Bulgaria is about to make changes to its hotel and restaurant classification system, limiting the validity of hotel and restaurant star rating to five years.

Currently, the country's hotel and restaurant ratings are termless.

The classification procedure will be made easy for hotel and restaurant owner, Deputy Economy Minister in charge of tourism Ivo Marinov has promised.

Marinov has told the Focus news agency that obligatory standards will be introduced for Bulgaria's Spa facilities.

The planned amendments to the country's tourism legislation will also increase the powers of the National Tourism Council and the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism.

The Deputy Minister has noted that measures meant to limit the so-called "alcohol tourism" have already been included in the country's legislation.