A tourism group wants the rules on children's and school trips brought in line with the Tourism Act and the new EU directive on package travel. Pavlina Ilieva, chair of the management board of the "Future for Tourism" association, set out the demands at a news conference at the BTA National Press Club in Sofia.
The group wants educational trips to become part of school curricula, with the state paying for them under a European model. "When we have a state budget and that budget goes directly to educating children, we know what we are investing in these children," Ilieva said. She said it also shows what to expect from them later as active adults in society.
The association proposes that price should not be the only deciding factor when a tour operator is chosen. Quality should also be weighed against the educational goals. The school head should sign the package contract, and each parent should pay the tour operator by bank transfer, in line with the rules that limit cash payments.
The association also wants to clear up the confusion over travel allowances for teachers when the school has no budget for them. If the tour operator covers them, it should do so with an official document from the school or a civil contract. The group expects the education ministry to issue guidance on the rules, so that regional education departments do not set different requirements and notification procedures. The changes also affect the rules on business trips within Bulgaria.
The association has filed an official form with its proposals with the Reform Council at the Ministry of Tourism. Ilieva said no working group has been set up there and no real work on the proposals has started.
The manager of the tour firm Machirski Sport said 80% of children's and school tourism in Bulgaria is in the grey sector. He said some operators pressure teachers with tempting offers, and money is often taken in cash, with no contract and no declaration. The commission has become "the key to a trip," he said. His firm wants payment by bank transfer only, and different permitted distances depending on the age of the children.
The owner and manager of Loyal Travel said the regulation is out of date and was not updated after the new Tourism Act. She said schools can organise only one-day trips on their own. By law, multi-day trips, camps, and "green" and "white" schools must go through a licensed tour operator. A school cannot run a business, so it struggles to collect money from parents and pass it on, for example to a transport firm.
She said transport is one of the main parts of the price, along with accommodation, meals, and pay for guides, entertainers, instructors and teachers on assignment. It rises with fuel costs and depends on the age and category of the buses. The price covers overnight stays and food, licensed guides, entertainers, instructors and the teachers on the trip. Entry fees for museums and sites, craft workshops and medical insurance are paid separately. The teacher picks the route to fit the learning goals, and parents should choose an agency on the quality of the package, she said.
Diana Blagoeva, a board member of the association and a parent, said the lack of transparency leads to conflicts between parents, tour operators and schools. She wants the education ministry and regional education departments to check school documents earlier and more strictly. She also wants regulators to look regularly for unfair trade practices, hidden commissions and inflated prices. The transport ministry should monitor the technical state of buses, carriers' licences and drivers' rest breaks.
Blagoeva proposed that Bulgaria adopt rules like those in Germany and France, with caps on costs and school solidarity funds for children in financial difficulty. She said the rules on one-day trips also need to be made more precise.
Earlier this week, ombudsman Velislava Delcheva asked for a check on the high prices of one-day trips for schoolchildren and kindergarten children, citing growing discontent among parents. In their complaints, parents write of offers of €40 to €50 for short trips, with no food or entry fees.
School trips are governed by the Tourism Act and a regulation on package travel at a total price. Under the regulation, kindergartens must have at least one supervisor for every 5 to 7 children. For pupils in grades 1 to 12, there must be one for every 10 to 15 pupils.