Comment On Bg Tourism – An Experience From An “outsiders” Point Of View

Comment on BG tourism – an experience from an “outsiders” point of view BBLF 11.11.2009 Hotel Hilton Sofia Gregor Knoll

Introduction: Leisure tourism Benchmark Analysis - Comparison BG

Other

Ski

Rila, Pirin, Rhodopi

Austria

Sea

Cerno More

Spain

Golf

Sofia, Sea, Mountains

Ireland

Points of comparison: - Ski: naturally vs externally driven development - More: Totalitarian to transition economy - Golf: Exponential economic growth

Market intelligence – availability of data  Survey results:

 To pay more attention and to care about the small resorts;

 To stop the constructions;  To stop the pollution;  To assure more silence and calmness;

 To improve the hygiene;  To improve the development of the tourism;

 To pay more attention to the rural tourism;  To have more advertisments for the Bulgarian resorts (big and small);

 The staff to be more friendly;  To have more possibilities for children entertainments;

 Lower prices for Bulgarian tourists;

Experience - Ski tourism Bulgarian ski resorts No,1 in SEE But:

-

Coordinated expansion necessary to remain competitive

-

Better exploitation of the summer market needed

-

High distance to global leaders evident

-

Development of market identity needed

-

Projects on hold

-

Seasonal differentiation a challenge

-

Destination management and summer attractions are missing

-

Decreasing demand in apartment market

Mutual goal: Control and influence future resort planning

Organizational Management New Institutional Economics: Douglass C. North (Nobel prize winner in economics 1993): “Institutions are made of formal rules, informal norms of behaviour, and enforcement characteristics”

Leadership Barriers & Constraints:

- Operational: Public Administration, lack of coordination and inconsistent information.

- Structural: Lack of knowledge and financial resources

- Cultural: Capacity, Awareness, Function  Mistrust

Sustainability Reasons for sustainability:

- Preservation of our environment - An extra dimension to guest satisfaction - Attractive identity - Cost saving - Profitability

Tourism Associations Conflict of interests: - Many different associations representing equal interests

- No common approach to one market or industry segment - No leadership, but high conflicts of interests - Self Promotion instead of targeting industry interests Correct Approach:

- (Manipulation), Information, Consultation  Interaction  Partnership, Empowerment, Self Mobilization

Tourism Policy EU –goals:

- Better access to finance - Better regulation - Growth - Competitiveness - Innovation - Research & Development - SME – support - Sustainable and responsible business

Overall Responsibility Non-competitive approach towards common goals Share knowledge and resources to reach representative results Develop a economically viable tourism policy Actively implement improvement programs and initiatives Create a positive impact: economically, socially and environmentally

How to?  Balance your goals with consumer interests  Link business owners, and communities to the supply chain – address expectations and initiatives to all stakeholders

 Align to international standards  Push private and public initiatives  Identity building – BG tourism product  Create awareness towards own ideas

Thank You Gregor Knoll [email protected]

wst.dk