Sat, Nov 21 2009

First foreign tourists for the 2009 summer season arrive at Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Fri, May 08 2009 11:01 CET byPetar Kostadinov 1702 Views 3 Comments
First foreign tourists for the 2009 summer season arrive at Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Photo: Julia Lazarova

The first foreign tourists have arrived at Bulgarian Black Sea resorts, Tsvetan Tonchev, chairperson of the Bulgarian Tourism Chamber told Bulgaria Focus news agency on May 8 2009.

The first tourists were from Germany, he said, and noted that their arrival coincided with the official opening of the 2009 summer season on the Black Sea on May 5 2009.

On that day the opening of the season was marked in the Black Sea cities of Varna, Bourgas and the largest Bulgarian sea resort Slantchev Bryag (Sunny Beach), he said.

"About 60 per cent of the beds that Bulgarian Black Sea hotels offer are full," he noted. "Three, four and five star hotels that are close to the beach are almost fully occupied," he said. 

Tonchev said that the first wave of tourists numbered between 15 000 to 20 000 people and noted that he expected a drop in the number of visitors compared to the summer of 2008.

He also said that prices in Bulgaria and in Greece have basically levelled. "However, I hope that we will have more revenue this year from more affluent tourists willing to spend more," he said.

He said that there was an increase in the number of tourists coming from Russia, Poland and Israel but a drop in the numbers of German tourists.

Comments

Anonymous Nick the Paddy Tue, Jun 09 2009 14:47 CET
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The limited airline service to Bourgas from Dublin ie May to October is a major obstacle to more Irish property owners coming outside of these months,thereby adding to the wealth of the area. Ask anyone of the cost getting from Ireland to BG! It would help if we were able to access a site a website on the progress of Bourgas airport and other developments. NB Ignore company returns on your house at your peril! Can't wait for the abolition of this extortinate racket due approx. 2013.

Anonymous john jo Mon, May 11 2009 20:19 CET
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I agree we have had some great Irish folk buying in our apt block near Varna but we still need more direct flights into Varna when this airport is modernised we might.

Anonymous Paddy Murphy Fri, May 08 2009 21:13 CET
Inappropriate comment?

what about the irish ? Did we not buy half of the real estate in the Country and support it with large tourism with more and more direct flights into Sofia and Bourgas ?

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