Small-scale mountain tourism in Bulgaria: Development patterns and sustainability implications

Abstract

Bulgarian mountain tourism locations show great variety in terms of their size and the facilities offered, the type and level of product and market development, as well as in the patterns of economic structures, local community involvement, and tourism impacts. This chapter presents results of a wider project dedicated to identification of tourism development models in mountain areas and related supporting policies. The research is focused on three small destinations in the Central Balkan Range and the Rhodope Mountain. The studied destinations are compared against a set of 30 characteristics united in three groups, and different patterns of local tourism development are identified based on current business practices. Their sustainability implications are discussed in terms of general development approach, policy implementation, and tourism impacts. The study results confirm the idea that two types of preconditions are needed for successful tourism development: (1) "necessary" - pull factors and (2) "sufficient" - the will to develop tourism industry through investments in accommodation and infrastructure. The latter refer not only to the entrepreneurship but also to the crucial role of local authorities.