Security around Israeli tourists at Sunny Beach tightened, some tourists cancel bookings for Bulgaria
Additional security measures to protect Israeli tourists coming to Bulgaria are being considered, including special bus guards, going by statements made at the Sunny Beach resort on July 19 by Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Delyan Dobrev.
Authorities said that security at Sunny Beach, popular among Israeli tourists and which had been the intended destination of the tour group that was targeted in the July 18 2012 terrorist suicide bombing at Bourgas Airport, had been tightened.
Local media said that one tour company currently has about 1000 Israeli tourists in the Sunny Beach area.
Other measures being considered were the deployment of specially trained police to watch out for suspicious people among crowds of tourists arriving and departing.
Media reports said that after the bombing, which left at least seven people dead and more than 30 year injured, Israeli special services had been sent incognito as additional security for tourists along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
Dobrev said that he had spoken with tourists from Israel on holiday in Sunny Beach, who had told him that they were unconcerned because police protection around their hotels had been stepped up.
Bulgaria expects about 150 000 tourists from Israel this year. Recent years have seen Bulgaria becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination among Israelis.
But the company that had organised the visit by the tour group that was hit by yesterday’s terrorist attack said that it had had about 15 to 20 per cent cancellations, by people concerned about security while in transit by bus.
(Photo: Vanka 5)
