Bulgaria’s winter resorts to open new season on December 13
Bulgaria’s winter resorts of Pamporovo, Bansko and Borovets are to officially open their ski seasons on December 13 – although Bansko has sought to steal a march by already opening two pistes as of December 1.
Pamporovo originally had intended to open its season on December 6 but postponed the date by a week because of adverse weather forecasts.
Local media reports said that prices in the three resorts were largely similar to those of last year, with unofficial cost estimates at 100 leva a person a day at hotels offering breakfast and supper as well as an all-day lift pass.
Blagovesta Tomova, head of the union of owners in Borovets, said that accommodation places in the resort had not raised their prices this winter, even though their costs such as electricity had increased.
Bansko has 335 snow cannons ready to produce artificial snow, reports from the resort said.
In Bansko, the price of a daily ski pass is the same as at the end of 2013, 59 leva.
Pamporovo reported strong custom from Greece, with hoteliers having to refuse bookings in some cases because they had no vacancies.
The resort also expects more visitors from Turkey, Romania, Macedonia and Serbia. Ten billboards were put up in Belgrade this year to promote Pamporovo as a tourist destination.
Pamporovo also is said to be optimistic about the benefit of the resumption of charter flights from Gatwick to Plovdiv Airport, bringing visitors to the Rhodope mountain winter resort.
The use of the ski lifts in Pamporovo will be free on the day of the official opening, and will cost 39 leva until December 19, after which it will be 53 leva, the same price as in 2013.
An added attraction in Pamporovo will be four “libraries” with 200 books of various genres and in various languages, distributed among the busiests places in the resort.
In Borovets, half-day lift passes will cost 35 leva, and 30 leva in the afternoon. Daily lift passes will cost 55 leva for adults and 33 leva for children, the same prices as in 2013.
There will also be multiple-day passes on offer, such as one for six consecutive days at prices of 310 leva for adults and 186 leva for children. On season-opening day, daily lift passes will be half-prices and night skiing will be free. There also will be free skiing and snowboarding lessons for beginners, local media said.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
