Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Tourist industry wants lower VAT to remain in place

Dimitrina Goranova
Photo: BTA

Bulgarian tour operators and travel agents are hoping the new parliament will reconsider the decision to revert to the higher VAT (20%) for the industry as of 1 July. They are insisting that tourist packages be subject to 9% VAT until the end of 2024, as has been the case for restaurant operators.

“Unless that happens we shall have to pay hundreds of thousands of leva to make up for the difference up to 20% because the tourist packages were sold last year, budgeting for a VAT rate amounting to 9% and we cannot update prices now,” said Dimitrina Goranova, chair of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents in an interview with the Bulgarian news agency BTA.

A lower VAT rate was introduced three years ago as a temporary measure during the Covid pandemic but tour operators say they have not yet reached 2019 levels, and are insisting that the 9% VAT rate for the industry remain in place.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Boyko Borissov

Bulgaria could face fuel shortages if Lukoil stops operating, says GERB leader Borissov

Bulgaria could run into fuel shortages if the Lukoil Neftochim refinery stops operating, former Prime Minister and GERB leader Boyko Borissov warned on Thursday. Prime Minister: Bulgaria has a month to decide how to proceed after US sanctions on..

published on 10/23/25 2:13 PM

Prime Minister: Bulgaria has a month to decide how to proceed after US sanctions on Lukoil

Bulgaria has until 21 November to decide how to proceed with the Lukoil Neftochim refinery, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on Thursday ahead of a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. He was apparently referring to the end of a US Treasury..

published on 10/23/25 1:57 PM

The Bulgarian army will gradually make up for its personnel shortage

The Bulgaria army will make up for the lack of personnel but not immediately. For 2025, we have money to hire only 1,000 new soldiers, said Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov before the relevant parliamentary committee.  The committee supported the..

published on 10/23/25 11:32 AM