The opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria
Bulgaria has for decades been famous worldwide as a beautiful, and what is even more important, a cheap destination for seaside tourism. It is an indisputable fact that despite the crisis the ever thinner wallets of Bulgarians and Europeans, and the bleak forecasts of the global economy, the Bulgarian resorts are never short of guests every new season, while the local sector of tourism reports growth figures that even top destinations in the region would be satisfied with.
The trouble however is that Bulgaria’s genuine tourism worth still remains in the shadow of noisily promoted all-inclusive seaside packages. This worth includes its great nature with a few virgin nooks, its preserved traditions and exceptional folklore and its millennial history reflected in numerous monuments and artifacts. To recap – this invaluable treasure remains terra incognita for the average western tourist who comes over to bask in the generous sun along the lovely Bulgarian Black Sea coast, ski in the affordable mountain resorts or join organized night alcohol tours in local bars and restaurants that cost a few euros. However, there are also tourists who arrive to Bulgaria with a more definite intention that has to do with enriching their knowledge, coming to know about local traditions, enjoying breathtaking nature and touring ancient monasteries or Antiquity tombs. The good news is that the number of those more inquisitive and intelligent guests that do not spare time and money to come in touch with a different and little-known civilization, has been on the rise.
According to Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Ivo Marinov, this country has become increasingly recognizable on the tourist map while foreigners arrive here much better informed to spend their holidays. This trend is largely due to the growing interest in Bulgaria following its accession to EU. But this is not the whole story. One input has been the high-profile overseas advertising campaign launched by the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism that has been on for a second year now in some pan-European TV channels such as Euronews, National Geographic etc. In the commercials aired by these channels, Bulgaria is promoted as a must-see for cultural, environmental, spa and rural tourism with its appealing specifics mixing tradition with modernity. The idea is to beat the seasonality of Bulgarian tourism linked to seaside vacations on the Black Sea, by encouraging trips to other regions of the country during the rest of the year.
Branding Bulgaria as an all-year-round tourist destination will spell benefits not only for its image but for local businesses too. We do not mean only hotel managers who have so far relied mostly on the summer season. The Bulgarian municipalities especially those in the mainland, will also benefit from an all-year-round model of development of tourism. In this sense local administrations have been very active and in a few places with support from the Regional Development Operational Programme intriguing projects are underway meant to boost environmental and cultural tourism. This process includes building eco-trails, the reconstruction of cultural monuments and improving access to them, opening information centers, the development of specialized routes as well as training local hotel managers.
Everything boils down to good organization and entrepreneurship, a little bit of imagination and the skill to develop and defend a good project that should serve equally well the guests and the local community. Unfortunately there are big regions that have a few things to offer to tourists, that are still lagging behind this trend. One of them is Northwestern Bulgaria, one of Europe’s poorest regions. This picturesque part of the country is dotted with natural wonders and cultural monuments from various epochs that have for now not been promoted properly and have remained outside the attention of tourists
Analysts argue that Bulgaria’s potential for tourism is huge. However it has to do with marketing a higher-quality product targeted at a more demanding, intelligent and better-off audience that is larger than the attractions of mass tourism. Regrettably the latter still dominate this country’s image as a mostly seaside destination focused on cheap offer. Latest world trends of more unconventional holidays that stake on new and exotic sensations however, are about to shift the focus of tourists to the amazing diversity of this small country endowed with magnificent nature and a strategic geographic location.
Text and photo: bnr.bg
(18.05.2012)