British Tourists Pointed Towards Bulgaria 30/05/2008
British holidaymakers have been advised to consider travelling to Bulgaria by a national newspaper. According to the Times, the eastern European country offers a number of attractions which would appeal to the whole family. In addition, Bulgaria was said to be much more affordable than places such as Italy, Portugal, France and Spain. This is because the pound has slumped to a record low against the single European currency - falling by nearly a fifth in the last year. As a result, travelling to a country inside the eurozone may not offer the value for money Britons have enjoyed in the past. The Times commented: "It's been a bad year for the pound. "Last summer, a €20 meal would have set you back Ј14. Now it would be Ј16.50." By contrast, Bulgaria was said to offer... more

Roma Ghetto In Bulgaria Capital To Be Demolished With Aid By Police - Sofia News Agency 07/05/2008
The Roma shantytown, which has been built illegally on municipal property in the Mladost 4 Quarter of the Bulgarian capital Sofia, will be demolished and its inhabitants will be made to leave with aid from the local police if necessary. This was announced Tuesday by the Mayor of the Mladost Quarter Petko Dyulgerov before the Bulgarian private Darik Radio. Dyulgerov pointed out that he had already issued the order for the demolition of the illegal constructions, and that the people living there must vacate the area by Wednesday night. "We have many complaints from the residents of the Mladost 4 Quarter that the Romas from the shantytown have broken into their cellars and have committed other thefts", Dyulgerov said. He explained that there are two groups of Roma, who have settled in... more

Orchid Convinced That Bulgaria Property Market Will Bloom. 20/03/2008
Losses have increased at Orchid Developments, a property and hotel operator specialising in Bulgaria, but the group says it exceeded expectations in its first set of results since it floated on AIM last July. Orchid (OCH) operates in commercial, residential and retail markets, and since the float has paid ВЂ21 million (ВЈ14.5 million) for three new development plots in Varna totalling around 38,000 square metres. It is continuing to develop its land bank and says land values are increasing rapidly. Five of OrchidВ’s projects are co-financed by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development which has agreed a ВЂ30 million debt facility. This breaks new ground for the financing of real estate developments in Bulgaria, providing long-term funding that was not previously... more

Expats Look Abroad For Cheaper Cost Of Living 04/04/2008
The high cost of living in the UK is creating widespread disillusionment among many Britons, to the point where many are considering emigrating, a newspaper has said. A report in the Telegraph stated that many British people are thinking of packing up and leaving for another country. This was largely attributed to the current state of the UK economy, which has led to increases in the prices of groceries, fuel and other necessary expenses. People were also said to feel unhappy with their rising tax burden, with council tax in particular flagged up as a particularly unpopular charge. Therefore, many are looking to overseas property as a way of avoiding these payments and reducing their outgoings. The Telegraph commented; "It's hardly surprising many British homeowners are... more

Germans Rediscover Bulgaria As Holiday Destination 11/03/2008
Germans are once again starting to book Bulgarian holidays after a two-year withdrawal, Dnevnik daily reported on March 11. The positive signals came from the last week's International Tourism Bourse (ITB), the annual business-to-business industry event, the daily claimed. Industry experts said German bookings in Bulgaria should see a five-per-cent increase this year to around 400 000 in 2008. Statistics from Bourgas and Varna airports on the Black Sea showed that 390 000 German tourists came to the country on trips arranged by tour operators and that is considered the official figure, but the total number of Germans that landed in the two airports was 600 000. Three to four years ago, the number of German tourists peaked, but was followed by a significant drop as the German... more