Parliament's tourism committee has approved the tourism section of the 2025 annual report on national security. Eleven MPs voted in favour, none against, and two abstained.
The report lists poor infrastructure in resorts, a lack of staff and inflation as the main risks for tourism. Plamen Uzunov, an adviser in the prime minister's political office who heads the Security Council at the Council of Ministers, presented the document to the committee.
The sector operates amid geopolitical instability in the Black Sea region. For sea tourism, the report notes weaknesses linked to the short season, climate change and extreme weather. It says tourism mattered in 2025 for economic stability, for jobs across the regions and for Bulgaria's image abroad.
In the national resorts and tourist zones, the problems include transport links, parking, water supply, sewage, rubbish collection and upkeep of public spaces. Some of these fall outside the powers of the Tourism Ministry, so it needs joint action with municipalities and other institutions.
The staff shortage continues, and firms still have to hire workers from non-EU countries. Red tape and the small capacity to process applications and issue visas make it hard to find staff for the season. About 300 employees handle visa and consular work at Bulgaria's missions abroad, and they serve more than 2m Bulgarian and foreign citizens. Rising labour and energy costs add to the pressure on the sector.
Sustainable development, the report says, needs a consistent state policy, co-ordination between institutions and steps to make the sector more competitive and its environment safer.
The sector's main problems have built up over years, deputy tourism minister Mariela Modeva said, but tourism in all four seasons is achievable in Bulgaria. She said the planned changes to the Tourism Act are not a finished reform. The government plans further steps to cut the risks for good.
Rositsa Kirova (GERB-SDS), who chairs the committee, reminded members that the document covers 2025. She said the tough visa rules for citizens of non-EU countries could be reviewed to help tourism. She proposed asking the European Commission for an exemption allowing easier visas for citizens of a country such as Turkey, and said the worsening situation in the Black Sea could be the reason. Kirova also called for a solution to rising energy prices and for a season that stretches into May, June, September and October.
Pavel Popov of Democratic Bulgaria said outside risks should also have been included in the tourism section. He pointed to the section on Russia, which speaks of nuclear rhetoric and disinformation campaigns against Western countries, Bulgaria among them. For Bulgaria, it matters not only that peace comes but also what follows, if Russia builds up its military presence in the region while Ukraine is weakened, Popov said. He asked why infrastructure is being discussed when ships in the Black Sea are under attack.
Yasen Shterev of Progressive Bulgaria said institutions should send positive signals about tourism in the media and show the good sides of Bulgaria. He said the government is already applying measures on visas for Turkish citizens, announced by the tourism ministers of Bulgaria and Turkey.