Bansko, the most popular Bulgarian winter resort, in Pirin Mountain, opened its 2008/2009 season on November 29 2009. The day coincided with a ban on construction in the resort imposed by the city hall for the season's duration.

Despite reports of decreasing tourist bookings for the season the resort is preparing for a particularly promising season. On February 28 and March 1 2009 Bansko will host rounds of the Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup (Slalom and Super G) which will be the biggest international skiing event hosted by Bulgaria in decades.

The previous occasion was in late 1981 and 1984 when Borovets resort in Rila mountain hosted a round of the Men's Alpine Skiing World Cup.

Another piece of good news for Bankso that came on November 29 2008 was that the resort might actually get to host not only rounds from the women's event but from the men's as well. Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily quoted officials from the International Ski Federation as saying that Bansko had been selected for the preliminary 2011 calendar.