Bansko

For the first two months of the winter season, the tourism sector in Bulgaria reports a growth of over 5% compared to the same period last year. There is a significant increase in visits from Italy, while tourists from Israel are about 70% fewer. Bulgarian tourists have increased by 8% during the same period.

In the Bulgarian mountain resort of Bansko in the Pirin mountain, the new ski season opens on December 15, reported the Bulgarian National Radio. 

A special guest of the resort during the opening will be Olympic and World Champion skier from Austria, Patrick Orthlib.

''We have more than 15% growth in foreign tourists during the two months - December 2017 and January 2018.'' Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova told a round table discussion on the project "Share Bulgaria" in Bansko, Expert.bg reported.

In response to a request from the Bulgarian Ski Federation, 120,000 leva were allocated for the organization of the World Snowboard Cup in 2018. Contests in parallel giant slalom and snowboard cross-disciplines will be held from 26 to 28 January when the world's snowboarding elite will reunite in Bansko on a final rehearsal before the Winter Olympics in Korea, reports novinite.bg. 

The Bulgarian government has allowed a subsidiary of Canada-based Dundee Precious Metals to explore a field in Bansko municipality, Southwestern Bulgaria, for metallic minerals.

Protests on account of the suspended building of new cable cars in Bansko and the stopped expansion of the Pirin mountain ski zone will take place on Tuesday on the main road E79.

The time is set for 5:30 pm and the location will be the interconnection with the road to Simitli, as reported by the Bulgarian National Radio.