Reservations at the resort of Sapareva Banya in Mount Rila have dropped by around 30% in the past month, local hotel operators say. With the closure of restaurants, spa and sauna services, swimming pools etc., the biggest hotels will probably be forced to close down in the new conditions of partial lockdown.

However that does not apply to guest houses with no more than 8-12 beds which do not have restaurants but which do offer separate cooking and barbecue areas where clients can cook their own food, while their hosts provide safe distancing and full disinfection.

Some are now looking for other ways to survive. Owners of big hotels in the resort have been planning ways to provide food to their guests safely. One alternative is room service, with areas designated specifically for the purpose. Hoteliers in Sapareva Banya say that they are not cutting staff as yet but if the country goes into full lockdown they will face bankruptcy.