Copyright novinite
Restaurant and hotel owners preparing to welcome guests on New Year’s Eve are voicing growing concerns over how payments and revenue reporting will be managed as Bulgaria officially adopts the euro at midnight. The transition from lev to euro, scheduled to take place right at the turn of the year, has left many in the tourism sector confused about how to handle transactions during the crucial celebration night. Until midnight on December 31, all payments must be processed and change returned exclusively in Bulgarian levs. Just one minute later, as the euro becomes the official currency, orders will need to be accepted in both levs and euros, with change returned only in euros. The overlap, happening precisely during one of the busiest nights for restaurants and hotels, has raised concerns about potential chaos in accounting and customer service. Because of these complications, representatives of the tourism business in Bansko have requested an urgent meeting with experts from the National Revenue Agency and the Ministry of Tourism to clarify the procedures. “The tourism industry will be the first to face the challenge of switching from lev to euro, and it will happen exactly during the holidays, when establishments are full of guests and banks are closed,” said Marin Bistrin, chairman of the Union of Tourist Businesses, in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio. According to him, hoteliers and restaurateurs in Bansko have numerous specific questions about how the currency transition will be implemented in practice. Some restaurant owners, still uncertain about the technical and legal requirements, have already decided not to operate on New Year’s Eve to avoid potential complications and penalties.
