An Olympic resort may develop at the Serbian border

The plan would be to construct a major resort at the frontier and apply to co-host the next Olympic Games

The plan would be to construct a major resort at the frontier and apply to co-host the next Olympic Games.The West margin of the Balkan range (Stara Planina), on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia, could become a prime location for winter tourism on the Balkan peninsula, according to Petur Dimitrov, Economy and Energy Minister. He said the area's potential struck him on his recent visit to Serbia. But he was unable to be more specific about the precise site of possible development. 
A Canadian company, commissioned by Serbian government, carried out at in-depth study of the area and reported that its climate, nature and landscape would allow for construction of a winter resort. The prospects for hosting a Winter Olympics in the future are also good.

The Serbians, whose long-cherished dream is to host the Olympics, suggested that Bulgaria and Serbia set up a joint venture. The plan would be to construct a major resort  at the frontier and apply to co-host the next Olympic Games.

Resources for the construction of the future village will come from Eurofunds, according to Dimitrov. He added that the complex is likely to upstage the popularity of current mountain front-runners - Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo - and will become a recreational  and practice venue for Europe's sporting elite.

Bulgaria has lost more than 250 million euro in tourism revenue since the turn of the year as a result of the introduction of visa regimes for Serbian and Macedonian citizens, according to local restaurateurs and hoteliers. Bansko and Pamporovo have been the favoured Christmas destinations for Serbians and Macedonians for many years. Entrepreneurs hope that the forthcoming winter season will offer a better and more efficient system of visa-granting procedures for neighbouring non-EU countries. Tour operators are also hoping for a more streamlined regime to enable easier access for group tours. Visa problems for Russians and members of the ex-Soviet republics were resolved some time ago, they noted.

Completion of the highway, connecting Belgrade and Sofia, slated for 2010, will reinforce the strength of Bulgaria's business relations with its partners to the west, the Economy and Energy Minister noted. Serbian governors have declared that they had already procured the required resources to construct the stretch of highway passing through their territory. The launch of the project will allow for fast transport connections, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for developing prosperous tourism, Dimitrov noted.

Source: Monitor daily