Hoteliers from Pamporovo and surrounding settlements in the Rhodope Mountains appeal for urgent measures from the state.
Business in the region will suffer major economic losses if the landslide section between Pamporovo and Smolyan remains closed for months, hotel owners say. Staff, who travel mainly from Smolyan and Madan, are also affected.
Now Pamporovo, after the landslide of the huge landslide, is silent. Currently, over 90 percent of the hotels are not working, because the winter season was closed on April 12. Despite this, no less than 500 people remain working in the resort complex year-round. In winter, they increase to 4,000. The closed road due to the landslide will now increase the time it takes them to get to their workplaces.
Evelina Tatarova: “I travel from Smolyan. If I used to get up at 6 am, I have to get up at 5:30 am to get ready and get ready for work. Accordingly, I leave home earlier and come home later.“
Velislava Shtilyanova – hotel administrator: “I arrived from Stoykite in the morning, traveling about 25 minutes – half an hour longer than before.“
For everyone who works in hotels in Pamporovo, after the closure of the main road, arriving at work will be more expensive due to increased fuel costs and longer detour routes.
In a hotel in Pamporovo, 95 percent of the staff travel from Smolyan and Madan. With the closure of the road section, the journey to their workplaces is extended by about 30 minutes each way. Food deliveries will also be difficult, and hoteliers believe that due to the extended route, they will become more expensive.
Ani Valkova, hotel manager: “In my opinion, one of the biggest consequences in purely economic terms of this landslide is for local people and local businesses. 90 percent of tourists who visit the hotel also visit Smolyan. The planetarium is a must-see destination… will save themselves the visit to sites in Smolyan, to shops even in the city.“
The deliveries of food and goods to hotels will most likely also become more expensive – not only because of fuel, but also because of the longer routes for the delivery of perishable products from Smolyan.
Stefan Prisadov – director of „Pamporovo“ AD: „Many of the companies that operate in Pamporovo are from Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Asenovgrad, Smolyan, but they also work in other settlements, so I don't expect there to be such a problem there. But for those working in Pamporovo, I think there will be difficulties.“
Local people and businesses are insisting on quick measures so that the region does not remain cut off for long.