Informes Sectoriales OP - Icex

TOURISM AND RELATED SERVICES IN BULGARIA
The realisation of the project to modernise the Borovets resort in Rila Mountain was
scheduled to start in January 2006. The project’s total value is BGN 300 mln. The
project has three phases – upper, middle and lower Borovets – and the first one is
expected to be completed in 2007. In the upper part, new ski runs and ski devices
will be built, together with hotels and small family houses.
Pamporovo resort in Rhodopi Mouintain.
Bulgarian companies in the area are trying to attract investment from Western
Europe and Russia. The focus is on the town of Smolyan region where expectations
are to improve significantly the tourist infrastructure – construction of new ski lifts,
etc.
Golden Sands resort
To successfully develop the resort, it is necessary to improve the transport infrastructure,
i.e. the panoramic road and the Varna airport. The insufficient capacity of
the water treatment station is also a problem. There are no specific plans for a new
station, and the capacity of the present one has been exceeded long ago.
North of Varna
Several settlements north of Varna offer some good and still under-utilised opportunities.
In the next two years, new hotels with around 15 000 beds are expected to be
built in Kranevo. Prior to that, it is necessary to rehabilitate and expand the existing
infrastructure. Kavarna also looms as a town with good investment opportunities
and development prospects, incl. As a cultural hub, provided the moderate pace of
construction prevails. Another attractive area could become Shkorpilovtsi. In summer
2005, the municipal authorities announced an ambitious plan to build a resort
area with 25 000 - 30 000 beds. There are thermal springs around, which may allow
for a whole-year season, incl. Spa tourism. There are plans to build a yacht port and
a golf course, too.
Sunny Beach resort
There are some serious problems stemming from insufficient carrying capacity of the
resort’s overall infrastructure - it is necessary to build a water treatment station,
sewerage and water supply installation, electricity networks and roads. At the moment,
Sunny Beach is exclusively a summer resort and does not have the infrastructure
for year-round tourism like conference rooms, parking lots and indoor swimming
pools. There is also no housing capacity for the service staff that a year-round
operation as a tourist destination would require. The increase in the bed capacity of
the resort has far outstripped that of tourist visits. The number of hotel beds has
risen tenfold in the past 8 years while that of holiday-makers is up only 50%.
South of Burgas
More often, investors look to the areas south of the city of Burgas. In mid-term perspective,
the resorts there will become more attractive. Currently, low construction
prevails there, together with more greenery. Settlements like Tsarevo, Sozopol, Primorsko
have the potential and offer not only new construction but also various cultural,
folk and musical events.
Spanish Economic and Commercial Office of the Spanish Embassy in Sofia 84