We are in a fierce competition. Airlines are looking for full planes when the plane is empty, no matter how high the price. This was stated by the director of the Institute for Analysis and Evaluation in Tourism, Rumen Draganov, in the “Interview with NOVA” regarding concerns about a possible increase in the price of airline tickets due to the tension in the Middle East and the increased prices of aviation fuel.
According to Draganov, however, there is currently no reason for serious concerns. He stated that airlines are in a strong competitive environment and are striving to keep prices as low as possible in order to fill flights. According to him, so far, Bulgarian air carriers have not announced any price increases.
He also stressed that tourists who have already paid for their vacations or plane tickets should not worry about additional costs. “Once you have paid, no one can raise the price. This is a basic rule in tourism - the price is guaranteed at the time of payment”, he said.
Regarding the winter tourist season, Draganov commented that individual canceled trips do not have a significant impact on the overall results. According to him, this month alone, about 780 thousand foreign tourists visited Bulgaria. He added that some of the canceled reservations are related to Israeli tourists who are reservists and participate in military operations. “We are talking about isolated cases. Flights with Israel continue normally, and Bulgaria remains a safe destination”, he pointed out.
Draganov also noted that the Middle East represents a small share of Bulgarians' trips abroad. According to him, the majority of tourist trips are directed to European Union countries and neighboring countries. “The main tourist flows are to Europe. Over half of the trips are to European Union countries, as well as neighboring countries and the United Kingdom”, the expert explained.
According to him, there are currently no indications of serious disruptions in the tourism sector, and the summer season is expected to proceed normally.