A 14 % drop reported in the tourism sector because of the severe winter conditions

A 14% decline in the tourism branch was reported at the beginning of the year due to the difficulties encountered in flights and in transport in general. This was caused by the severe winter conditions. In February, a positive growth is expected but the winter season will definitely end with a decline of about 7%, predicted Rumen Draganov, Chairman of the Institute for the Analysis and Assessment of Tourism, quoted by the Focus news agency. He stressed that the extension of the season will not change the forecast because the promotional brochures have been already printed and mailed, foreign tourists have planned their holidays months in advance and the tourism brunch will not be able to rely on a possible sudden boom of new tourists.

Even if winter conditions are favourable long enough, we can rely mainly on visits from neighbouring countries, said Draganov, adding that this year a decrease of 70% was reported in the number of Romanian tourists and of 45% in the number of Russian holiday makers because of the scandal with Alma Tour over unsettled accounts with the Bulgaria Air national carrier, which cancelled flights during the summer of 2011.
According to Draganov, steady growth was marked in terms of the flow of English tourists to Bulgaria. Besides, after the European ski championship held in the Bansko and Pamporovo winter resorts, our country has permanently become a European ski destination.

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