Introducing a connoisseur of the camping sector in Bulgaria and the Balkan area. Editor of the only camping guide in the country, and passionate about outdoor tourism, his profound interest stems from family tradition. We invite you to read an interesting perspective of a tourism sector that is constantly growing in this geographical area of Europe.
Amusement Logic: You studied Law at the New Bulgarian University. Could you tell us about your beginnings and why did you end up in the camping sector?
Veselin Valev: Yes, I graduated in law, but I was always passionate about travelling and camping. I’m a 3rd generation camping fan. My father’s father went camping with the whole family at the Black Sea coast during the 60’s. Then my father did the same with our family. Now I go camping with my daughter. Camping means freedom and it’s a piece of paradise, especially for children.
A.L.: What is Camping.bg?
V.V.: It’s the only media specialised in camping and caravanning in Bulgaria. It started as a digital media —just a website. Now we publish the Annual Camping Guide of Bulgaria and we organise Camping & Caravanning Expo —the only fair of its kind in Bulgaria. We have many ideas about future projects and we are going to start them one by one.
A.L.: Do the campings in Bulgaria work on a seasonal basis or all year round? And why?
V.V.: Most of the campsites in Bulgaria work seasonally, especially those on the Black Sea coast. It’s obvious, there are not many people who want to go camping on the coast in cold weather. There are some campsites inland that are open all year round. Usually they have thermal SPA zones, or they are part of bigger tourist complexes.
A.L.: In respect to the overall situation, we would like to know the number of campsites in Bulgaria and their category, the total number of spaces and the number of campers they have per season.
V.V.: There are over 140 locations in Bulgaria that offer accommodation —for tents, for motorhomes and caravans, or all of them. There are campsites owned by British, Dutch and other nationalities. Unfortunately, there are no trustable official statistics about the number of camping pitches and their bookings during the season.
A.L.: What about the public for those campings? To what extent is it local and to what extent is it international?
V.V.: The clients profile varies depending on location and the campsite owners. For example, the coastal campsites have mainly Bulgarian clients, followed by Romanian, German, Polish, Czech, etc. The inland campsites are very different from each other. Those owned by foreigners have mainly foreign clients. The last 2 years were very difficult for all of them. This year was expected to be the first normal one for travelling, until the war in Ukraine started. Now, nobody can predict how it will affect tourism in Bulgaria.
A.L.: What role do campings in your country give to leisure and entertainment facilities?
V.V.: More and more campsites offer not just accommodation, but the option for having fun, activities, sport, etc. The first thermal campsite on the Balkans was opened in Bulgaria in 2019. It has its own SPA complex accessed only by campsite clients. This year, another two thermal campsites will open in different locations. More and more campsites offer bicycles, boats, kayaks, etc. to rent. Some of them work with local tourist guides and touristic attractions and in that way their clients enjoy their holidays and even extend it for a longer period of time.
A.L.: How do they usually focus their investment policies? Or, in other words, how do they manage the innovation and renovation of attractions and services?
V.V.: The campsite owners invest in renovation of the sanitary networks, as well as new facilities such as laundry, children’s playgrounds, kitchens, etc. What they should do more, is to also invest in improving the surrounding tourist infrastructure, like signage, bike and hiking trails, etc.
A.L.: What marketing strategies do they follow?
V.V.: Usually, the campsites have websites and profiles on the main social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram. It’s amazing but still there are campsite owners who don’t have any of that, not even using email for communication. Many campsites are included in our printed and digital Camping Guide, as well as on other European digital platforms.
A.L.: How did the evolution of the sector in Bulgaria take place in the last decades?
V.V.: Camping tourism was pretty well developed in Bulgaria during the communist era. There were nearly 90 campsites at the end of the 80’s. Then, after the regime fell many of them were closed because they were owned by the state. Nowadays, the campsites are private with a few exceptions. Every year at least 5 new campsites have been opened. After the Covid pandemic the interest in camping tourism greatly increased and this year at least 10 new campsites will open in Bulgaria.
A.L.: Finally, how do you see the future of the camping sector in the country?
V.V.: Bulgaria has a huge potential for camping tourism. Our country has a beautiful landscape, well preserved nature and it’s located on an important historical crossroads – East-West and North-South. I expect the number of the campsites to increase over the next years, as well as their variety of locations and services. I expect they will improve their facilities too.
