average of 1,575 euro, the bulk of which goes for accommodation and meals. Halbherr recommended to the government to introduce tax breaks for marketing expenditures in tourism. A month ago deputy tourism minister Dimiter Hadjinikolov quoted World Tourism Organisation data, showing that Bulgaria's potential as a tourist destination would reach 10.5 mln arrivals in the next five years. But that forecast will not materialise unless adequate transport infrastructure is put in place, he added at the time. see source