Hotel and tour booking platforms in Bulgaria report strong interest not only in the country’s seaside and spa resorts but also in holidays at rural guesthouses. On the eve of the peak summer season, most Bulgarians are opting for holidays in the mountains or in the countryside. The 10–15% increase in accommodation prices compared to last year has not affected demand, said Milena Vusheva, client manager at the largest platform for sea, mountain and countryside holidays in Bulgaria.

An overnight stay in a mid-range guesthouse costs between 30-90 BGN (EUR 15.30- EUR 46) per person. More and more Bulgarians are choosing private villas and houses, which are rented out to one or two families or a group of friends. ''Our most expensive offer is a house for 8 people in Dobrinishte at 800 BGN (EUR 409) per night”, says Milena Vusheva, adding that many properties offer good discounts for early bookings, which has encouraged people to start planning their holidays as early as the winter months.

''Early bookings were activated by the hotels and guesthouses themselves back in January, February and March”, says Milena Vusheva. ''However, the active bookings took place in April and are continuing now in May. I dare say that many of the places offering discounts are almost fully booked. The discounts start at 10% and go up to 30%, and there is also free cancellation, in some cases a month in advance'', said Milena Vusheva.

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Bulgarians are starting to change their traditional vacation habits – summer at the seaside, winter in the mountains. More and more people are planning their holidays during the shoulder seasons – in spring and autumn. Young families with small children are particularly active, and they are welcomed in guesthouses. Rural tourism in Bulgaria is no longer just about a comfortable place to stay – it now offers interactive experiences. In some locations, special family programs are available.

''Guesthouses and hotels now offer services such as weekly children's animation. There is paintball, "MasterChef" for kids, horse riding and mountain hikes. You can even find guesthouses offering services like children's camps with interesting concepts, including foreign language training. The accommodations themselves are changing. The rural house has preserved its old look, but offers and increasing number of amenities – the yard now has a pool, children's play areas, trampolines, swings and slides. Moreover, people prefer packages that include breakfast and dinner, especially with organic products from the family farm. In some rural guesthouses, you may be offered to collect eggs or learn how to make yogurt, cheese or yellow cheese'', explains Milena Vusheva.

Our pattern of behaviour during vacations is also changing. Instead of lounging on a sunbed by the pool in complete relaxation, people are increasingly drawn to active experiences. Tourists often look for places with interesting events. For example, a rural cabbage or bacon festival becomes a great reason for a two-day trip with an overnight stay in a local guesthouse. Weekend getaways will continue to be popular in the coming months.

According to Milena Vusheva, tourists are looking for accommodations near interesting natural or cultural attractions, and she lists some of the most popular among them:

''Such destinations are the Belogradchik Rocks, Krushuna Waterfalls in Lovech district, Zlatna Panega with its numerous karst formations, caves like Ledenika or Saeva Dupka, etc. There is also interest in ostrich farms and zoos with fascinating forest and domestic animals, including Bear Sanctuary Belitsa. People often book an overnight stay near these places and return the next day. Older tourists, on the other hand, book their vacation for rehabilitation or physiotherapy purposes in resorts like Strelcha, Pavel Banya, Sandanski, the village of Banya and Velingrad'', concluded Milena Vusheva.

See also: 

• Guest houses like ethnographic museums – taking a break in an authentic rustic atmosphere on the banks of the Danube

• Momchilovtsi offers rural comfort and spiritual renewal in the heart of the Rhodopes

• Travel slowly, rest actively, or how rural tourism in Bulgaria enters a new phase

  
  

Photos: bgvakancia.com, Facebook /Ваканция на село в Родопите, Elena Karkalanova