Trends in the Touristic Development of the Rose Valley Under Conditions of Pandemic Restrictions

Abstract

The pandemic restrictions have created conditions for the stagnation or collapse of a significant number of businesses in Bulgaria. One of the most attractive regions - the Rose Valley, is characterized as a leading touristic destination for both local and foreign tourists. The aim of the present work is to establish how the pandemic period has affected the touristic sites of a various nature in the Rose Valley and to make suggestions which could contribute to the implementation of measures for the future development of the region as a touristic destination. The method applied is a standard face-to-face interview with representatives of touristic sites in the Rose Valley. The results from the survey show that the touristic flow has shrunk during 2020-2021, except for the spa hotels included in the study. The structure of the tourists has also undergone some changes. In conclusion, the fact that all types of touristic sites intend to look for ways to maintain and increase the touristic flow in the near future is a favorable sign.