Experts say that the ski tourism and related industries are the only modern prospect for development of the majority of Bulgaria's mountainous and semi-mountainous regions.

A roundtable on overdevelopment in the southwestern Bansko ski resort took place ahead of the opening of the 2010-2011 winter ski season. The forum was organized by the Bansko Municipality and the Bansko Tourist Association.

Attending the forum were Bansko Mayor Alexander Kravarov, Boyan Maryanov, CEO of the Yulen company that operates the ski area, architect Emil Lekov who designed the Pirin ski area, Bulgarian Ski Federation President Tseko Minev, and Irina Nikulchina, a silver Olympic biathlon medalist.

The participants in the forum rallied behind the idea that the ski resort should continue to develop, that new facilities should be put in place and that the infrastructure should be improved.

In addition, they argued that the management plan of the Pirin National Park should be changed, a second gondola lift should be built and that the ski area in the localities of Tsurna Mogila, Chalin Valog and Dobrinishte should be also used.

The local government and the public in Bansko, the Bulgarian Ski Federation and representatives of the tourism industry said that attacks by NGOs against what is being done in Bansko and claims that the environment is being destroyed are groundless. The participants said that ski areas in many world-famous ski resorts in Austria, Germany, France occupy several times bigger parts of protected areas compared with Bulgaria.

Marc Girardelli, a five-time World Cup overall ski racing champion, said that Bansko is a well-known destination in countries like Austria, Switzerland and Germany, adding that it could become even more popular with more investments.

Girardelli, who has been visiting Bansko for years and who has been named Bansko's honorary citizen, recalled that the International Ski Federation selected Bulgaria very quickly to host World Cup alpine ski races, when usually there is a 20-year waiting period. He added that Bansko is one of the best ski areas in Eastern Europe.

"Bansko stands a very good chance, provided that development continues," said Girardelli.

Data shows that Bulgaria has 19 ski areas, said Bulgarian Ski Federation Vice President Georgi Bobev. Seven have been classified as ski centres, as they have more than four ski and tow lifts. Slovakia, which is smaller than Bulgaria, has 91 ski areas, 47 ski centres and nearly 4,000,000 ski visits against 600,000 for Bulgaria, underscored Bobev.

As a point in case he cited the Czech Republic with over 70 ski centers with more than four lifts and 3,000,000 ski visits.

The BSF Vice President also said that a country like Romania has twice as many ski visits as Bulgaria, while Ukraine boasts eight ski centres with over 4 lifts, 41 ski areas and 800,000 ski visits. This shows that Bulgaria is lagging behind countries of similar area but much less favourable conditions.

Bobev said that the ski area in Pirin could handle between 12,000 and 14,000 skiers an hour and that the only gondola lift has a capacity of 2,500 people an hour. According to Bansko Mayor Alexander Kravarov, unlike major international ski resorts, Bansko does not provide any accommodation in the ski area, which shows that the area is developing in line with environmental requirements.

Source: BTA