site.btaBansko Ski Resort Opens New Season

Bansko Ski Resort Opens New Season

Bansko, Southwestern Bulgaria, December 12 (BTA) - Youth and Sports Minister Krassen Kralev and ski legends, including Marc Girardelli, 5-time winner of the World Cup, Petar Popangelov, 26 times champion of Bulgaria, and Markus Wasmeier, who won a total of nine World Cup races, were among the guests at the Sunday opening of the new ski season in the winter resort of Bansko. They wished a snowy winter, health and success to the numerous guests of the event in the resort which has been dubbed the winter capital of the Balkans.

The guests expressed their excellent impressions from Bansko after the first demonstration runs. Bansko Mayor Georgi Ikonomov, Bansko Ski Season Marketing Director Ivan Obreikov (Yulen Company) and the Chairman of the Consumer Protection Commission, Dimiter Margaritov, also took part in the meeting with the media.

A new modern six-seat lift is already functioning in Bansko, Kralev said, adding that the infrastructure in all Bulgarian resorts should be improved with time.

Bansko is ready for the new winter season, Ikonomov told a news conference Friday. The snow machines are working at full throttle and everything necessary is being done to ensure the comfort and safety of both residents and tourists. Additional police teams will arrive in Bansko on December 15, including Bulgarian, Greek and Romanian officers.

Ikonomov forecast an increase of tourists in the new season. To date the municipality has collected 650,000 leva from tourist fees and the number of overnights at the accommodation establishments is expected to exceed 1,000,000 by the end of the season.

The geographical variety of guests is also increasing, adding Greeks, Serbs, Macedonians to the regular British and Russian visitors. Tourists from Turkey, Israel and elsewhere are also being attracted.

The ski zone is already equipped with 400 snow guns, Obreikov said, adding that 95 per cent of the pistes have been fitted with such facilities.