The snowballing turmoil that has frozen the global financial markets is breathing ice into Bulgaria's winter resorts as well, tourism sector representatives said.

It was only last year that Bulgaria's top mountain resorts of Bansko and Borovets, near Sofia, and Pamporovo, in the south, enjoyed double-digit growths in tourist numbers. But the crisis dampened new hopes and had the sector bracing up for lower levels. Hotels and apartment complexes mushrooming in the recent years are in for a cold winter.

The major British tourist operators have suspended charter flights to Plovdiv, which is where the bulk of Pamporovo holiday-makers land. The crisis and the airport's poor infrastructure have pushed out Balkan Holidays, which brings about half of the British tourists.

The lack of snow is also spelling trouble for Pamporovo after the tap was turned last year on the dam that fed snow guns with water and they ran on drinking water instead.

Tour operators say about 35 000 British skiers visited Bulgaria last year but levels will drop in 2008 as the UK is grappling with a severe economic meltdown.

The crisis did not spare Russia either, Bulgaria's second largest winter tourism market, according to tour agents. Russians opt for Bansko and Borovets, while Pomporovo ranks third in their preferences. Local hoteliers say most of them have packed up and left by mid-January.

While some tour operators say there are no markets to make up for this year's outflow of Brits and Russians, others are betting on Serbians, Macedonians and Greeks. Still they admit the visa requirement is driving Serbians and Macedonians away.

Source: Dnevnik.bg