HISTORICAL START: The Tourism Reform Council met at the Council of Ministers – BATA with a categorical vision for a 20-year strategy and an end to stagnation
Sofia, June 30, 2026 – An unprecedented in its scale first meeting of the newly established Tourism Reform Council was held today in the Granite Hall of the Council of Ministers. The event brought together the highest state apparatus and over 80 leading tourism associations in the country, opening a new page in the dialogue between business and government.
The official presidium of the forum included the Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Pulev, Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, Chairman of the Tourism Committee in the National Assembly Yasen Shterev, Deputy Ministers of Tourism Georgi Todorov and Mariela Modeva, Chief of Staff Maria Petrova and Advisor Violina Nakova.
End of "privileged" associations and a real voice for the industry
Minister Ilin Dimitrov was categorical that this council is not just a formality or a "photo opportunity" event, but a real working body. In order to ensure full transparency, the ministry has extended invitations to over 200 organizations from the National Tourism Register.
"End of the policy of privileged associations 'subscribing' to the ministry. Everyone will be heard according to their efficiency and ready-made proposals," said Dimitrov. He outlined an ambitious goal: by the end of the year, the council, working in small and flexible groups with direct access to decision-makers, will propose to the National Tourism Council a package of key legislative reforms to be submitted to parliament. Among the most urgent priorities were the regulation of short-term accommodation, the regulation on tourist attractions and the restoration of work on the guarantee fund in the sector.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Pulev also announced a serious financial injection for the industry worth nearly 300 million euros through the Fund of Funds (a mix of grants and soft loans), as well as a restructuring of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) with the aim of decisively reducing the administrative burden. Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov also welcomed the format, defining it as the only right way to find working solutions.
BATA with a key contribution: Mr. Odisei Spasov demanded a 20-year strategy and an end to the bureaucratic restart
In the framework of the discussion, the chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agencies (BATA), Mr. Odisei Spasov, made a strong and well-argued contribution. Coming to the podium, he focused on the deep, structural problems of the sector, accumulated over the last 15 years.
Mr. Spassov stated the painful truth about Bulgarian tourism right in the eyes of the rulers: “Due to the frequent changes of governments and tourism ministers over the past 15 years, the sector is in decline. With each change of minister, everything we have worked on and achieved with the previous cabinet is crossed out and we start from scratch. This vicious circle must be broken immediately!”
The BATA Chairman pointed out that every self-respecting country manages its sector through a long-term 20-year strategy for the development of tourism, tourist flows and the business environment. He emphasized that it is high time for a large-scale and sustainable development of the “Bulgaria” brand as a preferred destination for both foreign and Bulgarian tourists, which will directly increase revenues in the sector and the share of tourism in the gross domestic product (GDP).
Mr. Odisei Spassov officially declared that BATA and its members are fully prepared for round-the-clock operational work in the newly formed flexible groups of the Council. “We do not come empty-handed. We have accumulated a list of the most pressing and acute problems in the industry, but for each of them we have also prepared specific, ready-made solutions and legal proposals,” the Chairman of the Association said.
The current season: Crisis response and moderate optimism
The holding of the Council coincides with a difficult moment for the summer season. Minister Dimitrov presented current data as of the end of June, which report a fluctuating growth in overnight stays, but an overall decline of 6.1% in tourists compared to last year (a decline in the foreign market by 9.3% and in the Bulgarian market by 4.1%, mainly due to an outflow from Romania, Germany and Israel).
Dimitrov admitted that the start of the season was weak and "overslept by the previous administration", but assured that a crisis response is currently underway with aggressive advertising campaigns featuring celebrities. The resorts are already filling up, and with a sunny September, the season is expected to end with a slight increase or at least at last year's levels.
With today's meeting, BATA once again proved that it is a leading pillar and driver of change in Bulgarian tourism, ready to partner with the ministry and the entire government in the name of the economic rise of destination Bulgaria.
