Hi Baldur, I reckon the Bulgarians did themselves no favours by virtually turning Albena into an AI resort. With the vast reduction in flights to Varna from the UK, even without the credit crunch I think they'd struggle to fill the hotels.

Toonman

Hi Toonman,

toonman2 wrote:

I reckon the Bulgarians did themselves no favours by virtually turning Albena into an AI resort. With the vast reduction in flights to Varna from the UK, even without the credit crunch I think they'd struggle to fill the hotels.

Agreed.

Albena AD, the resort's management company, over the past year or two have openly expressed a desire to attract a 'better class' of holidaymaker (i.e. those who spend more with them), which is the rationale behind the All Inclusive trend.

The most unfortunate effect that this has had, and will have, is on the regional economy as many people from Varna to Dobrich and beyond are reliant on seasonal work generated by tourism to make ends meet.

To a lesser extent, the 'better class' of tourist mind set has also permeated the national tourism agency and the other resorts, including the skiing resorts - I can certainly recall a Bulgarian TV news report from Bansko (IIRC) in March 2007, where local hoteliers & traders were bemoaning the 'cheapskate' British tourists who hadn't spent as much as their counterparts from other countries.

Baldur

Morning Guys, I have been reading on "My Bulgaria" about the following report, although in Bulgarian, it states Half the Hotels will remain closed in Albena in 2009. the papers site is
http://www.dobrichmedia.com/novini/14_11_2008_6.php, Baldur with your experiemce you will understand it. Cheers. Tony

(The link's not working, Tony.)

I reckon the Bulgarians did themselves no favours by virtually turning Albena into an AI resort. With the vast reduction in flights to Varna from the UK, even without the credit crunch I think they'd struggle to fill the hotels.

Agreed, but I don't think it's to do with the 'better class of tourist mindset', or if it is the Bulgarians are confirming they haven't a clue about their clientèle.

As fas as I am aware, AI attracts tourists who have limited budgets and want to spend little more than what they pay up front for their holiday.

The better off can afford to and prefer to, go B & B and eat out. This is because the food in hotels is self service buffet style, repetitive, and nothing like as good as in outside restaurants. In addition, the drinks side of AI is limited in choice and often characterised by very poor service. I suggest AI is driven by the greed of hoteliers and is ruinous to tourism as the current situation in Albena demonstrates.

The 'better class of tourist mindset' does exist, and in the context of Bulgaria is a joke. It's in the category of 'Bulgarian dreams'. On the Black Sea they dream of building marinas and casinos and attracting the Monte Carlo set.

In reality the season is short, the weather unreliable, and the Bulgarians have little idea of the concept of service. Really down to earth, the logistics of getting your yacht from the Med to the Black Sea are also interesting.

Bulgaria does well at selling cheap and cheerful holidays in resorts where prices are comparatively cheap. As prices rise they will struggle, and turning Sunny Beach into 18-30 will do further damage, because that was never their customer age range or mentality.

Peter

Peter, I have edited link, sorry but I missed the . between the 6 and php. Cheers Tonyt

There's a translated version http://www.dobrichmedia.com/novini/14_11_2008_6.php" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="break-word">HERE

The Bulgarians can analyse it as much as they like, most tourists just don't want AI. It is a poor holiday experience, people are put off by it and don't come back.

Peter

Thanks for the 'Dobrudzha Tribune' link, Tony - it's the newspaper that I take when I'm in Bulgaria.

Baldur

Hi Peter,

As fas as I am aware, AI attracts tourists who have limited budgets and want to spend little more than what they pay up front for their holiday.

That is exactly the point that I was making when saying that Albena AD "have openly expressed a desire to attract 'better class' of holidaymaker (i.e. those who spend more with them), which is the rationale behind the All Inclusive trend."

Albena AD directly benefits from AI, because they have all of their money up front from a 'captive audience' - it's of no direct benefit to Albena AD if tourists only pay for their hotel/apartment accommodation and then spend the bulk of their cash with consessionnaire restaurants/bars/clubs, etc., or go off to spend in Varna, Dobrich or other areas.

It's the typical Bulgarian 'short term - big profit' mentality, which has also driven the obscene overdevelopment and excessive empty accommodation in the country.

Baldur

Hi Baldur,

That is exactly the point that I was making when saying that Albena AD "have openly expressed a desire to attract 'better class' of holidaymaker (i.e. those who spend more with them), which is the rationale behind the All Inclusive trend."

Albena AD directly benefits from AI, because they have all of their money up front from a 'captive audience' - it's of no direct benefit to Albena AD if tourists only pay for their hotel/apartment accommodation and then spend the bulk of their cash with concessionaire restaurants/bars/clubs, etc., or go off to spend in Varna, Dobrich or other areas.

That's not how I would interpret the term "better class" of tourist, nor how I have understood some Bulgarians to mean the term. For example in conversation with the MD of Golden Sands, he meant the type of tourist who parks his £multi-million yacht in the Golden Sands Marina and spends heavily in the restaurants and casinos. Or they stay in expensive 5 star hotels, eat in a la carte restaurants and again spend in the casinos. He was thinking of Golden Sands being a Black Sea Monte Carlo or Cannes.

It doesn't of course preclude some Bulgarians from using the term to mean AI clients, but it's cock-eyed thinking.

AI tourists may spend more with Albena AD, but their contribution to the Bulgarian economy and maintaining employment is far less than someone going B & B and spending in the surrounding bars and restaurants. AI clients have limited spending money and the local stalls and shops suffer.

For the past ten years or so, just about every young Bulgarian I have spoken to has been studying economics at University, yet they appear to be applying the economics of the loony bin to their number one industry. Never underestimate the ability of the Bulgarians to shoot themselves in the feet!

The upshot is that as you and I and Tony have predicted, Albena is now in serious difficulties, and I personally think AI has done it.

Peter

Have to say everyone here is speaking a lot of sense, shame the Bulgarians who run the resorts cannot share some of it. I was going to reply to Baldurs post after I had read the link, but got distracted. Thanks also Tony for the links you provided. It is true that a certain type of tourist wants AI and I have difficulty understanding why people want to do this, still each to their own. I have not been to Golden Sands for a while and have always preferred Albena, however this year I spent most of my time when not at my friends village, in Kraveno - the beach there is great. I do feel very saddened by what is happening and had a soft spot for Albena as it always reminded me of Bournemouth and my childhood holidays. Perhaps we should band together and sort it out for them - for a consultancy fee of course.

Another thing that will not help the situation is the linking of the Lev to the Euro. In my expereance every country that has done this have had a masive cost of living rise. Plus all the tour operators want us to go to Sunny beach. Forst choice and the rest of them do not do Golden sands anymore. The only one left is baulkan. Cuba is the next big holiday place it is soooo cheap and good in the winter. We go there in the winter and golden sands in the summer. Thats if it dont get to expensive..

The Lev was linked to the German Mark many years ago so automatically when the German monetary unit changed to the Euro the Lev was not affected in any way.

Therefore as this is not new it cannot be blamed for any effect now.

Patka

weve noticed Albena has been very quiet in the last few years and yes its probably all because of A/I, but as we in britain have found out recently we have to stick to a budget for our holidays and if flight prices stat high it does work out a lot cheaper thats if you get what you pay for,where are the cheap flights that were once predicted

where are the cheap flights that were once predicted

They only were a combination of 'Bulgarian dreams', and the imagination of the apartment touts. Their existence was conditional upon a booming UK tourist industry, but it's been in free fall the past few years.

but as we in britain have found out recently we have to stick to a budget for our holidays

Some people do, many don't.

Peter

sorry to disagree with Peter Of York but we go to Golden Sands o nA/I as its the only way we get the hotel we want, since wefirst went to BG the flights have decreased into Varna, we just dont stay at our hotel{A/I] but go on numorous day trips ,so sped exactly the same on day trips to see something of the country, love Albena usually eat ot Mobi Dicks or the Beer Cartell

sorry to disagree with Peter Of York

I'm lost, what are you disagreeing with please?

Peter

sorry Peter I meant to say I disagree with your sayiong only those on a limited budget go A/I as you know the flights have decreased into Varna and to get the hotels we want we have no other alternituive but to use Balkan and as the hotel we like is only A/I it makes sense,perhaps unlike many we also get out and about sightseeing, also we dont use the A/I facilities every day but use the money we have saved going A/I on trying various restaurants around the Varna region, if and when more flights go from Manchester into Varna then we wont go A/I

Just to say I think it's really sad that Albena is going downhill. We went there in August 2007 to the Albena Beach Club- for August school holidays it was a fantastic price (AI as well, so with money spare we did lots of trips) and we had an absolutely lovely holiday. We were told then that First Choice were pulling out which is such a shame- although I've nothing against Eastern Europeans, as we found in Turkey last year it can be very isolating when there are few Brits about. So I think that might put me off going back.
I do hope Albena recovers and our tour operators return. First Choice have pulled out of a lot of other destinations as well. Perhaps once the current credit crunch is over we'll see it back on the map again.

Pam

sorry Peter I meant to say I disagree with your sayiong only those on a limited budget go A/I as you know the flights have decreased into Varna and to get the hotels we want we have no other alternituive but to use Balkan and as the hotel we like is only A/I it makes sense,perhaps unlike many we also get out and about sightseeing, also we dont use the A/I facilities every day but use the money we have saved going A/I on trying various restaurants around the Varna region, if and when more flights go from Manchester into Varna then we wont go A/I

Thanks lal, I've got the picture.

Peter