Bansko Reports 10 Percent Drop in Tourists

Bansko is reporting a 10% drop in the number of tourists for the first 2 months of the year, in comparison to the same period in 2015. But despite this, local representatives of the tourist business are not pessimistic because the ski conditions in the resort are perfect and the winter season is expected to continue at least until mid-April.

The main reason for the registered drop is thought to be the blockade along the Bulgarian-Greek border, which continued for nearly a month. On the one hand this made it difficult for Greek tourists to come ski in Bulgaria. On the other, the blockade also stopped other tourists who had been planning on coming to Bulgaria while passing through Thessaloniki.

According to hoteliers, there is also a slight outpouring due to the long lines at the only cabin lift in the ski zone, as well as due to the ski slopes themselves, that appear to be overcrowded.

According to Malin Bistrin, chairman of the Union of Tourist Business in Bansko, the reasons for the outflow of tourists in Bansko are complex. It's not just the lack of snow but also the lack of an adequate solution pertaining to the development of the resort's ski zone as a whole.