Bulgaria continues to be a country where thrills and adventures are alive and where you can still visit places where no tourists had been before. You can see villages where life goes on in the rhythm of past centuries and a journey to such a place brings true knowledge. Here the taste of food, the air and the view are so exquisitethey overturn notions of the joy of life. This type of recreation has been developing as a desired tourist service for twenty yearsnow thanks to the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT). More about the anniversary of the association from honorary chairman and spokesmanLyubomirPopyordanov:

“Our goal is to achieve sustainable and responsible tourism, providing a service to small groups and in accordance to the interests of local communities. It provides a new image of ​​Bulgaria, related to its natural and cultural heritage, traditions, wine and to everything that is characteristic of our land and its beautiful nature; everything that creates Bulgaria’s identity. The history of our association is a history of battles in which we have struggled in order for our members to achieve more in the development of this tourist product. For example, in Bulgarian law there used to be no definition of guest houses. We have succeeded in giving them status and these days tourism in guest houses has been developing successfully. The other part of our product is linked to protected areas and nature parks. In them we organise adventurous trips, bicycle riding trips, horse riding, cave exploring, crossing alpine routes with a guide and other projects.”

LubomirPopyordanov is an active traveler who has been to many countries around the world. How can Bulgaria stand out?

“The living culture ofthis country is what is attractive. Traditions registered by UNESCO and those related to the esoteric and to our Christian culture, as well as Bulgaria’s geopolitical location between Europe and Asia are attractive. Last but not least, I want topoint out Bulgarian cuisine;and the delicious vegetables and fruits grown in small gardens; the yoghurt... The quality and taste of basic food products is exceptional and we as Bulgarians need to preserve this.”

BAAT supports many important causes in order to preserve Bulgaria’s natural heritage. One of them is the preservation of mountains and ecosystems.

“We have filed a proposal to the Bulgarian Prime Minister for finding a solution to the case inPirin and Bansko and the construction of a second gondola lift, but that is a single case,” LyubomirPopiordanov says. “We think that we have to find a complete solution for tourism development in the mountains and villages in the country. As an association, we have expressed opinions that are not always very pleasant for the ruling. The policy must create conditions for the progress of local people and entrepreneurship, rather than usurping resources and creating monopolies. These are the causes that our association has supported for 20 years. They often create inconveniences, but we are happy that we are still standing behind these positions. We have not given up on them and we are struggling to present Bulgaria as an alternative destination offering different types of tourism. The world is more and more virtual, which helps our product reach many peopleeasily. So, there is a huge niche for development and it is not in the direction of mass tourism, but of high quality. Creating unique services and packages is important. In order to achieve this, we need to make sure that nature is preserved, that local people remain there and feel prosperous and calm about their future.”

English: Alexander Markov