Autumn Seaside Holidays

bnr.bg, Sylvia Nickolova, Daniela Konstantinova

As autumn has set in, the noise and dynamics of the Bulgarian Black Sea resorts have been replaced with peace and quiet. This is the season of breathtaking color shades. This is also the time for a special breed of tourists who are keen on learning more about the culture, habits and ways of the country-host, as well as about our land’s ancient history.

During autumn months Bulgaria’s major Black Sea resorts Golden Sands and Albena provide excellent opportunities for congress and incentive tourism, as well as special programs for retired people. Programs for foreign tourists are made very attractive with offers for special folklore tours, as well as visits to heritage sites in northeastern Bulgaria such as Aladja rock Monastery, Madara Horseman and Kaliakra Cape. The City of Varna is another stopover. Often tourists are taken there to watch an opera show or to visit the Dolphin Show House in the city.
“Varna and the sea are simply wonderful in the autumn,” says Stoyan Marinov, director of Tour-Expo Varna and secretary of the Tourism Chamber in Varna. “Throughout October and sometimes until mid-November the beaches are full of foreign and Bulgarian tourists. Varna offers generous options for autumn holidays. We count on two groups of visitors at this time of year. In the first place, I mean our Romanian neighbors who never miss good weather for a short vacation combined with shopping. Secondly, we have a few foreign and Bulgarian tourists who devote some time to spa and relaxation procedures in the autumn. Both Golden Sands and Albena boast of state-of-the-art spa facilities.”
Competitive spa treatment packages for retired people have been successfully launched on the markets in Bulgaria, France, Finland and Germany. The head of the medical team of Albena Resort Dr Anelia Shishkova brings one example.
“The Vital Program is for a 10-day active holiday package. Its goal is to train people how to change their diet and how to be physically active. The program copes with cardio-vascular disorders and overweight. We carry out sophisticated medical tests and a general checkup and only then we develop individual programs for physical exercise. The programs are based on personal choice and on the pleasure of practicing various sports. This program is very popular with middle-aged Bulgarians and foreigners, often successful professionals who have decided to take good care of their shape and health.”
This year congress tourism has prospered during the autumn season of the Black Sea resorts. Stoyan Marinov says more about cultural and congress tourism during this time of the year.
“Varna has a lot to offer,” he says. “Every hotel has conference halls with state-of-the-art equipment. Participants in conferences, business meetings and other events are invited to enjoy cultural and historical landmarks in Varna too – the Archeological Museum displaying the oldest gold in the world so far, the Varna Necropolis, the Roman thermae and other sites. A steering committed has been established to promote Varna as Europe’s cultural capital in 2019. Varna is ideal for congress and business tourism. Now it is up to the businesses to opt for unconventional formats of holding conferences and meetings. Besides the local tourism companies should be ready to respond with unique offers that would intrigue both Bulgarian and foreign tourists.”