Bulgaria Ski discussion board

So yet another good season in full swing.

Run 12 now always open = more runs than last year.
New lifts when up on the slopes
New base station cafe's very nice

Town is improving wth the infrasturcture and property builds nearly completed.

FIS mens & ladies now a years event in Bansko which gives it exposure and from when I watch Eurosport the commentators all agree the super G in Bansko is the longest ad hardest on the circuit (I'd assume that means good)

Golf now a big thing in Pirin Golf

Good hot (dry heat not humid) in the summer

Roads Sofia to Bansko and Thessonaiki to Bansko are vastly better.

I don't think selling is a viable option for some time yet.

We bought in 2005/6.

Clearly same goes for anything if the right offer comes in then anything is for sale.

Our view was that our pads out there are for a long term holiday destination for the family. Which will enable plenty of skiing holidays and summer holidays.

We have a great time out there every visit love the food and really keen on skiing (skiing holiday) and also love the tranquil quiet of the summer lovely lots of book reading wine and fun

Gareth is right, Bansko is on the up unlike the majority of ski resorts throughout the rest of Europe. Ulens prediction for the increase in tourist numbers over last years increase of 6% was around 10%, this has been kicked into touch already with unofficial figures as high as 42% Personally there is definitely more people here this season, the queues are witness to that, and the town now is a hub of activity... The word is out, Dutch, French, German and Scandinavian visitors now swelling the numbers... The construction of the E79 carriageway extension from Dolna Dikania to the Greek border has been passed by the BG government in four stages, and work has started already, the first stage could be complete by the end of this summer. Ultimately it will mean carriageway from Sofia to Simitli with a speed limit of 120kmh, which could be raised to 140kmh, conceivably the journey from Sofia to the point where you turn to the mountain could be just one hour...
The re-zoning of development areas within the Pirin National Park has also been passed by the government, to come into use 2013/14, this will allow for legal expansion of the ski areas within the Razlog valley, Bansko included. There will be consultation with all parties, but Ulen has basically been given a green light by the present government of Boyko Borisoff.
Bansko needs to expand if its to cope with the increased visitor numbers, hopefully with what has been put in place this will happen.
The market for apartments is still quite buoyant, slight increases in prices, especially for properties around the gondola, but bargains can still be found, as UK buyers, who had absolutely no interest in Bansko nor Bulgaria, likely never visited, and believed the commission based UK salesmen whose promises of quadrupling their investment, the new airport, the winter olympics etc etc etc got them to sign on the dotted line.. are getting shot of their apartments with big losses... that's the problem with speculative investments, they don't always go up... For the majority of apartments here that were actually completed, this season has seen an overall increase in rentals due to the extra numbers, but rates are still low, due to the massive oversupply of accommodation. Bansko has now lapsed any building permission, preferring to concentrate on the existing stock, and try to attract investors to either pick-up with existing part complete complexes, or to take over a complete planned build. Many complexes now are in the hands of the banks, they unwilling to sink additional monies, but considering offers from potential investors. Russian money is arriving, new bars and facilities, and many apartments are now owned by Ruskis..
We have seen perhaps the best snow season for a generation, but so has the Alps, so the snow is not a major factor.. perhaps being advertised as `the cheapest place on earth to ski' (not an idle boast) has more to do with it
Hopefully the future looks good, better access from Sofia, more skiing and better uplift, an existing accommodation stock, improving infrastructure, and continuing good value.. This should be the case as long as the Bulgarian remains the largest single tourist group... god forbid if they adopt the Euro, my major fear, very unlikely, but possible, but if things continue as are, then prices will remain competitive...

Yep, Bansko is on the up

Steve another poster which sounds and looks like an advert from a person which want to cash in any way from some scrubs whatever they are.
Give me a break !
Bansko on the up?
I say NO
This season is your lucky one because of the snow cover that's all.
Funny to read your initial thought that Bansko is going up amd majority of European Resort are not.
You must be living in both worlds to have a proper view from both side of the devide.
Very funny indeed but understandably predicted.
Keep the 'real' news poping up Steve and do pray for small dose of truth in them

hahahaha, i do love your negativity Mikey...
I still do have contacts in the Alps, and have done some homework regarding tourist numbers, both summer and winter.
Lets take a comparable resort in the Alps, low to mid range which may likely offer more than Bansko in the way of km of piste, but perhaps could be considered similar. Leogang, well established offering reasonable accommodation, not to pricey compared to premier resorts... 14% down last winter season, this being reflected in most established Alpine resorts... I can also report that their summer visitor numbers are actually up, almost 34%, the standard of their mountain bike park being a big attraction. They are reacting to a general downturn in the winter by supplementing the year by investing in summer activities...
As for Bansko increasing its numbers purely down to the snow, the snow has been general all over the Alps, so it does not apply.
Personally, business wise, we are actually not doing as well as last season, the fuel prices continuing to rise (1 lv per ltr in 1 year) and additional burdens like commercial insurance and high maintenance costs are making the running of transport here less economic. We are keen to promote the summer and concentrate on other aspects of our business, the winter becoming less important...
With regards to `doses of truth', i simply report what i see and hear, and add speculation based on what has been happening.
I'm sorry Mikey, Bansko is the busiest i have ever seen it, the numbers today at Shilligarnika when we drove up for lunch made it impossible to get a table... this obviously is not such a great thing, but does reinforce my proposal of Bansko being on the up

Traditionally the 1st week in March is the start of the quieter end of the season, perhaps due to the good snow and competitive prices the resort will stay busy till shut down. I agree Steve, bansko is still making progress whilst many other resorts have had to hold back on investment. My worry would be if the resort stays busy throughout the season the gondola queue and limited pistes will become more of an issue, though from your post it would appear that progress is being made.

When Bansko first installed the gondola and new lifts people were sceptical as to whether there would be sufficient tourists to repay the investment, this has not been the case and despite what some people on the forum may say Bansko has proved to be a success and I think the regular use of the resort for international events is the proof of this.

In certain circles Bansko is seen as 2nd grade so to speak, but that is often by those who can afford to spend thousands to go to the mega resorts and would spend the same on a family meal as we would on a family holiday.

Some people say you can get the same in the alps for the same prices as Bansko, not in my experience, yes there are larger areas where the piste km per Euro ratio is much better, but how many people would ski the whole of a 600km area in the week anyway.

This season we had a change, we went to La Thuile in Italy, linked to La Rosiere in France, we stayed in an apartment and cooked most nights to keep the costs down, we took the car so to be flexible with travel etc.
Total cost was well in excess of what we would pay to stay in a hotel on half board in Bansko. What did suprise us was that costs on the mountain for drinks and food were sometimes lower than in Ulen establishments, this is one area where there is competition in the alps generally but is stifled by Ulens ownership of almost everything on the mountain.
Elswhere in the village prices were much higher as expected, the value of food in bulgarian Mehanas is difficult to equal.

Yes Bansko is on the up, as you put it, lets hope that the infrastructure on the mountain can be increased and further pistes added, people will accept queues and busy pistes up to a point, but there is a limit to what people will accept, Bansko must move forward to prevent it becoming a victim of its own popularity.

Oh and will be be back now we have tasted a big resort, of course we will after all Banskos on the up!!!!




Don.

If I was Ulen I would be waiting for a critical mass to exist and momentum year after year.

This is happening and they must realise that the huge success of te FIS has been to increasing Banskos popularity.

They need to leverage this momentum they will have a strategy as to five and ten year plans.
Clearly red 14 with the anti avalanche installed last summer is to reopen it hopefully for 2013 season else why install it last year? To me install it prove beyond a doubt it works then you can put in new lifts and reinstate the pistes.
In addition second gondola of course it's required the end location is key and what options that opens up. The current gondola has been a huge success but it is a limiting factor a bottleneck. If there are long waits for let's say 35% of the season then it's getting to a point where it needs to be addressed however it's only for 120minutes of the day. New pistes are needed so that when you go up the mountain they are not crowded.

I hope Bansko Ulen etc do lots of good things this summer improving and expanding more.


Also are Balkenstroy not also opening up part of the mountain further outside Bansko? I have seen a big tree felling what looks like to me as wide for a piste??