Summer In The Balkans Means Sea And Sun
Jun 9th, 2008 | By admin | Category: Travel
It’s only June, but temperatures in Southeast Europe have already signalled that summer is well under way. Heat waves and blazing sunlight make it even harder than usual to concentrate on daily business and not think ahead to the summer vacation. With the Balkans becoming a favoured tourist spot, many families from outside the region have already booked their holidays. But what about the locals? Where do they go they go when the summer heat becomes unbearable?
According to a survey by the leading Croatian tourist agency, Generalturist, vacationing Croats tend to make their decision at the last minute. The biggest consideration is price. Around 16% spend their vacations abroad, with Turkey, Greece and Tunisia among the top destinations. The average out-of-country vacation lasts about 2 weeks.
Going abroad, however, is considered a luxury. For the average Croatian family, it means spending up to 1,000 euros per week. Keeping in mind that the average salary in Croatia is just over 700 euros a month, such a trip can require years of savings. Many decide instead to spend their summers at the coast, with family or friends.
Bulgarians, too, have traditionally vacationed in their own country. In the past, the majority spent their summer holidays at the Black Sea resorts. A smaller number went to the mountains, while a tiny percentage — mostly elderly people — stayed at home. The first several years following the collapse of communism in 1989 saw a sharp drop in the number of people who could afford a summer break, reaching a 12% low in 1993.
As the economy began to pick up, things changed. More and more people were able again to spend their summer holidays at the numerous resorts along Bulgaria’s 378km-long Black Sea coast, which offers nearly 70 beaches. The two biggest resorts on the seaside — Golden Sands in the north and Sunny Beach in the south – attract legions of holidaymakers. Other favourite resorts are Albena and the Dyuni, Elenite and Rusalka holiday villages.
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The ancient towns of Nesebar and Sozopol are also highly popular. The narrow cobblestone lanes in the old parts of the two towns, the tiny squares and two-storey houses with stone foundations and protruding upper floors attract those of a romantic disposition. In late summer, Sozopol attracts artists, writers and musicians who flock to the town for the annual Apolonia arts festival, usually held in early September.
An increasing number of Bulgarians, however, appear to be feeling disenchanted with the excess construction, inadequate infrastructure and the high prices at their country’s seaside resorts. In recent years, more and more have started to spend their summer holidays elsewhere. Turkey’s Kusadasi, Antalya and Marmaris resorts, the Greek islands and Spain’s Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and Balearian and the Canary Islands have emerged as top foreign destinations.
Some of the region’s most avid beachgoers are to be found in Albania. By and large, Albanians prefer sunny vacations instead of mountainous ones. The beaches at Velipoja and Lezha in the northwest, Durres in the centre and Vlora and Saranda in the south are overcrowded during the summer.
Every summer weekend, families and groups of young people flock to these destinations. Short distances are a factor. It only takes 40 minutes to travel from Tirana to one of the beaches near Durres, and three hours to reach southern Vlora.
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Albanians are not used to spending much money on their vacations. During the communist era, everyone got a ticket for two weeks in one of the country’s state resorts. This inexpensive ticket, known as the flete-kampi, was obtained through the factories or agencies where people worked. Since the 1990s, of course, the situation has changed. Many are now starting to gather money during the year in order to reward themselves with 7 to 10 days of luxury in the summer peak season.
The number of Albanians going abroad for their holidays has been on the rise. Popular choices include Turkey, Egypt, and EU countries such as Italy, Greece and Spain. Those with relatives in EU countries often combine their holidays with a family get-together. Closer to home, Macedonia and Montenegro offer the opportunity for weekend trips, and costs there remain comparatively low.
Trends in Romania have much in common with the rest of the Balkans. Romanians too have a choice between sea or mountain holidays, and while cost remains a significant concern, a rising number are looking to the possibilities abroad as well as at home.
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Tunisia are among the foreign destinations most likely to attract Romanians, says Traian Badulescu of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT). Of those who stay home, the majority prefer the Black Sea beaches. ANAT anticipates a 15% growth in Black Sea holidays this year.
As in other countries around Southeast Europe, many in Romania combine vacations with family reunions, often going to visit relatives in other parts of the country. Other much-visited areas include the monasteries in the northeast and the Danube Delta.
Despite an overall rising trend in tourism, however, many Romanians opt to save money and trouble and just stay at home. According to a national survey by Gallup, more than 70% did not go anywhere for their holiday last year.
Many, in fact, feel left out of the tourism sector altogether. “In rural areas, 90% people hardly ever go on vacation,” says a Gallup sociologist, Alexandru Toth. “Tourist programmes for old people and pensioners do not exist.”
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