Construction control in Bulgaria requested

Sofiaecho, 2006-12-19

     The head of the state Agency for Tourism (AT), Mario al-Djebouri, requested on December 7 that the AT take control over issuing construction permits in resorts. Al-Djebouri believed the move could help control the construction boom in the resorts.
     Responsibility for construction in resorts has to be focused in one place, said al Djebouri on private-channel bTV. At present, the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, the Environment and Water Affairs Ministry, and municipal administrations each play a role in permitting. But none of those institutions exercise responsibility development, al-Djebouri said.
     By the end of 2006, AT will present its new strategy for promotion of Bulgaria as a tourism destination. The new strategy will emphasise new spa, golf and cultural tourism. For these purposes, AT's 2007 budget was doubled to 13 million leva.
     Data from the National Statistical Institute shows that tourism generates 12.5 per cent of Bulgaria's GDP, including nine per cent from international tourism. A total of 170 000 people are currently directly employed in Bulgaria's tourism sector, but together with the accompanying sectors their numbers reached 300 000 people.
     There's room to grow, too. Bulgaria is suitable for developing spa tourism, with the country's more than 550 natural mineral springs with temperatures ranging from 37 C to 101 C.
     Al-Djebouri said he wants to make Bulgaria more tempting to foreign tourists, especially for tourists coming for the UK. From 2000 to 2005 the increase of the number of British tourists coming to Bulgaria was the largest among foreign visitors, at 43 per cent.
     Speaking in London last month, Al-Djebouri said Bulgaria was looking for UK and Irish partners for Bulgarian businesses in a range of services.

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