Super Borovets Project: APPROVED

Article in Priatel Newspaper, 13th May 2005

The Government has approved the conception for the tourism development in the region of Samokov

The Council of Ministers approved the development plan of the Samokov Municipality, thus giving a green light to the project for construction of a tourist center, Samokov - Borovets - Novi Iskar.

The project was presented in three variants; however, the authorities chose the third one, according to which the number of beds is expected to reach 16 - 17 000, while the length of the ski pistes – 60 km, thus allowing more than 10 000 skiers per hour to enjoy the ski pistes and facilities.

The region is expected to be transformed into a year-round resort with football fields, tennis-courts and other playgrounds for practicing active sports, as well as swimming pools and numerous amusement facilities. The plan makes provisions for riverside parks with additional attractions, including a horse riding centre and dairy farm with taverns in the area of Bjala Poljana, close to Borovets. The aim of the project is to develop the tourism sector with the help of the local people, whilst at the same time, trying to observe the eco-balance of the region.

There will be no large hotels high in the mountain, only shelters or tearooms.

The plan was issued by a team of architects, lead by Petko Evrev and will follow the requirements of the Encouragement Law, according to which the infrastructure will be provided by the state. The plan foresees the opening of a Tourism College in the town of Samokov and is consistent with the Bulgarian candidature to host the Olympic Games in the year 2014.

The Super Borovets concept will be implemented in three steps.

The first stage is to be completed in year 2007 and by that time the accommodation capacity of the resort willl be doubled. New gyms and swimming pools will be built.

The second stage will start when ownership rights have been finalized. At this stage the plan envisages new hotels and ski runs in the triangle enclosing Beli Iskar, Samokov and Borovets.

After that, during the third stage, they will start the construction of new sites at 1400 m above sea-level. Because of the height and sparse terrain only holiday villages and small hotels will be allowed there.

According to the document, the region benefits from good and easy access to both Sofia and Plovdiv International Airports, with a maximum transfer time of one and a half hours. Another positive feature is the proximity to mineral springs in the towns in Dolna Banja and Belchin Bani, suitable for spa tourism.

The project will aim to offer diverse attractions to the tourists, including not only the natural resources, but also the historical and cultural monuments and places of interest.

The region of Borovets will become a year-round resort with modern technical facilities, high tech information centres for tourists and a good transportation infrastructure. Special attention will be paid to hill walkers, extreme sports enthusiasts, horseriding trails, the development of ecotourism, as well as hunting and fishing.

On the first level of the Super Borovets resort, numerous family hotels and holiday villages will offer a wide variety of accommodation. There will be a snow stadium and a covered piste. A Gondola will connect this part of the resort to the other pistes, Sokolets – Ivanov Kamuk – Marakudjitsite. In these areas there will be large parking spaces and numerous entertainment centers.

According to the plan, all buildings will be maximum two or three floors high, no higher than the trees. This year will see the start of the construction of a holiday village with 6500-7000 beds, and will be built in the region between Samokov and Borovets.

On the second level of the resort, Samokov-Borovets-Beli Iskar there will be a horse riding centre and dairy farm with tavern, etc. There is also a plan for building a golf course there. The accommodation will be in holiday villages and small hotels, which will provide approximately 8000 beds.

The third level “Beli Iskar – Sokolets” will be located at 1200 – 1400 m above sea level and will be occupied mainly by houses, villas and small family hotels with the number of beds expected to be approximately 3000.

The brand new mega resort will offer 33 ski pistes with a total length of more than 60 km, or in other words, twice as much as there is now. Borovets resort and the surrounding area will have 87 ski paths, while the cable cars and the T-lifts will have a capacity of 27 000 skiers per hour. The ski pistes will be able to welcome as much as 6500-7000 skiers (now their capacity is 2500).

No pistes and ski facilities will be constructed on the National Park “Rila Reserve”.

The architects expect that the best producers of ski facilities and equipment will invest in the new ski equipment in Super Borovets, as well as maintain the new ski lifts, cable cars and T-lifts.

The new project is expected to give work to 10 000 people, who will be employed in the hotels, the maintenance of the equipment and the ski schools for sport and tourism.

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