Organisation Structures in Tourism Ministry of Economy
According to the Tourism Act, the Ministry of Economy has the engagement to implement the state policy in the field of tourism and to co-ordinate the activities of the ministries and other institutions towards its implementation. The major priorities of its activities are the inter-state relations in the field of tourism, the regulatory provision for the tourists activities, national marketing and advertising, assisting the activities of the regional, local and branch tourist organisations, IT procurement, marketing research, analyses and forecasts for the tourist market, development of the tourist product and training the staff employed in tourism.
It functions as a consultative body with the Minister of the Economy. It aims at assisting in the implementation of a national policy in tourism. The members of the National Board are representatives of the tourism-related ministries and institutions, local, regional and branch tourist organisations and the Bulgarian airline companies.
State administration bodies ? Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of the Environment and Water, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Finance;
National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria;
Bulgarian Air-Line Companies - the Balkan Air-Line Company;
Branch Tourist Organisations ? Bulgarian Association of Tourist Agencies, Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, Bulgarian Tourist Chamber.
Bulgarian Association of Tourist Agencies /BATA/
BATA was established in 1992. Members in it are over 200 companies of proven professional experience in tour-operation activities, tourist agency and other activities relating directly or indirectly to tourism. A non-profit association, which represents, assists, and protects the interests of its members. It takes part in the work of international tourist organisations, co-ordinates and encourages the participation by its members in national and international events. BATA is a member of UFTAA - the World Federation of the Associations of Tourist Agents, of the Russian RATA, of the American ASTA, of the Portuguese APAVT, of the Japanese JATA, of the Black Sea Tourism Co-operation (BSTC). It is the co-ordinator for the issuing IATA - UFTAA cards for agent discount. It has a registered economic structure of its own - “Bata Service” - as licensed tour-operator and tourist agent, which assists the BATA members in organising various events, services, staff training, etc.
Tel.: (++359-2) 981 45 80
Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (BTC)
A non-profit Association established in 1990. The Chamber has commissions set up for consultations in hoteliership, restaurateurship, staff training, and economic problems of tourist companies. Presently it has about 800 members - individuals and legal entities. It has regional structures in towns of Varna, Bourgas, Plovdiv, Pleven, and Veliko Turnovo. A member of the Bulgarian Industrial Association.
Tel.: (++359-2) 987 40 49
Bulgariam Hotel and Restaurant Association
A non-profit Association, which organises, co-ordinates, and encourages the development of private hoteliership and restaurateurship in this country. It works out programmes on developing the activities of its members and popularises their achievements and capacities in Bulgaria and abroad. It monitors the observing of professional ethics, the principles of loyal competition between its members, and assists for raising their qualifications.
Tel.: (++359-2) 989 05 38
Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT)
A non-profit Association, which assists the development of alternative types of tourism - rural, agrarian, eco-, and mountain tourism; ornithology, religious, etc. It co-ordinates the interests and the actions in the forming and implementing the tourist product of the respective alternative types of tourism.
Tel.: (++359-2) 989 05 38
Bulgarian Association for Rural and Ecological Tourism(BARET)
A non-profit Association, whose tasks relate to the promotion of rural and ecological tourism, developing the tourist supply in towns and regions of preserved natural-and-ecological fund, etc. The Association has developed the “Bulgarian eco-paths” national programme.
Tel.: (++359-2) 971 34 85
Regional Tourist Organisations ? Pirin Tourism Forum, Bourgas Regional Tourist Association, ‘Stara Planina’ Association, Varna Tourist Chamber;
Local Tourist Organisations ? Tourism Board - Smolyan, Tourism Board - Veliko Turnovo, Tourism Board - Kazanlak, Tourism Board - Plovdiv;
Commission on Trade and Consumer Protection
The Commission has the functions of a controlling body under the Tourism Act. It is a subdivision of the Ministry of Economy; it has regional structures and monitors the observation of regulations in the field of tourism.
Local and Regional Tourist Organisations
These are non-profit organisations uniting companies and organisations of the respective levels interested in the development of tourism. Their activities are focused on marketing and advertising, IT servicing of tourists (through tourist information centres), development and implementation of programmes on the development of tourism, monitoring of demand and supply, development of tourist products and training in tourism. As of January 2000 this country had 53 local and 4 regional organisations functioning, which maintain 24 tourist information centres.
The Tourism Act envisages that municipal administrations have the status of the basic institutions for the development of tourism on a local level. This takes place through the
programmes on the sector’s development, assisting the local marketing, IT servicing of tourists, categorisation of tourist sites as stipulated by the Tourist Act, as well as exercising control over their activities.
Tourist Information Centres in Bulgaria
Information Centre - Karlovo
Karlovo 4300,
35,"Vodopad" Str.
tel. +359 335 53 73
infocentre@mbox.digsys.bg
Municipal Tourist Information Bureau -
Apriltsi
Apriltsi 5641,
102,"Vassil Levski" Str., "Stara Planina" block
tel. +359 6958 32 49
Municipal Tourist Information Bureau -
Gabrovo
Gabrovo 5300,
2,"Vazrazhdane" sq.
tel. +359 66
284 83
Municipal Tourist
Information Bureau - Teteven
Teteven 5700, "Sava Mladenov" sq.
tel. +359 678 42 17
Municipal Tourist Information Bureau -
Troyan
Troyan 5600,
133,"Vassil Levski" Str.
tel.
+359 670 350 64
Municipal
Tourist Information Bureau - Tryavna
Tryavna 5350, 22,"Angel Kanchev" Str.
tel. +359 677 22 47
Municipal Tourist Information Centre -
Smolyan
Smolyan 4700,
TIC,Mladezhki Dom (Youth Centre)
tel. +359 301 250 40, fax +359 301 250 40
National
Information and Advertising Center
1 St. Sofia Street, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria
tel. + 359 2 987 97 78, fax + 359 2 987 97
78
infо@bulgariatravel.org
Tourist Information Centre -
Balchik
Balchik 9600,
1,"Ribarski" sq.
tel. +359 5797
20 34, fax +359 5797 20 34
Tourist Information Centre - Bansko
Bansko 2770, 2,"N. Y. Vaptsarov"
sq.
tel. +359 7443 50
48
Tourist Information
Centre - Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad 2770, "Varosha" district
tel. +359 73 65 458 / 367 95, fax +359 73 65 458 / 367
95
scabrin@pop3.aubg.bg
Tourist Information Centre -
Chepelare
Chepelare 4850,
2A,"Mourzhovska" Str.
tel. +359
3051 32 73
Tourist
Information Centre - Chernomorets
Chernomorets 8142, 6,"St. Nicholas" Str.
tel. +359 5510 27 44
Tourist Information Centre -
Devin
Devin 4800,
5,"Osvobozhdenie" Str.
tel. +359
3041 41 61, fax +359 3041 39 02
Tourist Information Centre - Elena
Elena 5070, 1,"Hr. Stanchev" Str., "Elena"
hotel
tel. +359 6151 37 32 / 36
32
elena_hotel@abv.bg
Tourist Information Centre - Gotse
Delchev
Gotse Delchev 2900,
2,"Tsaritsa Yoanna" Str.
tel.
+359 751 220 86
Tourist
Information Centre - Kazanlak
Kazanlak 6100, 1,"Battenberg" Str.
tel. +359 431 249 17
Tourist Information Centre -
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
2077, 1,"Lyuben Karavelov" Str.
tel. +359 7184 21 91, fax +359 7184 21 91
koprivshtiza@hotmail.com
Tourist Information Centre -
Momchilovtsi
Momchilovtsi
4750, Smolyan Municipality, "ITS" hotel
tel. +359 3023 23 11, fax +359 3023 23 11
Tourist Information Centre -
Obzor
Obzor 8250, Town hall,
2,"Ivan Vazov" Str.
tel. +359
5504 33 51
Tourist
Information Centre - Primorsko
Primorsko 8290, "Treti Mart" Str. - Square
tel. + 359 05561 30 76
Tourist Information Centre -
Sandanski
Sandanski 2800,
1,"Bulgaria" sq.
tel. +359 746
225 49, fax +359 746 224 03
bicc@omega.bg
Tourist Information Centre - Shiroka
Laka
Shiroka
Laka
tel. +359 3030
233
sh.luka@mbox.infotel.bg
Tourist Information Centre -
Smolyan
Smolyan 4700,
80,"Bulgaria" blvd.
tel. +359
301 380 85
Rhra@mbox.digsys.bg
Tourist Information Centre -
Sozopol
Sozopol 8130,
"Republikanska" Str. - Square
tel. +359 5514 33 36
Tourist Information Centre - Veliko
Turnovo
Veliko Turnovo,
13A,"Hristo Botev" Str.
tel.
+359 62 221 48
dtour@vali.bg