Overseas Real Estate Blog

Just reported today is the good news that "the number of foreign tourists who visited the in January and February of 2008 has gone up 23.4% compared to the same months of 2007.

Bulgaria's total revenue from tourism in these months was EUR 97.8 M, which is 19% more than in the same period of 2007.

The news was announced by the Chair of the Bulgarian State Agency for Tourism Aneliya Krushkova on Wednesday. Krushkova presented data from a poll about the winter vacation in Bulgaria.

The poll results show that 78% of all foreign tourists, who visit Bulgaria, were ready to recommend it as a tourist destination."

COMMENT: Clearly much of this is due to better snow conditions but there is no doubt that visitor numbers will rise very fast particularly in Bansko as 2008/9 season sees more finished accommodation and improved infrastructure.

One comment we hear is "that Bansko gondola queues will be a disaster until they build another gondola" well the truth is that, apart from New Year and a few peak weekends last season which coincide with holidays and good weather, the queues were nothing major in not just Bansko but all the three major ski resorts - Bansko, Borovets, Pamporovo (but don't forget the other three Vitosha, Panichishte and Malyovitsa). More news on the development of Sapareva Banya and Panichishte very soon.

The reality, having being skiing most years since 1970, is that the French and Swiss and Austrian resorts usually didn't put any new lifts in until queues were horrendous and I think the speed with which a new resort in Bansko (Ulen/First Investment Bank) has taken shape is admirable.

The €550 million investment is also very impressive in the Super Borovets project and whilst prices of many things are rising in BG (alarmingly fast it has to be said) these resorts are not necessarily inferior to many ski resort in France where a hot chocolate up the mountain is a €10 pleasure! That said I await with interest the start of a new gondola, the two new runs from the new chair lift for this season were very welcome addition. Now a 70km of runs resort.