AMONG high expectations for a reasonable increase in German tourist numbers for 2004, the most recent Economy Ministry data showing a modest 5.61 per cent increase in tourists for the first eight months of the year, was more eloquent than bare revenue projections.

There is traditionally good interest among Germans in visiting Bulgaria's coastal resorts. Having sensed this, Bulgaria tourist sector company VisitBG has launched a new tourist web site, www.visitbg.de, presenting Bulgaria on the German tourist market, offering information on Bulgarian tourist sites aiming at facilitating contacts between tourists, tour operators, hotel and restaurant owners.

"The development of the website follows the growing interest from German-speaking tourists towards Bulgaria," VisitBG managing director, Emil Ivanov, said.

Visitbg.de will promote the Bulgaria tourist sector in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and will present the web site at upcoming tourist fairs in Berlin and Stuttgart, southwestern Germany.

"I believe tourism is one of Bulgaria's assets. However, sometimes the difficulties associated with tourism get underestimated here," Harald Kindermann, German ambassador to Bulgaria said in an interview with Kapital Weekly.

More than half million German tourists visited Bulgaria last year and expectations for this year features even higher numbers, tour agencies said. According to the data of the Ministry of Economy this summer tourism should meet the expected 600 000 tourists.

Hristo Kolev, representative of the German tour operator Thomas Cook for Bulgaria said: "However, the boom was last year. In tourism there is always a cyclic ups and downs of four to five years of a boom, followed by a drop." Recession in Germany is a fact and it hit Bulgarian tourism, but had a healing effect and a happy end.

"Bulgarian tourist business keeps relying on the rising number of tourists," Kindermann said, adding that this trend may reverse.

"I think that sometimes, and please do not get cross with me, you are too complacent about the development of tourism here," he said.

No matter if it is complacency or reality, however Bulgarian Hotel Edelweiss opened a four-star hotel of 382 bed capacity in the luxurious Black Sea resort Golden Sands this summer. It is already pre-booked for the 2005 summer with most of the rooms being booked by German ITS company.

Similar interest was provoked by Bansko's biggest investment in Tanne Hotel.

The German owner of the hotel became the first foreigner to be named a honorary citizen of the ski resort Bansko. His investment in the 700 000 leva ring road, local water supply and sewerage system, employment of staff and the hotel itself, which continually attracts tourists, represents one of the biggest investments in the town.

A reason for the slightly increased interest might be the promotional goods offered by German retail chain Kaufhof. In their 30 shops in Germany people are buying Bulgarian honey and lyutenitsa (a mixture of minced tomatoes and grilled red peppers, with spice), which are in great demand. The delicious products are made by 16 Bulgarian companies, selected after a careful study, and corresponding to the high standards of Kaufhof and this has been the first time they are available in Kaufhof's chain.

It is the job of German well-known tourism companies such as TUI, Neckerman and ITS to bring in the figures of tourists expected next year. Until further data is disclosed Germans would occupy second place of interest after Brits in terms of interest in Bulgarian seas coast.

As of August 9, German investments in Bulgaria will increase by 150 million euro to be spent on the construction of a spa hotel complex in the resort of Vurshets (northwestern Bulgaria). The funds will be provided by a German investment company, part of the German insurance group Allianz, which aims at sending their clients of its insurance and pension companies on holidays in Vurshets. Construction works will start next year and will occupy 40 hectares.

Vurshets was earlier visited by 200 000 compared to only 3400 last year. However, the careful planning and German investments is a first step in restoring the mineral resort's previous image.