Community-led local development is an approach that is increasingly applied in traditional territorial development policy. In this method, management is left in the “hands of local people”, who receive long-term funding, which they distribute according to the needs of the region. The aim of the study is to examine the impact and participation in the development of the territory through CLLD measures. The expert assessment and recommendations of the surveyed LAG leaders and specialists regarding the contribution of the community-led local development approach have been sought. The applied research methods in the present study are theoretical and empirical, incl. analysis, synthesis, comparison, survey, statistical processing. The results of the survey show that the majority of respondents are satisfied with the implementation of CLLD and have clear and concrete proposals for improving the approach in the next programming period. In conclusion it is necessary to note that despite all difficulties, the interest in CLLD on the part of local communities is very high, because the approach provides many opportunities to solve problems related to local development. Key words: community-led local development, LEADER program, LAG, territorial prosperity.

Nowadays the tourism sector is facing challenges from different type. The physical limitations in travel, overnight stays and public health affected all forms of tourism. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, industries worldwide have been in a state of stagnation, collapse and insecurity which can be seen mostly in tourism sector. According to global expectations physical and mental health care are top priority, so forms of alternative tourism will be the focus of the tourism sector in near future. Current research is relying on hypothesis that alternative forms of tourism are more preferable than the mass tourism, since it is less widespread and consumers would find this form safer from a health point of view. Results will provide detailed overview of tourism sector in Bulgaria and its distribution.

The aim of this study is to observe the development of festival tourism in Kazanlak Municipality, and to assess the attitudes of participants and visitors of the traditional Rose Celebrations, which take place in early June. We have mainly focused on the satisfaction of participants from the events and the accompanying activities. The scientific methods applied here are statistical, historical, comparative descriptive, and regional analysis. The most important among them is, the survey, which has been discussed in more detail in the discussion. The results confirm the research hypothesis that the natural and anthropogenic resources available in Bulgaria are a prerequisite for the development of alternative forms of tourism. The main conclusions imply that the value of this kind of tourism is rather positive and is based on the possibility of combining active recreation with preservation of Bulgarian national traditions. The attractiveness of the region and its tourist potential and opportunities for development and improvement have been analysed throughly.

The intenselife style at the beginning of the 21 st century implies a development of new alternative forms of tourism, related to relaxation, maintenance of good health and recovery of physical and mental balance. Seekers of strong sensations are usually active consumers of specific tourist services, and this is why the extreme forms of tourism are dynamically introduced and offered on the Bulgarian tourist market. The aim of this research is to study the attitudes among participants and observers of one of the most extreme sports in Bulgaria-the off-road. There search aims to show how the conditions of the events satisfy tourists, what their preferences are to improve and diversify their vacation. There search methods used are the following: statistical, historical, comparative analysis, regional analysis, survey. The assessment of this type of tourism is rather positive and based generally on the possibility of combining active recreation with sports, where there are strong sensations and high adrenaline; the possibility of combining extreme forms of tourism with the so called event tourism, which allows the participants to be involved in a particular community; going beyond the traditional everyday life, based on a strongly urbanized lifestyle with high levels of stress and tension.

Tourism is one of the most significant sectors, generating major economic benefits. This makes it an important part of the economy in many parts of the world. Tourism, as a means of developing the region, is closely tied to the development of the local economy. Wine tourism, in particular, turns out to be a significant tool for the development of Bulgaria. Considering the sector’s importance, the goal of this study is to analyse the condition and development trends of this particular type of tourism in the country and in the region. The survey method includes statistical, historical, comparative-descriptive, and regional analysis. In a broader aspect, this study will contribute towards expanding the research in the field of wine tourism in Bulgaria. In this article, wine tourism is viewed as part of alternative tourism on one hand, and on the other – in this specific instance – as exhibiting the specific features of the so-called “festival tourism”. The scientific material is based on a survey conducted at a festival of wine and cultural heritage.