Lubomir Popiordanov sits down to sketch a profile of the type of visitor who comes to Bulgaria to explore the country’s wealth of alternative tourism.
“They come in small groups, of about 10 to 20 at the most, and they are people definitely interested in Bulgaria, who have acquired an interest in Bulgaria, not to save money but to come here specifically, rather than to Bangladesh or Botswana,” says Popiordanov, who heads the Zig Zag and Odysseia-In agencies, and is chairperson of the Bulgarian Association of Alternative Tourism.
“They are open-air, active people. Not the kind of people to come for mass tourism, who expect the lamp on the wall to be in a certain position, and who sit at a table expecting a certain type of service.”
Those interested in alternative tourism, he says, tend to have done a lot of research about the country. To them, people-to-people contact is of supreme importance.
“Even if they come for a trekking trip, they want to meet the people in the huts and the villages and learn something about them, about their lives.”
Tourists vary as to whether they want to go on somewhat more grueling hikes, or want something less strenuous. But they all have in common an interest in local communities and cultures.
“Something that is very important to them is, who is benefiting from their trip?” Such tourists, he says, want to know that the people that they meet and who provide services receive payment that is prompt and fair.
“What we want to do is develop small businesses and local initiatives through our presence there, and by so doing, give an input to local culture.”
This kind of contribution gives people in the communities a sense of satisfaction, and in addition, they come to appreciate people who come for alternative tourism and will be less well-disposed towards people who come with big money with a view to doing a big-money, big-scale project.
The capacity of a village to accommodate guests is a determining factor in the size of groups accepted for a tour.
Not only those providing accommodation are associated with the business, but also those who provide meals and other services.
The average duration of such tours is changing, Popiordanov says.
“People more and more have longer holidays. In Europe, people are taking holidays several times a year, but short holidays.”
People who come to Bulgaria for alternative tourism stay for about 12 to 15 days, in winter eight days.
It also depends on the focus of the visit. People who come for bear or bird watching come for visits of about five days, sometimes eight to 10.
Tourists coming from countries far away from Bulgaria, such as the US, Japan and Australia, usually do not stay for more than one week or 10 days. “This is because they have a very long traveling time to and from Bulgaria.”
It also depends on the age of the tourist. People aged 55 to 60 and more tend to be senior executives and stay for two weeks to a month. However, people on such tours tend to opt for hikes that are “softer”, three to five hours at most, and then join in community activities and the sampling of food and wine.
Bird watchers like to stay out for about 10 to 12 hours a day. Bulgaria is well endowed with birdlife, with about 75 per cent of all species in Europe represented in Bulgaria. Popiordanov points out that botanical tourism is seeing a growing trend, given the rich biodiversity of Bulgaria and its climatic diversity. “You can see 30 to 35 types of orchids in Bulgaria, for instance.”
He underlines the importance of conservation to the future of Bulgaria, saying that tourism related to nature “could develop as the main form of tourism in this country”.
As to cultural tourism, he starts out by describing some of the opportunities for pilgrimage tourism in Bulgaria. There is not much demand for this in the domestic market, because of the country’s troubled past when it comes to matters of faith, but elsewhere in Europe, he says, there is big demand for pilgrimage tourism.
It is also a specialist niche with its own characteristics. People coming for pilgrimage tourism are not interested in being part of large groups. “Such journeys are, for those who want them, about self-improvement and an individual experience.”
He highlights the opportunities, for example, around the holy places near Assenovgrad in central Bulgaria, and around the country’s historic former capital city of Veliko Turnovo.
“We are investing in Seslavksi Monastery, near Kremikovtsi. Sofia municipality and the council for tourism in Sofia have agreed that this monastery should again become an important holy place. The municipality is to provide some financial assistance.
“We are at the starting stage, but this will become a classic instance of pilgrimage tourism.”
Kalofer is a perfect point for hikes in the central Stara Planina. Attempts at being made to revive interest in tourism in the area.
Vratsa, because of the limestone landscape, the caves, and hiking opportunities, and the local villagers, with whom conversations are a great experience, is also highly recommended. He names Gorigrad, Pavelche, and Chelopech as places where houses may be found, offering accommodation, breakfast and light meals. People go to the area to see local crafts such as the making of embroidery, jams and preserves. “The landscape is among the most beautiful in Bulgaria.”
