Mass cancellations of reservations in Bulgaria’s ski resort of Bansko due to the war in Ukraine

Dozens of reservations in the Bulgarian ski resort of Bansko have been cancelled in just a few days, because of the military actions in Ukraine. The tourist business in the town expects the number of cancelled holidays, both for the end of the winter season and for the summer season to continue to grow.

"At the moment, most of the tourists in Bansko are from England and Israel, there are also from Russia, Romania, Moldova. Certainly the military conflict will negatively affect tourism now and in the future. I assume that the cancellations from these markets will continue - mainly from Russia and Moldova," Ivanka Bankova, manager of a hotel in Bansko, told BNT breakfast programme on February 28.

"Given that flights are suspended and the situation is extremely difficult and unpredictable, I think that 100% from now on everything will be cancelled. War is not good for anyone, war does not bring success to tourism. Bulgaria is very close to the actions and events and we are extremely worried especially for summer tourism because foreign tourists would not want to come to have a holiday on the Black Sea coast or in the mountains if there is a war nearby,” said Malin Bistrin, Chairman of the Union of Tourism Business in Bansko.

Against the background of the complicated international situation, hoteliers expect a slight increase in the number of Bulgarian tourists after the requirement for Covid-19 green certificates is lifted.

“Our attention is already focused on the Bulgarian tourists and I hope that the finale of our season will be quite strong from what we have both as natural resources and as time,” said Malin Bistrin, chairman of the Union of Tourism Business in Bansko.

The hoteliers in the resort are ready to accept refugees from Ukraine but under clearly defined conditions regarding who will pay the support of these people and at what price.