Suzanne
16-05-08, 05:24 PM
There has been a 23% increase in the number of foreign tourists who chose Bulgaria for their winter holidays over the first couple of months in 2008 of the same period last year. The proceeds from international tourism have increased by 19% and amount to € 97.8 M. Greece, Russia and the UK form the main markets for Bulgaria’s winter tourist product for the current year. These are results from a winter season survey commissioned by the State Tourism Agency. Beautiful nature, delicious cuisine and opportunities for sports and travel are the things that have caused the greatest deal of interest among foreign tourists. 93% have taken advantage of the opportunities to ski, snowboard and practice various extreme winter sports. Only 18% of the foreigners have come for spa tourism. The Internet and the travel agents’ are the main sources where foreign tourists get information about Bulgaria’s winter resorts. There has been a very great share of the foreigners who had come to Bulgaria for the first time, 69%.
“The average age of the foreigners who came to Bulgaria is 35 years, i.e. those were young people, predominantly,” Anelia Krushkova, president of the State Tourism Agency said. “This is going to be a major difference from the summer resorts. The average age of the winter tourists is much lower than that of the summer holidaymakers. Nearly 65% of the foreign tourists during the winter season fall into the 18-35 age group, with men exceeding the number of women (59%). Also, another interesting thing is that Bulgaria has been visited mostly by highly educated people, with nearly 86% either working or still studying, which means that the tourists were mostly young and solvent people.”
Almost a third of the foreign tourists have used the package holiday service and have spent € 82 a day. Those who had chosen to come to Bulgaria without a holiday package have spent € 254 a day. Over two-thirds of the foreign tourists replied they had spent exactly the amount they had envisaged. About 67% are of the opinion that Bulgaria is a quiet and safe place, with tourists from Germany, Russia and Ireland expressing the greatest amount of certainty. More than 72% are pleased with the skiing areas, and 67% have evaluated positively the quality of the tourist services.
In the words of Anelia Krushkova, 62% of all foreigners have expressed satisfaction with their stay in Bulgaria. 73% have the intention to visit Bulgaria once more. 80% or so will definitely recommend Bulgaria as an attractive tourist destination to friends and family. However there has been some criticism on the part of the foreign tourists, too. Thus, nearly 37% of them find problematic the limited use of bank and credit cards in shops and hotels and restaurants. They would also wish to see a lesser degree of development works in the winter resorts, so that there could be more calm and quiet. They require also better hygienic conditions, a ban on smoking in restaurants and entertainment clubs, and hope to see a friendlier attitude and better command of English among the staff. And finally they wish to have more trips organized outside the resort they are staying at so that they could get a better idea of the country and its splendour.
Written by Rumyana Tzvetkova
English version by Radostin Zhelev
http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Across_The_Map_Of_Bulgaria/Material/wts.htm
“The average age of the foreigners who came to Bulgaria is 35 years, i.e. those were young people, predominantly,” Anelia Krushkova, president of the State Tourism Agency said. “This is going to be a major difference from the summer resorts. The average age of the winter tourists is much lower than that of the summer holidaymakers. Nearly 65% of the foreign tourists during the winter season fall into the 18-35 age group, with men exceeding the number of women (59%). Also, another interesting thing is that Bulgaria has been visited mostly by highly educated people, with nearly 86% either working or still studying, which means that the tourists were mostly young and solvent people.”
Almost a third of the foreign tourists have used the package holiday service and have spent € 82 a day. Those who had chosen to come to Bulgaria without a holiday package have spent € 254 a day. Over two-thirds of the foreign tourists replied they had spent exactly the amount they had envisaged. About 67% are of the opinion that Bulgaria is a quiet and safe place, with tourists from Germany, Russia and Ireland expressing the greatest amount of certainty. More than 72% are pleased with the skiing areas, and 67% have evaluated positively the quality of the tourist services.
In the words of Anelia Krushkova, 62% of all foreigners have expressed satisfaction with their stay in Bulgaria. 73% have the intention to visit Bulgaria once more. 80% or so will definitely recommend Bulgaria as an attractive tourist destination to friends and family. However there has been some criticism on the part of the foreign tourists, too. Thus, nearly 37% of them find problematic the limited use of bank and credit cards in shops and hotels and restaurants. They would also wish to see a lesser degree of development works in the winter resorts, so that there could be more calm and quiet. They require also better hygienic conditions, a ban on smoking in restaurants and entertainment clubs, and hope to see a friendlier attitude and better command of English among the staff. And finally they wish to have more trips organized outside the resort they are staying at so that they could get a better idea of the country and its splendour.
Written by Rumyana Tzvetkova
English version by Radostin Zhelev
http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Across_The_Map_Of_Bulgaria/Material/wts.htm