Branimir Botev

"We are worried that in the last year tourism in Bulgaria has been developing despite the administration, and not with the help of the administration - often due to chaotic decisions,"Branimir Botev, former Deputy Minister of Tourism, and now the president of the European League for Economic Cooperation, said in an interview for "This Morning" talk show.

Bulgarian Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova has expressed hopes that her deputy, Branimir Botev, will step down.

Speaking Thursday in Plovdiv at the opening of the annual international meeting of tour operators, she suggested that Botev had been appointed Deputy Tourism Minister at the insistence of Valeri Simeonov from nationalist formation the Patriotic Front.

A single Ministry of Tourism is necessary to secure the budget framework which the sector precisely needs, caretaker Deputy Economy and Energy Minister Branimir Botev believes.

Bulgaria's Deputy Economy Minister Branimir Botev expects a 4.5% - 5% increase of tourists in the winter season compared to last year.

He noted that even in the absence of appropriate conditions for winter tourism, a growth of 4.1% was recorded in 2013, and this year an even stronger season is expected, Darik news reports.

Bulgaria's caretaker Economy Minister in charge of Tourism, Branimir Botev, has opposed gloomy forecasts about the sector.

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None of the big Bulgarian tour operators reported group cancellations due to the recent floods along the Black Sea coast, deputy economy minister Branimir Botev said, Tuesday.

Bulgaria's National Tourism Council (NTCNTC has approved the advertising strategies for Bulgarian tourism, said Deputy Minister of Economy and Energy Branimir Botev, Tuesday.

Botev noted that the participants in the meeting of the NTCNTCwere unanimous in the discussion of all issues.

Bulgaria's Economy Ministry expects a 4% increase of number of Russian tourists in 2014, said deputy economy minister Branimir Botev, quoted by the Cherno More agency. 

“We are seeing an increase of tourist numbers – not only from Russia, but also from Ukraine,” Botev said. 

Bulgaria's Deputy Economy Minister Branimir Botev has met with Russian journalists and informed them of the situation in Bulgarian resorts after last week's devastating floods.

Bulgaria will welcome some 9 million foreign tourists annually by 2020, and their number is expected to reach 12 million in the following 10 years.