Sozopol can welcome guests not only during the busiest summer weeks, but the tourist season in the city often ends immediately after the “Apolonia“ festival in early September. Thus, tourism opportunities in September and October remain limited, and hotels and restaurants begin to close.
The topic is in the focus of bTV Reporters in a material by Ladislav Tsvetkov, who examines how human attitude, quality of service and sustainable development influence tourists' choices.
33 years of changes in Sozopol
Actor and local merchant Plamen Spirov has lived and worked in Sozopol for 33 years. He remembers a time when the city was smaller, and famous Bulgarian actors and intellectuals used to meet on the streets of the Old Town.
Today, there are more tourists, and the turnover of merchants is higher, but this does not automatically mean calmer and better quality work. According to Spirov, the number of people in itself is not a criterion for a successful tourist season.
Local businesses identify the artificial shortening of the season as the main problem. According to the participants in the report, it can easily last four months, but in practice it is often limited to about two and a half months.
Sozopol is also suitable in September
If hotels and restaurants remain open until the end of September without a guaranteed flow of customers, the costs for personnel, insurance and accommodation become too high for the business. This is one of the reasons why the sites close even after the end of “Apolonia“.
“Sozopol is wonderful in September and even in October. It is perfect for sailing, it is nice for the beach, but there are no people“, says Plamena Georgieva, lawyer and organizer of the Sozopol Sailing Cup regatta.
According to her, the possibilities for a longer season exist, but there are not enough events, services and coordination to keep the interest of visitors after the active summer months.
From tourists to guests
Yani Georgiev, chief mechanic of a sailing boat, who has lived and worked in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Palma de Mallorca, makes a comparison with established tourist destinations.
“What we succeed in doing in our country is to maximize our profit from these two and a half months. What we fail to do is do it with a smile and with an attitude towards our guests that will make them return“, he points out.
Georgiev draws attention to experiences related to nature and active sports, such as hiking, kayaking and windsurfing. According to him, these are the ones that can turn a trip into a reason for a return visit.
Plamena Georgieva believes that the very way in which visitors are viewed on the Black Sea coast needs to change. “Tourists are welcomed en masse, not guests“, she says, adding that people need to be invited in such a way that they want to return.
Culture as part of the tourist season
Diving instructor Naiden Nedev defines cleanliness, respect for the client and competitiveness as the foundations of quality tourism. He believes that the goal should not be only profit, but also customer satisfaction.
Art critic Elisaveta Stancheva emphasizes the role of the local community. According to her, Sozopol must build a predictable and transparent cultural policy that lasts from June to September and attracts external cultural operators.
The report raises the question of whether the Black Sea coast will continue to measure its success only by the number of tourists and revenue, or will it begin to develop a service that combines natural resources with respect for the people who have chosen Bulgaria for their vacation.
Sources: bTV Novinite