TO Valeri!

Who are you to tell the french population who they are?

Who went to pick up your nurses in lybia?your governement?

AS you saidThat in my opinion excessive reliance on tourism isn't healthy for a country? That's my opinion.
Yeah France has the most visitors, but they are still 90% of her own population.
Not to mention that France has a huge immigration labor force that's engaged in the table waiting "art". Can't remember last time I had a genuine French serving [...]

Read the full comment me there...

Yes insult BG all you want, so long as nobody spoils your party here. .

What you say about french ppl is pure villager ideas!
And last time i work in your country ppl did not even payed me shamed on you bulgarians!!
Escros,poor quality flat i will say cardboard flat...you want more just ask...
You not nice after what we 've done for you!!

some people dont want tourists to visit bg, because it apperently it makes you bulgarians stupid. i live in cornwall, uk, where some people moan about the tourists.

i like the majority of bulgarians, but for the few moaners val, i think that if you didnt want us tourists their then you shouldnt have been so greedy as to build, build, build in bg. then have the cheek to say we dont want you their, it was all cool to take the foreign investment at the time, so dont blame tourists if you bulgarian have sold [...]

Read the full comment yourselves down the river.

its a shame a few moaning bulgarians cast a shadow over the rest of you, as ive found most of you are really nice people.

sounds like val wants to go back to the soviet era. each to their own i suppose.

BTW Michael using vulgar words like s..t on this forum isn't very productive nor is it polite.
Also the "to moderator" person - I am not an "idiot".
Terms like that are better reserve of less respected forum.

LOL, oh that's a great example of the Western spirit of free speech and freedom of information!
Ban Valeri from the forum!
What did I say that's offensive and insulting? Did I call any one here names?
That in my opinion excessive reliance on tourism isn't healthy for a country? That's my opinion.
Yeah France has the most visitors, but they are still 90% of her own population.
Not to mention that France has a huge immigration labor force that's engaged in the table waiting "art". Can't remember last time [...]

Read the full comment I had a genuine French serving me there...

Yes insult BG all you want, so long as nobody spoils your party here.

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According to the confused logic of Valeri, all tourist and tourism is bad. Listen up. France has more tourist and tourism than any other country in Europe. Do you think the French are all dumb and uneducated because they dropped out of school to get a job in the tourist industry? NO

Why are so many comments taken off by you, while you allow all of the rantings of the idiot valeri to remain. Why censor what we are putting on here as valid comments.

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BG is not in a "travel through" location.
The only people that do that are Turks in transit from Germany, but those aren't counted as "visitors".
Neither are TIR drivers.
I wouldn't have an issue with transit travel.

How many nights spent by tourists and how much they spend is the only thing that counts. Not the number of tourists who travel through the country. When I was in Bulgaria, I bought everything I needed and wanted. It cost me about 3000 SEK for one week. That is what I spend only on the local 7/11 store on the corner for a month.

And btw why am I mixed up?
BG gets much more tourists per capita than most EU countries - very few get 120% of their own population in visitors a year.
Perhaps because we are marginally underpopulated, or whatever, but that's a fact.
Now, my opinion is that we get too many visitors - it's beyond a tourist industry, it's becoming a dependancy. I've been to plenty places which depend on visitors and have seen first hand how unhealthy that can be for the people.
From the Caribbean to Hawaii - you [...]

Read the full comment name it - hell, go to the islands of our neighbor Greece - compared to their fellow countrymen to the north, those folks down there are visibly less educated and more backwards.
BG needs to get First World productive skills, not improve on the Third World table waiting manners.
Where is the confusion?

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Anon,
my comment about skiing in Sofia was for "Tourist" not you. You didn't say that.

Cosmos:
"some are far more advanced we gave up the donkey & cart a long time ago but on each visit I make to BG I will think of you on yours."

You seem upset.
Look, in 2008 we had 8.6 million visitors. Given that we are 7 million all together, that's the equal to you having 85 million visitors in the UK every year. The US only gets 80 [...]

Read the full comment million and they are 300 mill people.
That would make the UK a zoo even without the tattooed "oye" home grown crowd..
Come if you must, but keep it to yourself, as I do when I am forced to visit the UK on business.
UK is a dump and I'd never spend a non-working day there - life's too short - but I'd never tell you how to live your lives.
I simply don't care enough...

Valeri let me try to explain as simple as I can for a simple mind like yours. BG needs tourists the UK needs tourists, we get millions of people each year coming to see the changing of the guard at the palace in London, yes we all come from tribes but some are far more advanced we gave up the donkey & cart a long time ago but on each visit I make to BG I will think of you on yours.

Valeri,
I do know there is no skiing in Sofia if we exclude Vitosha. Also I have read the numerous articles about how Bulgarians drive. None of that deters me from wanting to visit your country again because I enjoy experiencing other cultures and meeting their people. Valeri, tourism can work for Bulgaria as it does for France, Switzerland, USA, Austria, and plenty of other countries around the world. However it's not for me to tell you how your country should be run. That decision rests with you and your fellow country folk.


[...]

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Cosmos, I see you're from England, me too. I don't think your attitude will endear you to Bulgarians in general.

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Hi Anon Mouse.
It appears Valeri does not want you to come skiing in Sofia as Bulgaria does not want tourists. Valeri, this is easy. Tourism equals income which can fund the education system. Their is tourism in every country. The UK even has it and you and your money are most welcome!

"This is sad because BG is losing some of its talent but if we teach the Bulgarians in the way of service and waiting on tables for the tourist industry,..."

LOL Cosmos;))) Do teach us about the "talent to wait tables";)

Sadly this is the quality of forigners we get in BG - like Cosmos.

I also love BG but even some of there own people run it down and indeed are in the UK and they do not want to go back.This is sad because BG is losing some of its talent but if we teach the Bulgarians in the way of service and waiting on tables for the tourist industry, then there would be no need to go to the UK but they must be paid a decent wage packet. With the tourist industry in BG they have got it made but need certain skills this will then bring people back year after [...]

Read the full comment year as they do in spain.

Why do people who aren't Bulgarian or live there have a need to denigrate the country? Are you angry because you lost money?

I've been skiing in Bulgaria and wouldn't mind going again or visiting Sofia.

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Only one question: it is mentioned a figure 1450 BILLION Euros !?! In my opinion, something is missing, namely a comma or point...between numbers 1 and 450 ...Or, finally, the revenue from tourism was a fantastic one in 2008 !!!

"You seem like one to lead from the front, so any money making ideas? Back to farming and fishing?"

Skill development and education - self education if no other available. Tourism farming and fishing should be part of a diverse economy, not a life line for the multitude.

Bulgaria's problem is truly lack of skills. For all our lives, we bought the idea that we were well educated compared to the rest of the world.

It was a joke. No isolated society can be truly educated because in [...]

Read the full comment a fast changing world, openness to information is the minimum prerequisite for functionally educated public.

BG has been open for no more than 12 years ('97's visa regime for the EU change). Getting functionally educated takes much longer than that, the danger being that the few with such education, mostly acquired in the west, opt to cash in on their knowledge in more established settings, like the western EU or the US.

When it comes to tourism I see the westerners as enablers in the self distractive course of folks avoiding making hard choices in their lives, like skill development. We are Europeans, not some natives on an island somewhere that feed off their nature and tourism. We don't have the subservient nature in us, so we better develop other skills.

Valeri - Quick question. You opt that Bulgaria should ditch tourism and it's population use their brains instead. You seem like one to lead from the front, so any money making ideas? Back to farming and fishing?

Ed:

"Cannot believe Bulgaria is still insisting on Russian Tourists haveing to get a visa to come to Bulgaria!!!!!!!To spend money"

Ed, this may come as shock to you, but the EU requires its members to request visas from non-EU states.

I personally think that we shouldn't ask Russians for visas.

expat:

"currently already a significant number of people depend on tourism industry,.."

I know this must e a complicated concept for you to grasp, but I'll I try again out of charity here:

People depending on anything is called ... dependancy - that's right! The thing to do in situations like that is to eliminate the dependency, not feed the habit. All those folks depending on tourists should start depending on their brains instead.

Tourism downturn is mostly due to dire economic situation in [...]

Read the full comment the rest of the EU - Spain has identical downturn as BG so that tells us that we are not out of the woods yet, and as the economies improve, we run the danger of seeing more tourists in the future, and the problem persists...

Let me spell this:

Tourism ruins nature and keeps the population stupid. I won't miss it, personally.

Cosmos...the reason why the U.S. is a place where people may choose to visit is because we tossed you annoying brits out ages ago. Your people may have been among many of the first to arrive, but our country was built by people from all over the world. One of the previous comments was correct in saying that the brits have a terrible tendency to behave as if they are still on the plantation when they are overseas....they still can't get that colonial mentality out of their heads. Remember, you are visiting someone else's house when you are a tourist. [...]

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Visa issues? How about paying EUR60 for a visa and having to fly for fingerprints all the time. Yes, we have to fly because of the distances! You Europeans should not really worry about the price of a visa going up by a mere 12EUR. We earn 1:11 of a Euro and we have to give everything to consuls just to have the priviledge of visiting Europe. Some people have too much to worry about

Cannot believe Bulgaria is still insisting on Russian Tourists haveing to get a visa to come to Bulgaria!!!!!!!To spend money

Every tourist should be a 'Welcome Tourist'

Get on to Tourism minister and 'Kick ass' as the Americans say

dear valeri

this is precisely what I ment. as long as BG people do have a similar mind set as yours - BG will never develop to a successful trourism country, irrespectively how beautiful the country is.

currently already a significant number of people depend on tourism industry, and they will hurt most as the torusim downturn is getting worse. what now can happen is either the easy way - to blame someone else - or the more difficualt way, start to think about what can be made different to attract as [...]

Read the full comment many toruists as in previous year or even more...

PS btw I am not British !

"Yes, Valeri, the last thing you need is more football hooligans and tattooed cheapskates. You have plenty of those home grown right in BG."

I could've not said that better myself, and I do have a big mouth!

"It is beyond me why any tourist would come to BG."

That's what I've been asking! Stay home for God's sake! Look at what our sea side's looking like! If it wasn't for all that "oye" crowd me may still have some seaside left!
8.5 million of those [...]

Read the full comment losers came to BG last year (before they knew how poor they really are) with all the crappy service and stuff and who do you think I blame for the loss of our nature? The Mutras?
Like blaming the dog for barking...

I am profoundly glad that their bubble bursted with the financial crises.
Brits and the rest are pretty broke and hopefully we won't see much of them for quite a while. I am thinking of starting a none-profit fund to pay for the demolishment of all those ugly hotels which will never see costumers. The binge is over. Time to clean up....

Yes, Valeri, the last thing you need is more football hooligans and tattooed cheapskates. You have plenty of those home grown right in BG. And as for women, don't say a word.
It is beyond me why any tourist would come to BG. Most folks are trying their best to leave....for good.

Valeri and Cosmos you two should get a room me thinks.

as for tourism, BG's coast line has been ruined, hands down. lets hope the same doesn't happen to the mountains. now that's one thing the UK doesn't have... Ben Nevis? Snowdonia? Breacon Beacons? you're 'aving a laugh

Oh yeah cosmos,

It seems to be that it's you Brits, that re slow in "catching on".
Get a clue when you are not welcome somewhere and don't do, instead of posting 1000 times how "I've been going to BG every year but no more";)))

I went to Hawaii twice, and only because I thought that the first time I blundered into a particularly dead location.
Guess what - the whole Hawaii is dead after 21:00 - I am never going back, but what's the point of bitching? [...]

Read the full comment
I was fooled - nothing to be proud of - my fault. Wasted my money twice.
All I did is wish that I was at Sunny, reminiscing about all the skinny topless babes, cool music and endless party ... now I know better.

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Lol cosmos;)
What's a good time my friend? Sitting in the chloride stinking hotel swimming pools, getting drunk until your reddish spotty skins start looking like an artificial sponge?

Hey cosmos, you are British: what's with swimming pools and Brits? I mean crystal clear water with a beautiful sea a few meters away - down south where I was this year - and they never get out of the pool?
Is this some sort of luxury symbolism for your folks or what?

Hi Valeri you need to speak to some nice British people they are the best in the world I hope BG gets lots of brits for the winter season.So come on you Bulgarians make sure you give us the service we deserve we demand it.

Well done you Brits you can show people how to have a good time.You will always be top dog have a nice holiday in BG.

Besides, you are not going anywhere this year - you are broke!
UK is flat on its ass, as most of the people are upside down on their mortgages and stuff.
Spending binge is over and you know it.

"Too many Valeri's in Bulgaria means I'll go elsewhere this year. Im sure the Russians will soon follow me too !"



That's the point.

We don't need football hooligans and tattooed cheapskates that refer to each other as "oye" or whatever, and expect to be treated like some sort of colonialists. We are not here to serve you - stay home!

Too many Valeri's in Bulgaria means I'll go elsewhere this year. Im sure the Russians will soon follow me too !

Personally I think this winter season will drive even more torists away beacuse last season was a washout and this season the sharks will be out to try and recoupe what they lost out on last year. The sooner resort operators relaise that you only get out what you put in the sooner BG tourist industry will benifit from.

The gravy train is drying up. How much longer will it take for the penny to drop.

The British are the best tourists they expect value for money and if they get it they will return.After all we colonised the U.S.A and now everyone wants to live there well done the Brits.

Quite frankly, if we must have tourists, I would prefer the Russians.
They spend more money, and bitch less.
Their women are much easier on the eyes too...

From what I can tell, Bulgarian management seems to be the problem.
I pary whenever I send anyone to my chalet that everything works out.
Bulgaria certainly does not appear eared up for business or customer service.
I thought that the requirement for Russians to have visa had been scrapped.
If not, perhaps this rquirement sshould be. Althoug I would be surprised if the Russians holiday in significant numbers in the ski resorts.
The Brits should be made top feel welcome, instaed of feeling they are being ripped off - [...]

Read the full comment particularly if they are the major
tourists in winter.

You guys are talking about it as if it's a bad thing.
Good.
Tourism is like petrol - it keeps the population stupid, not to mention ruins the country side.
Stay home already instead of bitching endlessly.
The locals will feel the financial chill and think of something else to do, that would include their brains - end of story.

Bulgaria needs nothing short of a root-and-branch customer service revolution.

There are a few notable exceptions, but by and large foreigners are met with grumpy, couldn't-care-less disdain from people when attempting to part with their hard-earned money.

Dissatisfied customers never tell you they won't be coming back - they vote silently and devastatingly - with their feet.

No wonder BGs tourism industry is on the slide!

If you are correct this is tragic..
there is sooooo much space for improvment, especially in the service quality.

I have been in Basko for skiing, very nice skiing area, but when you finish your ski day at 5pm and you come to the small villlage suddenly all relexation is gone, because you fell like living on a construction site.
and on top you have unfriendly hotel and restaurant stuff, etc

I rather pay some more bucks and get a real realxing vacation and good quality - and [...]

Read the full comment only satisfied customer do come back !!!

Have strong hope if you want. Frankly there's little chance the tourist industry in BG will change its mindset. They'll just blame it on something or somebody else. Blame the Turks, the Greeks, the Romanians, anybody but themselves!

I have serious doubts that visa issues are the major reason for the decline.

And I have serious doubts that it will be compensated by GB tourists...

I still have the strong hope that this tourism crisis will fianlly start to change the mind set of (local) policans, hotel owners and all the other involved tourism providing parties ...