Photos provided by Veneta Nikolova
At the mountain like at the sea! This is how you may feel during the approaching summer heat waves should you choose to visit the town of Velingrad in southern Bulgaria. Each hotel in the town has its own swimming pool of mineral water. Taking into consideration the early bookings for 2010, hoteliers expect a good summer season.
Despite the economic crisis, the spa capital of Bulgaria cannot complain from a lack of tourists. In contrast to other resorts around the country which have marked a drop of the number of tourists, the hotels in Velingrad are full and that not only throughout the weekends. One of its advantages is the possibility of a healthy holiday through spa procedures. There is no other place like Velingrad with such high concentration of spa hotels. There are 5 five-star hotels which meet all 450 criteria of the European Spa Association. It was by no sheer accident that in 2009, Velingrad was proclaimed the spa capital of the Balkans.
Currently the competition is very though. To attract more guests, hoteliers offer ever more enticing promotional packages and free-of-charge bonuses. Early bookings sell off pretty quickly because their discounts may reach up to 20%. “The crisis has not really affected the spa hotels in town,” says Nikolay Karagyozov, executive director of the International Balneology and Spa Tourism Association Sirona which runs two of the largest spa centers in Velingrad. According to him there hasn’t been a significant reflux of tourists rather a drop of revenues because tourists spend less. Despite that fact, hoteliers expect a good summer season.
“We are currently promoting new summer packages offering huge discounts,” says Nikolay Karagyozov. “The most important thing is that children of up to 12 years of age stay for free in our hotels. Free is not only their stay but also all the food they consume. There are special swimming pools for children and playgrounds.”
Tucked in the foothills of the Rhodopi Mountains, Velingrad is annually visited by half a million tourists. They go there for the pristine nature, clean air, over 80 mineral water springs and delicious local cuisine. The mineral water possesses healing properties and it is everywhere – from water fountains and tabs to swimming pools in spa centers offering a wide range of healing and stimulating procedures.
“We are constantly updating our programs of procedures,” says Nikolay Karagyozov. “We are now promoting a new kind of brand spa cosmetics. We are successfully using Bulgarian cosmetic products. The truth is that most of the foreigners who come here actually want to try local products.”
During the summer of 2010, the prices in spa centers and hotels in Velingrad will be the same as those in 2009 but there will be even more quality and bonuses. Some hotels offer free-of-charge spa procedure to every night spent others offer the fifth night for free. In general, the idea is to offer more services for the pay of the clients. Hoteliers in Velingrad realize that in times of global economic crisis, flexibility and foresight are essential.
English version: Delian Zahariev
