Project “TRAINING SAFETY AND SECURITY IN TOURISM” LLP-TOI-BG1-08-LEO-05-00437...

Project “TRAINING SAFETY AND SECURITY IN TOURISMProject “TRAINING SAFETY AND SECURITY IN TOURISM”” LLP-TOI-BG1-08-LEO-05-00437LLP-TOI-BG1-08-LEO-05-00437

THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CURRENT STATE OF TRAINING SAFETY AND TRAINING SAFETY AND SECURITY IN TOURISMSECURITY IN TOURISM

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIANATIONAL SURVEY

2 Проект TSST, Валоризационна конференция, 03 септември 2010, Бургас

Main objective:Main objective: TTo o makmake e a a national studnational studyy on on the the

current situation in tourism with current situation in tourism with regard to safety and security from regard to safety and security from the view point of service providers the view point of service providers and experts in the domain.and experts in the domain.


The mThe methodology ethodology is is mainly indirectly mainly indirectly observational, based on documentary observational, based on documentary analysisanalysis. It. It carr carriesies out out ofof field research field research which which startstarts with s with the administration of the administration of questionnaire given out to the staff working questionnaire given out to the staff working in the tourism sectorin the tourism sector;;

The method of The method of the the controlled interview was controlled interview was chosen in order to analyze, map and chosen in order to analyze, map and generalize the aspects of safety and security generalize the aspects of safety and security in tourism considered in programs of in tourism considered in programs of tourism operators and tourism agencies andtourism operators and tourism agencies and to seeto see if they are harmonized and if they are harmonized and synchronized withsynchronized with the the European standards. European standards.

Data collection and processing Data collection and processing methodology and instrumentsmethodology and instruments


RespondentsRespondents The online questionnaire was filled in by The online questionnaire was filled in by

hotel chains’ staff, employees in tour hotel chains’ staff, employees in tour agencies and tourist operators’ staff, agencies and tourist operators’ staff, chartering companies and tourist chartering companies and tourist information centers. 299 respondents from information centers. 299 respondents from Bulgaria participated in that inquiry Bulgaria participated in that inquiry process.process.

The controlled interviews with 10 experts The controlled interviews with 10 experts with relevant theoretical and practical with relevant theoretical and practical backgroundbackground in the tourism domain in the tourism domain (practice-oriented professionals and (practice-oriented professionals and representatives of the academic representatives of the academic environment) were conducted.environment) were conducted.


Multilingual online Multilingual online questionnairequestionnaire

Comprises 25 questions (published Comprises 25 questions (published on on http://tsst.bfu.bghttp://tsst.bfu.bg))

The age of the majority of The age of the majority of respondents (more than 65%) is respondents (more than 65%) is between 21 and 30 between 21 and 30

42% of the respondents are male and 42% of the respondents are male and 58% - female58% - female


The global safety questions and The global safety questions and their influence on the tourism their influence on the tourism

companiescompanies Do global safety questions affect the business of your tourism

company? (BG)

38.13%

35.45%

18.73%

7.69%

Yes

Rather yes than no

Rather no than yes

No

It is obvious that more than 73% of the respondents consider the importance of global safety questions and their influence on their companies.


More than 35% of the respondents think that for their More than 35% of the respondents think that for their organizations are topical themes related to importance of organizations are topical themes related to importance of safety. For more than 26% of the respondents think that safety. For more than 26% of the respondents think that customer’s knowledge about safety suggestions for customer’s knowledge about safety suggestions for traveling and the influence of these suggestions on traveling and the influence of these suggestions on consumer’s view are very important.consumer’s view are very important.

What tourism safety related research themes are topical for your company? BG

35.45%

26.76%

20.74%

4.01%

4.35%

3.68%

5.02%Importance of safety, whenchoosing the destination or anactivity

Consumer knowledge aboutsafety suggestions for travellingand the influence of thesesuggestions on consumer views The scheme of customer’schoice, dominant factors, whichinfluence the choice of theserviceCrisis communication andrecovering of the tourism industry

The necessity of a risk andaction system, in order to reactto global catastrophes

Developing safety aspects of thetourism routes

Other –


More than 95% agree that it is necessary to More than 95% agree that it is necessary to developed new priorities defining the aspects developed new priorities defining the aspects of safety in order to ensure the quality of of safety in order to ensure the quality of tourism services and products. tourism services and products.

Is there a need for development of new priorities defining the aspect of tourism safety, in order to ensure the quality of tourism

service and products in the country? BG

58.53%

36.79%

3.01%

1.67%

Yes

Rather yes than no

Rather no than yes

No


As a representative of the tourism industry, do you see any danger for it in the current economic situation? BG

47.83%

37.79%

12.04%2.34%

Yes

Rather yes than no

Rather no than yes

No

The majority of the respondents (about 86%) are concerned about the future prosperity of their companies in the current economic situation.


Concerning the tasks to be done in the tourism industry in the Concerning the tasks to be done in the tourism industry in the crisis situation two measures are with nearly the same highest crisis situation two measures are with nearly the same highest average coefficients –attraction of the foreign tourists and the average coefficients –attraction of the foreign tourists and the development of new safety and secure tourism products.development of new safety and secure tourism products.

Which are the main tasks to be done in the tourism industry in conditions of the crisis budget? BG

2.6

3.2

2.8

3.3

2.9

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

To retain the current infrastructure and tourism products

Development of new tourism products

Popularization of the image of the tourism

Attraction of the foreign tourists by organizing specialevents (congresses, conferences, seminars, etc.)

Advertising of the country for private foreign tourismcompanies and operators, etc.

Average coefficient


Only 23% of the respondents answer that further Only 23% of the respondents answer that further education seminars regarding tourism safety are being education seminars regarding tourism safety are being organized more frequently than once a year. About 48% organized more frequently than once a year. About 48% further education seminars are organized once a year or further education seminars are organized once a year or less than once a year. 29% of respondents answer that no less than once a year. 29% of respondents answer that no seminars are organized.seminars are organized.

How often there are further education seminars being organized for your personnel regarding tourism safety questions? BG

30.10%

23.41%17.73%

28.76%Once a year

More frequently that once year

Less than once a year

No seminars are beingorganized


Results from the controlled Results from the controlled interviewsinterviews

Experts were chosen from the business, Experts were chosen from the business, SMEs and and hotel workers’ unions, as SMEs and and hotel workers’ unions, as well as from the fields of professional well as from the fields of professional profiles, skills and competences, profiles, skills and competences, university lecturers and vocational university lecturers and vocational training teachers from hotel and training teachers from hotel and catering schools and representatives of catering schools and representatives of local chambers of commerce.local chambers of commerce.

Survey with 13 open-ended questions Survey with 13 open-ended questions was conductedwas conducted


Results from the controlled interviewsResults from the controlled interviewsAccording to the summarised data According to the summarised data

tourism safety is very important to all: tourism safety is very important to all: the tourists, the tour operators and the tourists, the tour operators and the tour agents as well as to the hotelsthe tour agents as well as to the hotels

According to most of the According to most of the respondents – nearly 2/3 of them state respondents – nearly 2/3 of them state that the interest of the tourists is that the interest of the tourists is increasing in all aspects: physical increasing in all aspects: physical safety, travel formalities, health safety, travel formalities, health safety, etc.safety, etc.


Results from the controlled interviewsResults from the controlled interviews Some of the respondents think that mainly the Some of the respondents think that mainly the

young people and the tourists who come to the young people and the tourists who come to the country for the first time must be consulted. country for the first time must be consulted. There are also respondents who think that the There are also respondents who think that the first client group to be consulted is the group first client group to be consulted is the group of handicapped people who have to know if the of handicapped people who have to know if the hotel has the necessary conditions for hotel has the necessary conditions for handicapped people: size of rooms, platforms, handicapped people: size of rooms, platforms, access to restaurant, to the beach, separate access to restaurant, to the beach, separate transport to the airport etc.transport to the airport etc.

According to the interviewed experts there are According to the interviewed experts there are many reasons for defining new priorities of many reasons for defining new priorities of tourism safety because the feeling of safety in tourism safety because the feeling of safety in tourism and travel is important part of the tourism and travel is important part of the tourism product qualitytourism product quality


Results from the controlled interviewsResults from the controlled interviews Тhe reasons for the importance of safety in tourism Тhe reasons for the importance of safety in tourism

are the following factors:are the following factors: Increased terrorism threat; Increased terrorism threat; Relatively high level of crime in our reason; Relatively high level of crime in our reason; New diseases; New diseases; Construction with low quality;Construction with low quality; The increasing requirements of the tourists.The increasing requirements of the tourists.

The majority of the interviewed experts consider that The majority of the interviewed experts consider that a country with a good image of safety in tourism can a country with a good image of safety in tourism can turn it into a competitive advantage and attract turn it into a competitive advantage and attract different segments of the tourism market – tourists different segments of the tourism market – tourists with higher incomes and cultural interests, so that with higher incomes and cultural interests, so that they will buy additional services and visit the heritage they will buy additional services and visit the heritage and cultural sites and not only lay on the beach.and cultural sites and not only lay on the beach.


Results from the controlled interviewsResults from the controlled interviews According to the respondents the contribution of the According to the respondents the contribution of the

tourism industry to the country and its economy can be tourism industry to the country and its economy can be improved: improved: If there is more support by the state and if it elaborates a If there is more support by the state and if it elaborates a

new law for tourism considering the new realities in the new law for tourism considering the new realities in the Bulgarian tourism sector and the new conditions on the Bulgarian tourism sector and the new conditions on the tourist market; tourist market;

By improving the quality of services and the infrastructure By improving the quality of services and the infrastructure (roads, access to the rural areas because of the rural tourism (roads, access to the rural areas because of the rural tourism demand etc.).demand etc.).

The data from the interviews reveal that all the experts The data from the interviews reveal that all the experts are on the opinion that the future of Bulgaria as a final are on the opinion that the future of Bulgaria as a final destination will be good if the government improves the destination will be good if the government improves the infrastructure and if more opportunities for the leisure infrastructure and if more opportunities for the leisure time of the tourists coming to Bulgaria are provided. time of the tourists coming to Bulgaria are provided.


Results from the controlled interviewsResults from the controlled interviews The priority for the destinations will be the sustainable The priority for the destinations will be the sustainable

development and the preservation of their natural and development and the preservation of their natural and cultural heritage resources. The trend will be to go on cultural heritage resources. The trend will be to go on holiday 2-3 times per year but for shorter periods and the holiday 2-3 times per year but for shorter periods and the stress will be more on the individual trips/packages than stress will be more on the individual trips/packages than the mass package holidays. the mass package holidays.

The majority of the experts state that it is obvious that if The majority of the experts state that it is obvious that if a country has an image of a dangerous and politically a country has an image of a dangerous and politically unstable region with terrorism and crime, it cannot be an unstable region with terrorism and crime, it cannot be an attractive destination as it is stated in the tourism attractive destination as it is stated in the tourism science theory.science theory.

The majority of the experts think that after 2010 the The majority of the experts think that after 2010 the sector will return to its usual tourist numbers and sector will return to its usual tourist numbers and revenues data.revenues data.


CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS AA lot of tourism enterprises lack necessary lot of tourism enterprises lack necessary

experience to satisfyexperience to satisfy this needthis need of safety and of safety and security products of high qualitysecurity products of high quality, and the criteria , and the criteria of security are basically to follow the given of security are basically to follow the given legislation legislation byby the the state. state.

CClients are more and more interested in lients are more and more interested in the the security aspects security aspects apart from apart from the basic information the basic information about a trip. about a trip.

The situation not only asks for developing tourism The situation not only asks for developing tourism security factors but alsosecurity factors but also for for developed methods of developed methods of marketing and professional issues from the marketing and professional issues from the serving personnel whichserving personnel which give the clients trust to give the clients trust to the security of tourism routthe security of tourism routee or other service or other servicess..


CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS In order toIn order to provide preparation of highly provide preparation of highly

educated professionals for educated professionals for the the tourism tourism labourlabour market, it is important to get access market, it is important to get access to modern theory materials and scientific to modern theory materials and scientific works forworks for both students and faculties of both students and faculties of the higher education institutionsthe higher education institutions;;

TThere is much yet to be done in order to here is much yet to be done in order to increase tourist safety in our country, increase tourist safety in our country, mainly in terms of training and key mainly in terms of training and key competence building of tourist personnelcompetence building of tourist personnel;;


CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS TThe problem of tourism safety has not he problem of tourism safety has not

been adequately reflected in tourism been adequately reflected in tourism training. training.

A review of the curricula and study A review of the curricula and study programmes in Bulgarian educational programmes in Bulgarian educational institutions that offer training in institutions that offer training in tourist services reveals that tourism tourist services reveals that tourism safety safety and security and security is not included as is not included as an independent study course.an independent study course.


GENERAL CONCLUSIONGENERAL CONCLUSIONThe development of relevant The development of relevant materials which are applicable for materials which are applicable for studying safety and security in studying safety and security in tourism intended for both the tourism intended for both the educational environment (professional educational environment (professional and high schools) and the enterprises and high schools) and the enterprises of tourism sector is an important and of tourism sector is an important and urgent issue. urgent issue.


For more informationFor more information::

http://tsst.bfu.bghttp://tsst.bfu.bg

http://www.tsstproject.euhttp://www.tsstproject.eu


THANK YOU VERY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR MUCH FOR YOUR

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Project “TRAINING SAFETY AND SECURITY IN TOURISM” LLP-TOI-BG1-08-LEO-05-00437...

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