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Increase of the tourists to the Eastern Rhodopes thanks to NTG
In 2013, a huge increase of the number of tourists visiting family hotels, guest houses and tourist attractions from the New Thracian Gold network in the Eastern Rhodopes is registered compared to the same period last year. The basis period for calculating these figures was January – August.
The average increase is estimated at 120% for the whole area of the Eastern Rhodopes. The highest percentage (200%) is in the village of Gorno pole because of the new guest house, which construction was supported by the NTG, says Mihaela Kircheva, NTG Coordinator on tourism. The villages of Pelevun, Popovets and the game reserve Studen Kladenets also met more than twice as visitors as in 2012. These were mainly ecotourists and active people who visited the ER for nature trips, cultural excursions, wine tours, photography tours, festivals and events, etc.
The observations are based on interviews taken from the owners of the accommodation places from the NTG network but also from conversations with local tourism operators, tourist guides and hotels. All of them evaluate the effect from the work and efforts of the NTG team positively in terms of promotion of the Eastern Rhodopes through the website and facebook page, distribution of maps and guidebooks, during exhibitions, organizing PR events, etc.
“These wonderful results have been achieved with the great support of NTG project through which we succeed to provide expertise and investments, to develop tourist attractions and new local tourism products. As a destination the Eastern Rhodopes attract more visitors and therefore, more incomes in the local economy are generated”, Mihaela Kircheva adds.
