19.03.2021

THE DEADLINE FOR ASSISTANCE FOR TOUR OPERATORS AND TRAVEL AGENTS IS EXPIRING

The Ministry of Tourism reminds all tour operators and travel agents that the deadline for submitting documents for applying for state aid of BGN 51 million expires on March 22.

This is one of the measures taken by the agency to help the sector to overcome the effects of COVID-19, the ministry said in a press release.

The term is consistent with the need to conduct an official inspection of the circumstances declared by the applicant company by the National Revenue Agency and the National Statistical Institute, as well as to ensure the possibility of eliminating any incompleteness and irregularities in the application.

The amount of one-time grants is 4 percent of turnover without VAT in 2019, disclosed in the financial statements under the Accounting Act, and the assistance provided is to compensate for losses of tour operators and travel agents for the period from March 1, 2020 until 31 December 2020.

The aid must be used as a matter of priority to reimburse passengers whose packages have been canceled due to COVID-19 for the same period.

The submission of applications for state aid is done electronically by filling in a web-based application form and the accompanying documents through the National Investment Management System (NIMS), through the module "E-application".

The currently implemented measure for tour operators and travel agents will be applied until April 5, 2021, after which a new state aid scheme will enter into force, which was published in the State Gazette today, the ministry said. It is to be notified to the European Commission.

The measure envisages the state to provide grants to tour operators in the amount of up to 15 percent of their turnover without VAT in 2019, but not more than the amount due for tourist packages for unrealized trips.

Funding for the new measure is provided by the already allocated but not used funds from the national budget. According to the indicative values, the unspent funds are nearly BGN 19 million. The funds under the new state aid are received regardless of the receipt of funds under the current scheme and in compliance with the rules for state aid.