Bulgarian monasteries attract the most foreign tourists in Bulgaria

sofiaecho.com

Rila monastery, Bachkovo and Troyan monasteries are the sites that attract the most foreign tourists in Bulgaria, said Nikolai Mindov, chairperson of Association of Bulgarian Tour Guides.

Ancient Roman ruins near Varna and Plovdiv, along with preserved architectural reserves like Bozhentsi, Arbanasi and Zheravna, are perceived as magnets for most foreign tourists who visit Bulgaria during the summer.

Another group of tourists prefer SPA hotels and the mineral springs available, said Mindov.

"Bulgaria has so many resources, so the country can develop any kind of tourism; ornithology tourism, religious tourism but more investments are needed," he said.

After Greece and Italy, Bulgaria ranks third in the number of historical monuments in Europe, he said.

"Bulgaria's varied geography provides excellent condition for mountain trekking and any other type of tourism; the problem with quality of services remain, if we do not develop the quality, we risk losing a lot of potential tourists," Mindov said.

In his view, the all-inclusive tourist package holiday offered by most Bulgarian tour operators is not the best option because it keeps tourists away from sightseeing in the area they are staying in. He said that most tourists went home with favourable impressions and that there were many unexpected pleasures to be found on holidays in Bulgaria.