News

More than 4.2 million foreign tourists have visited Bulgaria by September 2006, a Council of Ministers press release said.

The figure represents an increase of 5.39 per cent, compared to the foreign tourist visits for the same period in 2005.

Income from international tourism is also on the rise. The increase is five per cent and the total sum reached 1 557.2 million euro.

Tourists from the UK, Germany, France, Australia, the US and Japan visited Bulgaria.

The number of Japanese tourists interested in visiting the birth place of Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kaloyan Mahlianov Kotooshu is going up.

Nearly 30 per cent more foreign tourists are expected to visit his birth city of Veliko Turnovo in 2006 as compared to figures for 2005, Veliko Turnovo mayor Roumen Rashev said.

Kotooshu was rather popular in Japan and this is what caused the steady growth in the number of Japanese visits Veliko Turnovo, Rashev said as quoted by BGNES Sport agency.

The number of American tourists has also increased, said Rashev.

The chairman of the State Agency of Tourism Mario Al-Djabouri visits Varna as Tourism and Leisure Fair opens. His schedule included an official lunch with representatives of tourist branch organizations and local media. According to the State Agency of Tourism the number of tourists has risen. That is why FOCUS Radio-Varnaasked Mario Al-Djabouri about his opinion on these positive statistics.

FOCUS: The data you have given point to an increase in the number of tourists who have visited Bulgaria during this year’s summer season as compared to previous years. However local hotel managers have the opposite opinion – each year the season is weaker than the previous one. What is your comment?

Mario Al-Djabouri: It seems we will never admit we have a successful season! The trend is positive – it has been for the last few years. There is indeed an increase in the number of tourists. The data cannot be manipulated. These are figures from the Border Police and other services, statistics that are provided to the Agency. Hotel managers complaining of small number of visits should think of the reasons. At the same time other hotels had reregistration of tourists. The reasons could be the service quality and its price. There is a general tendency of increase in the number of tourists.

FOCUS: What are in your opinion the reasons for the increase in the number of tourists and for the positive statistics?

Bansko municipality was on its way to select a company responsible for the planning of a ski zone close to Dobrinishte village.

The value of first project phase is expected to reach 66 600 leva and it should be finalised by December 20, Dnevnik newspaper reported.

Dobrinishte Ski Zone in its entirety should be completed within three years. The entire project costs 260 million leva.

Caroline Carr, from Lancashire in the north of England, a Cardiff University graduate and newly-qualified teacher, shares her first experiences of Bulgaria.

An avid lover of mountains, Caroline moved to Bulgaria only last July with her husband Lewis.

“We both love the mountains, in summer we go biking or hiking, and in winter we hit the snowboarding slopes. I’m impressed with the Bulgarian mountains, they’re fantastic!”

The English thrill-seeker has sought adventure in many countries around the world, having visited places like south-east Asia and Canada, and lived for short periods of time in the Alps and Norway. An ongoing search for new cultural experiences has been the definitive factor in an interesting and at times really thrilling life for Caroline. Combined with her love of the mountains, she claims that she has found a truly unique environment here in Bulgaria.

“I’m happy living here, and enjoying every moment of it! I’ve not been here for long, and everything for me is still new and interesting.”
Caroline has grown to adore the feel, the essence of the Bulgarian Lifestyle, although she is not a city person. What she finds most attractive in this country are the little villages, the quaint, subtle atmosphere that you can only find here, in Bulgaria.

“I really like the atmosphere in these villages, it’s something you can’t find in England, everything is home-grown and cooked, here you can see a genuine friendship, which people in Western Europe have forgotten. It’s a fantastic experience for me to be able to be part of something like this.”

InvestBulgaria, the local investment promotion authority, Tuesday granted a First Class Investor certificate to locally registered Cabland for its 194 mln euro golf development in the coastal city of Kableshkovo, near Pomorie.

The government undertakes to assist the investor in obtaining the necessary construction and otherwise permits.

New tendencies in the vacation property market in Bulgaria were to be expected, agents said during the Southeast European economic forum that began on October 31.

Vacation property demand in the central parts of the country was going to increase, mediapool.bg reported. The demand would be highest in villages known for spa treatment opportunities.

There is new evidence today of Bulgaria's continued progress as it cements its reputation as a European property hotspot.

Bulgaria is set to join the EU early next year and it is a prospect that has hugely enhanced the country's status as a strong option for property investment. Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo have proved particularly popular with investors, largely as the ski properties are still exceptionally cheap despite huge levels of investment in recent years.

There is also a chance that Bulgaria will host the 2014 Winter Olympics, which has again stirred interest from investors across the world.

But EU accession is of course the real attraction for many, with experts suggesting that it will bring about huge house price growth as links with Europe are notably enhanced.

There is already evidence of these links being improved, particularly in the world of transportation. The Sofia News Agency reports that new flights have been launched from Sofia to Alicante, for instance, operating every Wednesday. A new flight path has also opened between the Black Sea city of Varna and Italy's Milan, while there are now also flights going between Burgas and Dublin as well as Burgas and Madrid.

British company Future Asset Management began advertising Bulgaria as a profitable property investment destination.

Over the past few years Bulgaria has developed as an attractive tourist destination for summer, mountain and specialised tourism, icwales.co.uk reported.

David Wingar, founder of Future Asset Management, said that the country's progress towards EU accession and euro zone entry added to its the economic stability.

An article named The Bulgarian Property Renaissance, published on 999 Today website presents Bulgaria as an increasingly appealing destination for Western European property seekers.
Previously known as communist country, Bulgaria is now making moves westward with its NATO membership and expected EU entry in the beginning of 2007, 999 Today reported.
This ‘opening’ to the Western world enabled property investors discover the potential of the country. 999 Today reported Bulgaria has rich cultural heritage, good climate and beautiful nature. The relatively low costs of living further the appeal of the country, the website said.