Sofia My Small London

Buses will carry tourists along city in the night; 30 laser beams will shine from the top of the parliament according to the accepted strategy for the development of our capital
The strategy for the development of Sofia plans to transform our capital into an attractive tourism center in order to catch up with the European capitals. The strategy was introduced to the mayor of Sofia Mr. Stefan Sofianski by the Head of the Tourism council Rumen Draganov.
Borisovata Gradina Park will receive a new vision, three churches will have their domes gilded, buses will carry day and night the guests of our capital, a museum of totalitarizm will be built, two skateboard parks will be constructed in the center and one snowboard park on the Vitosha Mountain.

After more than a year of preparation now there is a real action plan, but the most difficult is about to happen - its realization. The good news is that there is enough money for all the things that are about to happen. The financial sources are pointed out - the revenues from the tourism taxes, money from the budgets of the Ministry of Economy, Youth and Sport, the Ministry of Regional Development, and also from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. According to Draganov for the execution of all the plans in the strategy are needed 1 400 000 BGN each year in a period of 5 years.

Eight strategic goals are marked, which has to increase the tourism interest towards the Capital 3 times and to introduce it on the international tourism market: the preservation of nature, the cultural and historic monuments, the development of the congress and conference tourism and the working up of the candidature for the winter Olympic Games in 2014.

Among the prior plans is the establishment of Tourism Information Centre. It will be on St. Nedelia square with additional bureaus on the Central station and Airport. The center will provide free maps and brochures for the capital and the vicinity. It has to open doors next year on April 1. The necessary amount of money is 250 000 BGN.

The creation of a permanent trip “Sofia tour” was an old idea, but as the tourism is a priority factor for all governments, nobody decided to make it. The trip is planned to start from St Nedelia Square to pass by Nezavisimost Square (Independence), Batenberg Square, Narodno Sabranie Square, Alexandar Nevski Cathedral, Orlov most (Eagles bridge), Bulgaria boulevard, National Historic Museum, National Palace of Culture and to ends on its starting position. There will be guide lectures in Bulgarian, English and other languages. This is one of the major projects that needs the smallest amount of money - 5 000 BGN. The buses will carry the tourists during the night so that they will have the opportunity to see the nocturnal shine of the sightseeing. The everyday tourism programme “Sofia- evening trip” will be sold in the hotels and will start next year on May 1st.

Several guide tours will be organized – Sofia-Koprivshtica, Sofia-Plovdiv, Sofia-Pleven, Sofia-Troyan-Sevlievo-Gabrovo, Sofia-Rila Monastery, Sofia-Bansko and Sofia-Borovets. Another accent is the “Sofia Sveta Gora” with a route that starts from St Nedelia Square – Nezavisimost square - Dragalevski monastery, Germanski Monastery - Seslavski monastery and Kremikovski Monastery with a dinner in a folklore restaurant. This programme will need 100 000 BGN for the development of information materials and maps in Bulgarian and English languages which will be given to the tourists for free at the hotels, museums and the tourism center. On the back of the maps will be printed information about the cultural calendar of the Capital - concerts, fests and etc. A new internet portal for the hotels and other tourism services is planned to be made.

The conditions of the monasteries near by Sofia have to improve. The domes of St. Nedelia Church, the Synagogue and the Mosque “Bania Basha” will be gilded. People will have the chance to see the lights on Alexander Nevski on and to climb the belfry.

A sphere that expresses the world - “Greetings to Europe and the World” will be put on the top of the needle of the parliament. Laser projectors will be installed there and will symbolize the countries from the European Union. The sphere will be lighted for the first time on the 1st of January 2007. The light ceremony will be repeated every day in 7 a.m. On national holidays, the sphere will shine on every 10 minutes from 7 am until 9 am. This project needs 150 000 BGN.

Borisovata Gradina is also included in the project. The whole design of the park as a place of national significance includes reorganization of the lake “Ariana” wooden boats will float in the water, a cosy restaurant will be build on the bank.

Except from that, there will be front gates and Information center on the side of Orlov most (Eagles Bridge) with a natural and cultural calendar of the park with a year-round flower exhibitions, thematic weeks of the flora and fauna, open festivals. The water equipment will be renovated.

Finally yet importantly is the plan for the parade ceremony for guard shift in front of the President’s office every Saturday at 12 a.m.

These are just some of the 43 points that have to be executed to transform Sofia in an attractive city.

The mayor announced that there is enough money for its execution and he will take care to overcome the existing problems for the tourism in the capital.