News

Bansko is without doubt Bulgaria’s number one ski resort and is the longest established of Bulgaria’s three (Borovets and Pamporovo complete the trio). Bansko has the best snow record and the longest ski season (15 Dec - 15 May) and over the past two years, 35 million euros have been invested into the resort to being it bang up-to-date and in comfortable competition with its western European counterparts. So much so that Bansko has recently been voted Europe's most improved ski resort in the first Great Skiing and Snowboarding Guide 2006 Awards.

Bansko Municipality and the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena are holding the Bansko Sport Fest 2006 in October.
The event is taking place for the first time. It will be under the patronage of Bansko mayor Alexander Kravarov and with the kind support of Hotel Strajite and Hotel Lion.

Bulgaria’s non-governmental tourism organisations insist that the sector be monitored by a ministry, instead of the currently existing State Agency on Tourism.
This was said on September 14 at a news conference by the heads of the National Board of Tourism, the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agents, the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, the Bulgarian Tourist Chamber and other organisations.

Bulgaria is a fast-growing ski destination with three major resorts in the shape of Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo. The season is a lengthy one with almost-guaranteed consistent, heavy snowfall between December and April. Bulgaria is not only affordable in comparison to its European counterparts but also excellently placed to cater for both beginners and intermediate sportsmen.

When the question arises as to whether Bulgaria is still a good place to buy, the answer is yes, but only if you know where and what.
Bulgaria itself is enjoying a boom time. It is no longer seen as a grey Communist state and has made impressive progress towards long-term stability and sustained growth. Tourists are pouring in at a rate of over 4 million per annum and it is estimated that by 2010 this figure will have increased to 20 million.

Skiing is becoming more and more popular in eastern Europe, and Bulgaria is no exception.
The resort of Borovets, located 1,350 metres above sea level, is the largest in the country and offers a range of activities including ice skating and, for the particularly brave, ski jumping, as well as traditional skiing and snowboarding.

By the end of the year Bulgaria would launch concession procedures for three port terminals and one airport. The port terminals Varna North, the Vidin central port and the port in Lom would be offered on concession. An airport in Rousse would undergo the same procedure, Transport Minister Petar Moutafchiev said.

New statistics on the number of visits to Bulgaria by foreign tourists in the first half of this year sounded an encouraging note, but the downward trend in the number of German visitors is likely to continue next year.

 Bulgaria is poised to become the next big thing in European tourism, this year's Croatia. It's still a little ways off - maybe the next big thing after the next big thing. For now, it's a compellingly fascinating, unspoiled, off-the-tourist-grid destination for slightly adventurous travelers, US San Francisco Chronicle reads.

Last week it was reported that over half a million Poles had entered the UK after their accession to the EU in 2004, but we hear less about the vacation migration in the opposite direction; when the Brits flock to Eastern Europe.

The former communist countries are becoming extremely popular with British holiday makers due to bargain flights, inexpensive accommodation, and most importantly, cheap, high quality beer.