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European village tourism generates one billion euro
Novinite.com, 26.06.2011
European village and farm tourism generates about one billion euro, the European Federation for Farm and Village Tourism (EuroGites) reported at a conference commemorating its 20th anniversary, Dnevnik daily reported on June 9 2011.
The federation comprises 35 professional organisations from 28 countries, providing more than 800 000 beds and more than 200 000 destinations in Europe.
The share of village tourism in Bulgarian tourism, however, is very low; only 0.1 per cent of all tourists in Bulgaria, whether domestic or foreign, opt for this kind of holiday. By contrast, in other European countries, the share of village tourism is about 30-40 per cent.
Tiny villages and small farms in the Rhodopes are, however, considered to be attractive alternative destinations for the discriminating tourist. The village of Leshten in south-west Bulgaria, high in Pirin mountain, enjoys a reputation as a particularly beautiful place to visit.
Small or relatively middle- ranking entrepreneurs tend to choose that type of village tourism in Bulgaria but it would appear that their profile is relatively low compared to major tourist operators.EuroGites would try to change that in the next EU budget frame for 2014-2020, Klaus Ehler said at the conference. "A large part of our cultural heritage is preserved in those village areas," he said. Village and farm tourism is currently at its most popular in the UK and Austria.
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