Bansko

Bansko, Bulgaria's premier mountain resort, experienced a surge in winter tourism, with more than 190,000 visitors flocking to its slopes during the season. The influx of tourists from Bulgaria, neighboring Balkan countries, various European nations, and even the United States has bolstered the region's tourism sector, marking significant progress in its post-pandemic recovery.

Bulgaria experienced a remarkable surge in winter tourism from December 1, 2023, to March 25, 2024, with a total of 1.8 million tourist check-ins recorded across the country. Among these, Bulgarian tourists dominated the scene, comprising 1.3 million of the total arrivals.

In a startling revelation, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced today that authorities have apprehended two individuals suspected of the heinous murder of two-year-old Danka Ilic from the town of Bor in Eastern Serbia. Belgrade's Beta Agency reported Vucic's statement, relayed by BTA, detailing the arrest of the suspects.

A young woman from Great Britain is fighting for her life after a tragic ski incident in the popular Bulgarian resort of Bansko. The 23-year-old was discovered in serious condition in the vicinity of "Chalin Valog" on Sunday afternoon, prompting an urgent response from emergency services.

For the first two months of the winter season, the tourism sector in Bulgaria reports a growth of over 5% compared to the same period last year. There is a significant increase in visits from Italy, while tourists from Israel are about 70% fewer. Bulgarian tourists have increased by 8% during the same period.

Bulgaria is set to make history by hosting both alpine skiing and snowboarding World Cup events in the upcoming 2023/2024 season. The FIS calendar has confirmed Bansko, awarded Bulgaria's Best Ski Resort by the World Ski Awards, as the venue for the prestigious competitions.

Today marks World Snow Day, a global event organized by the International Ski Federation since 2012, celebrated in 42 countries to promote winter sports. In Bulgaria, the renowned winter resort Bansko is actively participating in the festivities, offering various initiatives, competitions, and surprises for children at Banderishka Polyana.

Italy has emerged as the new budget-friendly ski destination in Europe, surpassing Bulgaria in affordability, as per a recent study conducted by British travel agencies, revealed by DPA.

30% more bookings compared to last year at this time, revenue is up 50%. This is what the figures of the Institute for Analyzes and Evaluations in Tourism show, said the director of the department, Prof. Rumen Draganov. He presented more data: Between 4 and 8% is the average growth compared to 2019. 13 million people are expected to visit Bugaria in 2023.

Moving bookings to a later date and postponing the winter holiday. Between these extremes are the winter resorts of Bulgaria this season. So far, only in Pamporovo hoteliers calmly say that the resort is full and only the lack of natural snow at the moment will prevent it from scoring a stronger than last year's record good season.