HUNTING TOURISM IN BULGARIA GROWS IN POPULARITY AMONG FOREIGNERS

Bulgaria continues to be among the most wanted destinations for hunting tourism despite the economic crisis. An increase of income from this profitable business has been even registered, according to data of the Agricultural Ministry. Those, engaged in the branch expect good revenues from the state hunting properties over the hunting season.

The results show stable interest towards Bulgaria's hunting fields. The revenues from the so-called organized hunting tourism for 2011 came up to some EUR 2.8 mln, which was 30 percent more on the previous year, according to statistics. However, this data is the result from the work of the thousand members of the so-called hunting groups across the entire country, along with the one of the employees from the state hunting properties that put systematic efforts for the maintenance of game diversity, despite incursions of poachers. Bulgaria is a true oasis of wild nature, regarding hunting game.

Thousands of foreign hunters that visit Bulgaria each year confirm that. Some of the hunting species are rare ones and cannot be found elsewhere in Europe. For instance the brown bear and the Chamois that are protected by the law and can be hunted only under certain conditions. Many of the hunters arrive in Bulgaria with the hope for a trophy. By the way this country is famous with its achievements in this area and the trophies hunted here win dozens of medals each year. Germans, Spaniards, Cypriotes, Italians and French men "attack" our hunting fields and shoot mostly at deer, roe, moufflon and fallow deer, along with turtledove, partridge etc. Group hunting of wild boars is a hit among foreigners and they do it at the Rossitsa hunting property too in the central part of the Balkan Range – it was one of the most profitable properties of this kind in 2011.

According to Mr. Ivan Nedkov, who has worked there for more than 25 years, some 350 wild boars per year are shot mainly by foreigners. Hunting is also a tourist service.
What does a foreign hunter gain when he chooses to practice his hobby in Bulgaria? 

"A foreign hunter would receive the standard services such as a guide, specialized transportation, riding and draft horses, etc.At the same time we have a hunting lodge, which is one of the most comfortable and cozy in Bulgaria and it perfectly fits the natural environment of our hunting farm," Ivan Nedkov explains. "In general, foreign hunters come here to hunt and because of the amenities at the hotel or the hunting lodge or because of the food or accommodation. But when all these elements of the overall hunting package are of high quality, coupled with excellent opportunities for hunting, it enhances the image of Bulgaria as a hunting destination."

Before the democratic changes in Bulgaria in the late 1990s, some of our hunting farms were used as government residences, offering extreme luxury for that period. Many foreign hunters perceived it as a tourist attraction to have the opportunity to stay in these luxurious places and enjoy the same amenities which the heads of state and VIP persons from the recent past could afford. And here is one curious detail related to Bulgaria's hunting farm "Rossitsa". Here, back in 1986, former Communist leader Todor Zhivkov shot a trophy bear weighing 240 kilograms! It is one of the 4 such ebars who Zhivkov had killed in the area, locals say.

Today one can still see on the hunting grounds of the farm wandering brown bears, mouflons, red deer and wild boars, stirring the interest of hunters from Bulgaria and abroad. However, between 3 and 4,000 supporters of this ancient sport arrive each year in Bulgaria with a single aim - to indulge their passion.

"Yes, there is great interest towards Bulgaria, this is a fact! And it exists even despite the global economic crisis. I think our main advantage over other European countries is that we have big hunting farms and also vast areas of unspoilt nature. These large territories are sparsely populated and there is no other human activity except forestry and hunting. Not to mention that our prices are lower than the average!", says Ivan Nedkov, an expert at the Rossitsa hunting farm in Bulgaria.