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Sat, Feb 11 2012
Bulgarians idle away summer on foreign beaches again
The Government’s attempts to encourage Bulgarians to spend their summer holidays at their home country fell through, said Anelia Kroushkova, outgoing head of the State Tourism Agency.
For the first time this year, the Cabinet lined up a pot of 5.7 million leva for media advertising of domestic resorts within the country.
In addition, many senior government officials, including Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, called on Bulgarians to choose Bulgaria in an effort to salvage the summer season by offsetting an expected slump in tourist numbers from main markets such as the UK, Germany and Russia.
The latest government figures recorded a 4.5 per cent decrease in the number of Bulgarians who chose to travel to Greece for their vacation, which was coupled with a 1.9 per cent increase in those who headed to Turkey.
But the industry said the reduction in foreign travels has failed to send more holidaymakers to local resorts, with Sunny Beach Owners’ Union reporting tourist numbers at the upstate southern coastal resort have diminished by 20 per cent compared with last year.
The Union of Tourism Investors said Bulgarians pop at the seaside over the weekend but travel abroad for their big holidays.
The union of auto transport associations said trips to seaside destinations have dropped by five per cent in June.
The industry blamed the trend on lucrative offers available in neighbouring Turkey combined with poor infrastructure and bad service at home.
Source: Dnevnik.bg
For the first time this year, the Cabinet lined up a pot of 5.7 million leva for media advertising of domestic resorts within the country.
In addition, many senior government officials, including Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, called on Bulgarians to choose Bulgaria in an effort to salvage the summer season by offsetting an expected slump in tourist numbers from main markets such as the UK, Germany and Russia.
The latest government figures recorded a 4.5 per cent decrease in the number of Bulgarians who chose to travel to Greece for their vacation, which was coupled with a 1.9 per cent increase in those who headed to Turkey.
But the industry said the reduction in foreign travels has failed to send more holidaymakers to local resorts, with Sunny Beach Owners’ Union reporting tourist numbers at the upstate southern coastal resort have diminished by 20 per cent compared with last year.
The Union of Tourism Investors said Bulgarians pop at the seaside over the weekend but travel abroad for their big holidays.
The union of auto transport associations said trips to seaside destinations have dropped by five per cent in June.
The industry blamed the trend on lucrative offers available in neighbouring Turkey combined with poor infrastructure and bad service at home.
Source: Dnevnik.bg
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Bulgaria to decrease beach concession fees by 30 per cent
The move is aimed at preventing a repeat of summer 2009, when almost half of Bulgaria's beaches remained without concession-holders; there is no guarantee that the new system will see all beaches leased, Regional Development Minister says.
Bulgaria’s tourism market shrivels up to 30 per cent in summer 2009
As the peak season draws to an end, hoteliers and tour operators are putting the finishing touches on summer 2010 deals, when most companies will slash the number of hotels they work with but do their best to keep tourist numbers unchanged. In addition, they will seek ways to encourage early bookings through juicier offers and special extras to packages.
Tourist numbers in Greece decrease – industry body
Tourism in Greece, a vital part of the country’s economy, saw a steady decline according to January to July 2009 figures, according to the country’s Association of Tourism Enterprises.
Foreign tourist numbers decline
The number of foreign tourists that visited Bulgaria from January to May 2009 is 7.6 per cent less than in the same period last year, and revenue has dropped too, according to the State Agency for Tourism.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea hotels laying off staff mid-season – report
Hotelier paints grim picture of some hotels on the southern Black Sea coast of Bulgaria closing down in the midsummer season, and even hotels that have guests are letting staff go.
Almost a fifth of hotels closed, tourism revenue falling
Sixty per cent of beds in Bulgaria’s hotels are not booked, according to a report on tourism, while revenue from foreign tourism will drop by a quarter – the result of fewer visitors, inefficiency, bad service and resistance to high prices.
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Cautionary tales as tour groups caught in the middle of money rows
Foreign and Bulgarian tourists victim of debt row at a Pamporovo hotel, Foreign Ministry intervenes after another tour group delayed in Morocco, and Bulgarian arrested in Serbia for forging receipts for payment for tour group.
Bulgaria to spend 4.2M leva on tourism fairs in 2012
The country will withdraw from participation in some international tourist expos but will join others to promote itself as a tourist destination.
Ski runs on Vitosha Mountain to shut down
Management company says current legislation makes it impossible to run the ski lifts legally.
Varna ranks second by overnight stays in Q3 2011
The municipality accounted for 26.8 per cent of the total number of overnights in the quarter and generated 30.5 per cent of the country's revenue from accommodation services.
Bulgarians' trips abroad rise 20.9% Y/Y in Q3 2011
In July-September, a total of 1.522 million Bulgarians travelled abroad or in the country.
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While I loved Bulgaria's coast, I must admit Bulgarians got too greedy and don't want Bulgarians to come to the Black Sea coast. Plus, overbuilding and poor roads killed the seaside. I do the 7 hour trip on poor roads to Balchik because I'm loyal and lived there for 3 years when it was the 'bomb'. I hate the drive on the over 300 km of poor roads. It is much easier to go to Greece, and this year I couldn't convince any friends to come to the Black Sea due to price, poor service, or distance.
They had it made ! ( 5 years ago)
but the greed and only thinking of today and not the future caused the
failure which they now suffer.Rip off the tourists till there is none left, good luck Bulgaria.. may you enjoy a bleak future!
Bulgaria needs to improve upon what it has to offer tourists -both
Bulgarian and foreigners.
If it acts like it does not want tourists, they won't come.
Why not do something about the poor
infrastructure and poor service and
uncompetitive prices.
People in the UK are getting
good offers on holidays in Turkey,
Tunisia and Egypt - all with longer seasons and better service.
If the Germans, Scandinavians,
Dutch etc are getting similar offers, if things do not rapidly improve, [...]
Read the full comment the Bulgarian tourist
industry is doomed. especially if Bulgarians themselves are finding better value in Turkey.
go to lastminute.com and look for a week holiday in turkey in august - cheapest 299GBP do the same for Bulgaria 714GBP - pathetic! The cheapest return flight I could find to Burgas this summer 250GBP - puts it in perspective. I don't want to blame the Bulgarian's but they need to ask for help in marketing!
Bulgarian turist industri is a joke. Whay not come and visit my town Stockholm in Sweden, and see for yourself why Stockholm have record in the number of turist visiting the town, although Stockholm is more than twice as expensive to live in Sofia and Sunny Beach.
The Bulgarian seaside was once one of the greatest bargains out there and I could put up with the poor service because of the rock bottom prices and nice beaches. Now prices are double, the service is as bad or worse and the once lovely beaches are crowded, dirty and jammed with resort projects which are under construction (most likely never to be completed in todays economy). I will miss the lovely beach at Sozopol and never forget the quiet and near empty beaches of the Black Sea coast between Burgas and the Turkish frontier.
Unbelievable, Bulgarians managed to ruin their whole chances in tourism within 5 years.
Having had all opportunities, once again the Bulgarians managed to miss each of them....
Well said Dianne once the tourists leave after being ripped off they will not return Bulgarians havent a clue about customer care and it seems they do not give a toss about the state of some hotels also the food is crap and overpriced.
With rocketing prices which are enough to put off foreign tourists, how the heck do you expect Bulgarians to afford the prices. Clean up, Lower prices, and don't take tourists for granted and maybe they'll return.
"The industry blamed the trend on lucrative offers available in neighbouring Turkey combined with poor infrastructure and bad service at home."
Instead of whining around, it is time to improve finally exactly on these points, if not, next year will become even worse.
Tourism business is an effort of many.
On vacation nobody wants to stay in an area where constructions are still running in the summer time. More flights to the coast from abroad should be offered. Friends of me finds it difficult to find flights to Varna. About services and [...]
Read the full comment infrastructure in general we don't have to talk, don't we.
Greets
Taro