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[size=55:2beldqs1]novinite 28 October 2010

Bulgaria Expects Boost in Winter Tourism 2010



Lodges in Bulgaria's ski resorts are already filling up for the upcoming winter season, giving hope that the sector will see the first signs of recovery after two bleak years.

Hoteliers estimates show some 110.000 tourists are expected to visit Bulgaria's winter resorts, up by 20.000 compared to the same time last year.

Entrepreneurs pin their hopes on the Russian, Serbian, Macedonian and Bulgarian tourists, who remain their main target group.

Experts also hope that foreign tourists will be shifting To Bulgaria as Greek travel attractions are shutting down.

Summer tourism has been dominant in Bulgaria over the last fifty years and some say that ski tourism - which now accounts for no more than 15% of the annual revenues in the sector - should speed up and catch up.

Bulgarian mountains however just do not have the resources to compete with those in Europe, Northern and Southern America."


Global warming aggravates the situation and puts into question even the four months of skiing season.

Investors in their turn are tempted to head for the highest of peaks, encroaching into the five percent of protected areas in Bulgaria.

[size=55:1bc2f480] Regal November 19, 2010

ISC: quality of service in stores and in Bulgaria is the lowest level in CEE


Most concerned about customer service in the Czech Republic. In Hungary, making the greatest care of their appearance. Slovakia leads in building loyal customer relationships. In the general classification for quality of service Bulgaria took sixth place[size=150:1bc2f480] last.

These are the main conclusions of a study by the "
mystery client"
of an international company International Service Check (ISC), held in May 2010 on the basis of 172 visits in the largest perfumery and cosmetics stores in six countries of Central and Eastern Europe : Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

The study included 27 stores, including eight international (DM, Fann Perfumerie, L'Occitane (en Provence), Marionnaud Parfumeries, Rossmann, Schlecker, Sephora, Yves Rocher). The Bulgarian side representatives Ivis, National Distributors and Refan Bulgaria, reported by the ISC.

The results of all survey Bulgaria ranks last with a score of 67.8%. First for Czech Republic (82.2% of possible points), second was Romania (81.2), and the third - Slovakia (79.6 percent) and fourth and fifth are Poland (79.3%) and Hungary (76.9%).

In the Bulgarian rating in category "
Presentation"
, the best result obtained Bulgarian cosmetics companies Ivis (89%) and Refan (87,7%). In the category "
Product Presentation"
almost perfect score receive Refan (96,3%) and DM (93,8%).

Best customer service as the secret is observed at the sites of Refan (84%) and Ivis (75%). After them much less present National Distributors (59,7%) and DM (45,1%). Best in building loyalty Refan again with a score 65.8%.

In the overall standings for first place remains Refan a result 83.5% of satisfied customers. Secondly ranks Ivis - 75,9%, while the third and fourth with a close result left National Distributors (58,5%) and DM (53,3%).

Bulgarian-German Centre to Train Tourism Sector Staff

A Bulgarian-German centre was officially opened Monday in the regional, southern city of Smolyan to be used for staff training, mainly for employees working in the tourism sector.

The construction cost is BGN 2.5M. Experts will teach courses such as "
Administration and Management,"
"
Hotel, Restaurant Management and Catering,"
"
IT Applications,"
"
Food Technologies,"
and "
Gardening."


The facility includes a dormitory, hotel rooms, practice kitchen, seminar and lecture halls.

There will be day, evening, distance and individual classes for bartenders, waiters, chefs, hotel owners, administrators, mountain guides, tour guides, animators, and beauticians. All graduates will receive professional certificates and licensees.

"
The crisis is gradually leaving and serious investments are coming to Bulgaria in the next few years. For this reason, we must have qualified, competitive work force. In the conditions of crisis, the labour market is the one facing the most difficulties in its recovery, but we are making exceptional efforts,"
Bulgaria's Social Policy and Labour Minister, Totyu Mladenov, said during the official opening ceremony.

Mladenov reminded the unemployment rate in the last 8 months was maintained consistently around or below 9%, due mostly to the work of the Employment Agency, national programs, and the better utilization of EU funds from the "
Human Resources Development"
program, adding 46 new measures with a budget of BGN 850 M would be launched under the program on December 1.