Sofia, February 12 (BTA) - Tourism Minister Hristo Prodanov Friday said tour operators would be paid 6 million leva in new state aid in the form of direct grants by mid-March as the tourism industry was the worst hit by the COVID crisis, the Tourism Ministry said.

Prodanov said the industry had received sizable COVID-related support and more was planned. He expressed a hope that this would be the last COVID wave after which life, work and travel would return to normal.

He participated in a roundtable on tourism initiated by Mayor Atanas Stoyanov of Sandanski Municipality (Southwestern Bulgaria) and the local association of hotel and restaurant owners and tour operators. The discussion focused on expanding the tourism potential of the town of Melnik, the sustainable development of Destination Sandanski, its inclusion in the Destination Bulgaria advertising strategy, and the planning of a national strategy for effective use of mineral water.

Prodanov said the meeting would lead to partnership with the municipalities with a great tourism potential like Sandanski Municipality. DD