| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 14/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 34 |
| Copyright: Other |
agents on the spot: bulgaria
Balkan Holidays took a group of 60 UK agents on a one-week educational to Bulgaria in June. The agents toured the key Black Sea resorts,including Albena, Golden Sands and Sunny Beach. They sampled localhospitality and visited hotels and beaches. We asked three agents for their impressions before and after the trip.Before After
JACKIE sPEERCUSTOMER services managerharry weekstravelorpingtonage: 44
JOANNE POTTSsenior travel consultantpole travelmanchesterAGE: 44
PAULA nelsontravel advisorgoing placesglasgowage: 24
I don’t know why but I expected Bulgaria to be barren and flat. I think the name Black Sea combined with all the years the country has been under strict rule makes me think the area will be dark and dreary. I didn’t think it would have much in the way of tourist resorts. We had sold one or two holidays to the area but it certainly wasn’t a place clients ever asked for spontaneously. Those clients who did go often returned, which is a good sign but most clients just knew nothing about the place and I had never been there myself. We sometimes suggested it because we had noticed it could be very cheap – under £400 for two weeks in August – which is generally unheard of.
Bulgaria is very green. Opposite the beautiful lush fields you have blue sea and lovely beaches. Everything is very clean and safe and incredibly cheap – 50p for a pint and £3 or £4 for a four-course meal. Golden Sands is my favourite resort – it has lovely beaches, upmarket hotels and is peaceful but still just five minutes’ walk from a lively centre. Sunny Beach is probably the most commercial resort and the one I would recommend for younger people looking for a bit more action. I am recommending the country to everyone – even my milkman – and I know they will love it. People must not be put off by the Black Sea name but should remember it is on the same coastline as Turkey and Greece with the same kind of climate.
As I had never been to Bulgaria, I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it would be a bit like Croatia but not so green. I thought of them both in the same way because they were both so cheap and renowned as value destinations. Bulgaria was a place I suggested to clients on a tight budget because it was so reasonable but I admit the brochures were not very inspiring because the hotels looked a bit shabby and outdated. I knew there was a lot of renovation work going on and of course that can put people off. Clients were a bit wary of visiting the Balkans because they associated it with war, poverty and danger.
The brochured images of Bulgaria create completely the wrong impression – it is a lovely place with some wonderful hotels. There is upgrading work going on but it should not put people off visiting the area. My favourite place is Nessebur, which is an outer island. It reminds me of Rhodes Old Town – all cobbled streets, markets and traditional old buildings. Bulgaria is like Greece was 20-years ago. Everyone is so friendly, they are so pleased to see you and genuinely welcoming. It is definitely an up-and-coming destination and deserves all the support we can give it. It is wonderfully priced for what you get and I am recommending bed-and-breakfast options because there are so many great, cheap restaurants to explore.
Bulgaria wasn’t really a place I had ever thought of visiting. Although I suggested it sometimes to clients because it was cheap, I was a bit suspicious of why it was so cheap. I thought it would be a pretty poor place, very dry and arid and with no well developed resorts. I was a bit apprehensive about flying with Bulgarian Airlines because I thought it would be a bit basic. Clients rarely requested Bulgaria. If I mentioned it, they thought there was a lot of trouble there and they always wanted to get personal recommendations to reassure them that it was OK. They were nervous too because none of the major tour operators they knew went there – that might have reassured them.
Bulgaria is really surprising. The airline is great and once you are there, although some of the accommodation is quite simple and basic, it is very clean and comfortable. It is a very pretty place – lush and green with a backdrop of mountains. The roads aren’t bad so it is easy to explore and there is plenty to see and do. I thought the nightlife would be dreadful and the clubs would only play Bulgarian music but they are excellent and everything is so incredibly cheap. I spent more in two days in Dublin than I did in a week in Bulgaria and had a great time. Sunny Beach is definitely the liveliest resort and the one for young people but others offer something for most types of holidaymakers.