Over the last few years, Bansko affirmed it’s position as the winter resort with the best skiing conditions in Bulgaria. It’s popularity abroad grew with the ski races for the women world cup in February this year. “Bansko couldn’t have a better advertisement than that”, stated the chairman of BTK Tsvetan Donchev.

His opponent Dimo Popov from the Association of tour operators and tourism agencies stated that businessmen hardly have anything to be happy of. “The restrictions for tourists due to the sport event wasn’t exactly leaving a positive impression on foreign tourists,” said he. The mayor of Bansko countered this argument by pointing out that the race used only the hardest skiing track of the resort – “Tomba”.

The chairman of the newly created “Tourism association – Bansko”, the biathlete Irina Nikulchina, stated that the main goal of her organization is to promote Bansko as a resort during the entire year. “In the winter, Bansko is visited by 800 thousand tourists. During the summer, this number dwindles to 200 thousand. This has to change,” states the mayor Alexander Kravarov.