Unusually warm weather in Bulgaria was spoiling the plans of tourism companies for the winter season, Dnevnik daily said.

Winter season 2006/2007 has to open in the middle of December, but none of the tracks in Bulgaria are suitable for skiing yet.

Weathermen predict unchanged or even higher temperatures next week. The winter could be the hottest for the past 47 years in the whole of Europe.

Tour operators were considering alternative plans to entertain tourists until snow became sufficient for winter sports, Dnevnik said.

Pamporovo, one of the three Bulgarian major ski resorts, already postponed the season opening by a week.

A representative of TUI tour operator said that hotel owners and tourism agencies could lose a lot if the winter season failed. Bulgaria’s image as an attractive winter tourism destination would also be harmed, Dnevnik said.