News

If cheap fares are the key to filling domestic flights, the scorching heat wave in Great Britain seems enough to ensure full planes on the routes to Bulgaria's Black sea.
A group of 130 Irishmen has landed at the Southern Black Sea coast aboard a charter flight of European Air company, 24 Hours Daily reported. The tourists are to remain in the country for no more than two days and will head home aboard the same plane.

Housing units with a total floor area of 2 million square meters will be built in Sofia in 2006, and annual housing sales in the city will total between 17,000 and 18,000 units, National Real Property Association President OrlinVladikov told journalists, BTA reports. Earlier on Friday he opened the European Congress of the International Real Estate Federation and the 12th Conference of the Central European Real Estate Associations Network, held together in the Bulgarian capital. Vladikov said housing measuring 380,000 sq m in floor area, built in Sofia in 2005, remained unsold.

On August 24, an international real estate compamy published the first market overview of the Bulgarian holiday homes market. The report documents significant developments in recent years in both mountain and coastal resort areas.The holiday homes market in Bulgaria experienced significant development in the past year in these areas.Demand for holiday homes in the country has taken off in recent years. The upcoming EU accession, the growth of the tourism industry, and the comparatively low prices are among the main factors driving demand.Private middle-class individuals from Western Europe, mainly the UK and Ireland, account for most of the demand.The overall absorption rate of holiday homes developments as of June 2006 was estimated at 60 per cent in the mountain resorts and at 56 per cent for the coastal region. Bansko and St Vlas led demand in the mountain and coastal regions respectively, with absorption rates of 70 per cent and above.

Bulgaria is the ninth most attractive place in the world to invest in. The country is ranked fourth in the Southeast Europe as regards the attracted direct foreign investments, after Russia, Ukraine and Romania. These data are taken from the World Report on Investments, presented by Neil Buhne, UN Resident coordinator for Bulgaria, and Ivo Prokopiev, Chairman of the Confederation of the Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria.

Bansko: Eastern Europe's answer to Aspen. So runs the hyperbole about one of Europe's newest ski resorts. It's a buzz that the resort's developers are understandably keen to perpetuate. Millions of euros are being spent transforming this small Bulgarian town, which lies three long, lacklustre hours from the country's capital, Sofia, into something Brad and Angelina might head for when in Europe and desperate for powder.
Unsurprisingly, given the hype, Bansko's property market has been undergoing a boom. Brits are pouring their pension plans into buying up cheap ski apartments in anticipation that it will become another Val d'Isere once Bulgaria joins the EU in 2007. With prices from around £20,000 it's not hard to see why investors are joining the gold rush. 'I missed out on Croatia, but I won't make the same mistake with Bulgaria,' declare one British couple with almost evangelical zeal in a property brochure.

Property to a value of eight billion euro was sold in Bulgaria in 2005, National Real Property Association chairperson Orlin Vladikov said during an international real estate forum in the country's capital, Sofia.Construction projects in Bulgaria in 2005 were also worth eight billion euro, he said, as quoted by Darik Radio.Trends in property prices would vary in 2007, Vladikov said.

Bulgaria is a holiday address, destined by nature and it is a spur of the moment affair to pick the timing for a visit here. As calls for developing year-round destinations gain momentum in the country, new opportunities tempt those eager for adventure and special interest tourism.Climbing up the rock, I could hardly believe it was me who was hanging on a rope over the wide chasm of a cave. Well, it was me but only after contacting an adventure and special interest tour operator for my autumn vacation.

A sole Bulgarian in a group of French and German enthusiasts, it dawned on me that the country's potential as an alternative tourism destination is beginning to be recognized better by foreigners than by locals. It is namely alternative tourism that gives Bulgaria a good chance to attract a wider mix of visitors from all over the world. But only it plays the PR game right and manages to create its own image to stand out from neighbouring rivals Greece and Turkey...

Thanks to a new four year finance package from the World Bank, Bansko has been singled out by the Bulgarian government to utilise investment upgrades which boost the economic prospects and benefit those looking to buy Bansko property. The policies aimed to support the overall growth strategy for Bulgaria and it’s estimated acceptance into the EU in 2007 recognises commitment by the Bulgarian government to objectives set by the EU, which continues to increase investor confidence in cheap Bansko property.

Bulgaria’s town of Vidin is to host for the fourth time the Comedy on the Balkans international theatre festival, Bulgarian news agency BTA reported.Vidin municipality and the municipal drama theatre have organised the festival, to be held from October 16 to October 26 2006, BTA said.

The cable car will decide the problem with the parking lots in the resort during the winter season.
A lift will connect Smolyan and Pamporovo. The municipal gave the assignment for the projection of the new transport on the route to two teams. The technical studies of the equipment are already completed, said the mayor of Smolyan Dora Yankova. A middle station is planed to be constructed 5 kilometers away from Smolyan in the Raykovski livadi site, which is currently being developed as a small mountain resort with hotels and villas.