Bulgaria Ski discussion board
Concern over Russia and Bulgaria?
Author:Gareth
posts : 434 (Expert)Date : 03-23-14 22:52Concern over Russia and Bulgaria?
Given the events ongoing in Ukraine what are people's thoughts/concerns about Bulgaria? it has a high number of Russians owning or living there and on some trips we have been on some tours and there are some who have find memories of communism and see what has happened since as drastically worse for them.
Could we see Bulgaria going back to the Russian setup and if that happens would anyone move back to the auK or another country?
Also where does it leave forign owners in essence ...
Could we see Bulgaria going back to the Russian setup and if that happens would anyone move back to the auK or another country?
Also where does it leave forign owners in essence ...
Given the events ongoing in Ukraine what are people's thoughts/concerns about Bulgaria? it has a high number of Russians owning or living there and on some trips we have been on some tours and there are some who have find memories of communism and see what has happened since as drastically worse for them.
Could we see Bulgaria going back to the Russian setup and if that happens would anyone move back to the auK or another country?
Also where does it leave forign owners in essence their assets would become totally illiquid no one from the West would be interested in buying etc.
A concerned owner
Could we see Bulgaria going back to the Russian setup and if that happens would anyone move back to the auK or another country?
Also where does it leave forign owners in essence their assets would become totally illiquid no one from the West would be interested in buying etc.
A concerned owner
re:Concern over Russia and Bulgaria?
As a member state of the EU I think the scenario would be somewhat different, when you consider the amount of infrastructure the EU has paid for in roads etc since BG joined it would be a jouney backwards not forwards for BG. The Ukraine joining the EU would be a step too far for Russia to tolerate and I believe this is the main reason for the current action.
re:Concern over Russia and Bulgaria?
There are more Russians in France and Italy, spend a week in Courmayeur or Corcheval...
re:Concern over Russia and Bulgaria?
Speaking with some young Moscowites, they personally cannot afford the Alps, claiming it is the playground of the Russian mega rich, the new Russian resorts (especially Sochi) are again only for the rich... Today whilst speaking with some of the guys who were mtb'ing today, they had admitted to knowing a family who had paid over 1400E for one evening meal in an exclusive restaurant in Verbier in Switzerland (a birthday so exceptional i imagine), but the total cost for the families holiday ...
Speaking with some young Moscowites, they personally cannot afford the Alps, claiming it is the playground of the Russian mega rich, the new Russian resorts (especially Sochi) are again only for the rich... Today whilst speaking with some of the guys who were mtb'ing today, they had admitted to knowing a family who had paid over 1400E for one evening meal in an exclusive restaurant in Verbier in Switzerland (a birthday so exceptional i imagine), but the total cost for the families holiday exceeded £10,000...
Quality at those prices should be demanded, so no surprises.. on a lesser level my friend returned from Zell am See a few weeks ago complaining about the poor snow (at lower levels granted), the cost of restaurants, ski and boot hire and incidentals... i love Zell personally, quality surroundings and a proper Alpine feel, great service and generally good food and drink...... but at a price......
The point i am making is that Bulgaria could fill a gap allowing for skiing on a budget, not everyone is a millionaire, and i feel that potential is here, if it could be managed properly. If money was no object i would turn my back on Europe, head for Japan or Alaska, heliski everyday, and live in swish accommodation with whirlpool and hot and cold running chambermaids but even if i had the money i wonder would i ? I would resent handing over huge sums of cash for something that could be available elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. If you wish to sit in a cafe in Val'd'isere and pay 10E for a coffee, that is your choice, i resented paying 25FF (£2.50) 30 years ago for the same coffee in Val, i was being ripped off, and these types of resorts continue to. If you are so naive to think that simply because you are paying big money that you are getting better value, then sadly its a lost cause... Bulgaria could offer an alternative, a value for money alternative, allowing for normal individuals to enjoy the mountains, learn to ski etc... the Alps it is not, it is the Balkans, with their own history and traditions... My whole point was to highlight what could be possible, sadly as i have said, this is not the case at the moment, but glimmers have appeared, one especially relating to an annoyance in Bansko, touts !!! a vote taken by local people has come out in favour by 77% to say goodbye to the touts, this quite recently 
This hopefully could lead to the reviewing of 'girlie bars', sex shops and tat sellers.. time will tell..
And Colin (mikey or whatever your name is).... before you continue your advertising campaign for the Alps generally (and they do need it, falling tourist numbers)... nearly everyone on the board has been to the Alps, have been impressed with the infrastructure, the sheer scale of some of the ski areas, the standard of the hotels and apartments, and the history of the more established resorts... some i'm assuming still visit, as well as visit Bulgaria. I do not think anyone is saying that Bulgaria is the best place to ski in Europe, but it has a place as an alternative if budget is a consideration... it also could if developed have a charm all of its own....
Quality at those prices should be demanded, so no surprises.. on a lesser level my friend returned from Zell am See a few weeks ago complaining about the poor snow (at lower levels granted), the cost of restaurants, ski and boot hire and incidentals... i love Zell personally, quality surroundings and a proper Alpine feel, great service and generally good food and drink...... but at a price......
The point i am making is that Bulgaria could fill a gap allowing for skiing on a budget, not everyone is a millionaire, and i feel that potential is here, if it could be managed properly. If money was no object i would turn my back on Europe, head for Japan or Alaska, heliski everyday, and live in swish accommodation with whirlpool and hot and cold running chambermaids
but even if i had the money i wonder would i ? I would resent handing over huge sums of cash for something that could be available elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. If you wish to sit in a cafe in Val'd'isere and pay 10E for a coffee, that is your choice, i resented paying 25FF (£2.50) 30 years ago for the same coffee in Val, i was being ripped off, and these types of resorts continue to. If you are so naive to think that simply because you are paying big money that you are getting better value, then sadly its a lost cause... Bulgaria could offer an alternative, a value for money alternative, allowing for normal individuals to enjoy the mountains, learn to ski etc... the Alps it is not, it is the Balkans, with their own history and traditions... My whole point was to highlight what could be possible, sadly as i have said, this is not the case at the moment, but glimmers have appeared, one especially relating to an annoyance in Bansko, touts !!! a vote taken by local people has come out in favour by 77% to say goodbye to the touts, this quite recently This hopefully could lead to the reviewing of 'girlie bars', sex shops and tat sellers.. time will tell..And Colin (mikey or whatever your name is).... before you continue your advertising campaign for the Alps generally (and they do need it, falling tourist numbers)... nearly everyone on the board has been to the Alps, have been impressed with the infrastructure, the sheer scale of some of the ski areas, the standard of the hotels and apartments, and the history of the more established resorts... some i'm assuming still visit, as well as visit Bulgaria. I do not think anyone is saying that Bulgaria is the best place to ski in Europe, but it has a place as an alternative if budget is a consideration... it also could if developed have a charm all of its own....
re:Concern over Russia and Bulgaria?
Its like most things really, theres normally a choice between better quality and choice and value with less choice.
You can shop in Sainsburys and get a good choice of products of a generally good quality, or you can go to ALDI and pay much less and get less choice.
You can do similar in a skiing sense, as people have noted top resorts in alps and pay top dollar or smaller resorts and save money, many people on the forum will have 2 ski hols a year in BG in preference to 1 in alps etc. Or ...
You can shop in Sainsburys and get a good choice of products of a generally good quality, or you can go to ALDI and pay much less and get less choice.
You can do similar in a skiing sense, as people have noted top resorts in alps and pay top dollar or smaller resorts and save money, many people on the forum will have 2 ski hols a year in BG in preference to 1 in alps etc. Or ...
Its like most things really, theres normally a choice between better quality and choice and value with less choice.
You can shop in Sainsburys and get a good choice of products of a generally good quality, or you can go to ALDI and pay much less and get less choice.
You can do similar in a skiing sense, as people have noted top resorts in alps and pay top dollar or smaller resorts and save money, many people on the forum will have 2 ski hols a year in BG in preference to 1 in alps etc. Or others may simply not be able to afford to ski elsewhere.
BG has always offered the alternative ski holiday, and for a beginner I think is a sensible choice if you are willing to take the risk with the snow, I have been to Bansko 6 times having learned to ski there and have had good snow on all but one occasion, but have been able to ski every visit, we now generally drive to the alps, living in the South East means we can get to the alps almost in the time it takes to get to BG and its also very flexible and cuts out airport stress. There is no doubt though that in resort prices are high in the alps by comparison with BG.
BG has a future, but I think it needs to try to be more family orientated, with more activity for families off the slopes.
What Bansko has is very modern lift infrastructure,( having just returned from Serre Chevalier I can confirm that slow old lifts can really reduce your time on the slopes), and this is a great benefit, there may not be masses of piste, but you can get around quickly, (once up the hill), so cover as much mileage daily as in a bigger resort.
In my opinion Bansko suffered from being a bit of a backwater to being a modern ski resort in a very short time, development took place almost out of control, and therefore other than the lovely old town, to me does not have an obvious focal point and lacks the typical ski village ambiance.
Bansko will have a future I am sure, too much money has been invested for it to fail, but now is the time for it to decide on its future, who it wants to appeal to etc, etc.
You can shop in Sainsburys and get a good choice of products of a generally good quality, or you can go to ALDI and pay much less and get less choice.
You can do similar in a skiing sense, as people have noted top resorts in alps and pay top dollar or smaller resorts and save money, many people on the forum will have 2 ski hols a year in BG in preference to 1 in alps etc. Or others may simply not be able to afford to ski elsewhere.
BG has always offered the alternative ski holiday, and for a beginner I think is a sensible choice if you are willing to take the risk with the snow, I have been to Bansko 6 times having learned to ski there and have had good snow on all but one occasion, but have been able to ski every visit, we now generally drive to the alps, living in the South East means we can get to the alps almost in the time it takes to get to BG and its also very flexible and cuts out airport stress. There is no doubt though that in resort prices are high in the alps by comparison with BG.
BG has a future, but I think it needs to try to be more family orientated, with more activity for families off the slopes.
What Bansko has is very modern lift infrastructure,( having just returned from Serre Chevalier I can confirm that slow old lifts can really reduce your time on the slopes), and this is a great benefit, there may not be masses of piste, but you can get around quickly, (once up the hill), so cover as much mileage daily as in a bigger resort.
In my opinion Bansko suffered from being a bit of a backwater to being a modern ski resort in a very short time, development took place almost out of control, and therefore other than the lovely old town, to me does not have an obvious focal point and lacks the typical ski village ambiance.
Bansko will have a future I am sure, too much money has been invested for it to fail, but now is the time for it to decide on its future, who it wants to appeal to etc, etc.
