A MONTH into the winter tourism season, resort managers have expressed satisfaction with tourist numbers, predicting a possible 15 per cent growth in revenue for the whole season.
These estimates were based on reservations for the winter season at the main ski resorts Pamporovo (southeast Bul-garia), Bansko (south west Bulgaria), and Borovets (40 km from Sofia).
"A growing number of Russian tourists are visiting the Bulgarian winter resorts," Minister Plenipotentiary Aleksander Itov, Head of the Consular Service of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow, said.
The quality of the tourist service in Bulgaria, the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the opportunities this will open up for Bulgaria as a neighbouring country were discussed at a three-day tourism forum, Bulgaria Dream Area, which opened on Thursday. Other key aspects of discussions were investment in tourism, training of staff and the safety of tourists.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg opened the event at the Sheraton Hotel.
The forum was being attended by the ministers of tourism from Balkan countries, who met in Sofia to discuss the prospects for developing the tourist business in the region. "About 7 000 tourists from the US are expected to visit alternative tourism sites in the region of Veliko Turnovo this year," Dimiter Panov, manager of the Tsarevgrad-Turnov tourist company said.
The US tourists will stay in old village houses in Veliko Turnovo, Arbanassi and Elena.
According to the latest Economy Ministry statistics concerning tourism, the resorts on the Black Sea have 65 per cent to 70 per cent of the total hotel beds in the country and the ski resorts inland some 10 per cent.
While tourism in the world continues to decline due to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the US, in Bulgaria tourist numbers are growing.
The past year saw a new record in the number of tourists and sales receipts. Tourism was recognised as a priority sector of the economy with receipts for 2002 amounting to $1.35 billion, compared to a little more than $1.2 billion for 2001.
The Economy Ministry believes that the number of tourists in 2002 will exceed that in 2001 by more than 8.5 per cent. There has been an increase in the number of tourists from Germany, the UK, and Scan-dinavia.
"Britain is emerging as the second biggest market for Bulgaria," Deputy Economy Minister Dimiter Hadjinikolov said.
These estimates were based on reservations for the winter season at the main ski resorts Pamporovo (southeast Bul-garia), Bansko (south west Bulgaria), and Borovets (40 km from Sofia).
"A growing number of Russian tourists are visiting the Bulgarian winter resorts," Minister Plenipotentiary Aleksander Itov, Head of the Consular Service of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow, said.
The quality of the tourist service in Bulgaria, the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the opportunities this will open up for Bulgaria as a neighbouring country were discussed at a three-day tourism forum, Bulgaria Dream Area, which opened on Thursday. Other key aspects of discussions were investment in tourism, training of staff and the safety of tourists.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg opened the event at the Sheraton Hotel.
The forum was being attended by the ministers of tourism from Balkan countries, who met in Sofia to discuss the prospects for developing the tourist business in the region. "About 7 000 tourists from the US are expected to visit alternative tourism sites in the region of Veliko Turnovo this year," Dimiter Panov, manager of the Tsarevgrad-Turnov tourist company said.
The US tourists will stay in old village houses in Veliko Turnovo, Arbanassi and Elena.
According to the latest Economy Ministry statistics concerning tourism, the resorts on the Black Sea have 65 per cent to 70 per cent of the total hotel beds in the country and the ski resorts inland some 10 per cent.
While tourism in the world continues to decline due to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the US, in Bulgaria tourist numbers are growing.
The past year saw a new record in the number of tourists and sales receipts. Tourism was recognised as a priority sector of the economy with receipts for 2002 amounting to $1.35 billion, compared to a little more than $1.2 billion for 2001.
The Economy Ministry believes that the number of tourists in 2002 will exceed that in 2001 by more than 8.5 per cent. There has been an increase in the number of tourists from Germany, the UK, and Scan-dinavia.
"Britain is emerging as the second biggest market for Bulgaria," Deputy Economy Minister Dimiter Hadjinikolov said.
