Rila Monastery Nature Park Management Plan - part - usaid

February 2004
Tourist awareness and basic needs
On the whole, tourists are poorly informed about Rila Monastery Nature Park; only
about a fifth of all visitors to its territory have been vaguely aware of its existence
prior to their arrival. Two-thirds say they had spotted signs and information boards
announcing its existence immediately before entering its territory.
As a result of the visitor survey, the following basic needs for information and tourist
services have been identified: signs and information boards, as well as more
museums, restaurants and shops.
As a whole, visitors to RMNP do not attach any particular significance to activities
like the gathering of herbs or mushrooms, hunting and amateur fishing, etc. So long
as they exist at all, such activities are practiced exclusively for pleasure or personal
consumption.
Willingness to pay fees
The interviewees are split right down the middle regarding the idea of introducing an
entry fee for admission into the park territory, half being in favor and the other half
against. The prevailing argument against is that, given the present level of tourist
information and services offered in it, such a fee would not be justified. If, however, a
fee is nevertheless to be introduced, according to Bulgarian respondents the optimum
amount should be 1 BGN for Bulgarians and 5 BGN for foreign visitors. On the other
hand, if a standard fee is to be introduced for both Bulgarian and foreign nationals,
the recommended amount should be 2 BGN.
Foreign visitors are generally more inclined to pay an entry fee, with 70% of
interviewees speaking in support of introducing one; foreigners also believe 10 BGN
per person to be a very reasonable amount.
Specialized tourism: special events and organized trips
Cultural tourism, religious festivals and celebrations
Rila monastery is an object of special importance for the European cultural tourism. It
is part of the European network of cultural tourist roads “European roads of the
Orthodox Monahism.”
Rila Monastery is a much-preferred venue for celebrating religious holidays on the
Christian calendar. The largest numbers of visitors gather here on occasions that have
become traditional for the Monastery: the Dormition of St. Mary (August 15 th ), the
Dormition of St. John of Rila (August 17 th ), Fathers’ Day (October 19 th ). Large
crowds, including visitors from neighboring countries, are drawn to the Monastery on
Christian holidays of general appeal, like Christmas, Easter, Epiphany, Holy Spirit
(on the 50 th day after Easter), etc.
Rila Monastery Nature Park
Management Plan - draft
2004 - 2013
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