BG now official member of European Common Aviation

March 2008

This means that Bulgaria’s skies will now be open to offer unrestricted access to many more airlines from many more nations which will broaden the appeal of the travel market from a tourist’s perspective, it will broaden the appeal of the market for business persons wishing to explore opportunities in Bulgaria and ultimately, for a property investor in Bulgaria, it means more potential interest in buy to lets and more demand for property in Bulgaria in general which should result in property prices continuing to grow in the most popular areas.

Bulgaria is now an official member of the European Common Aviation Area. This means that Bulgaria’s skies will now be open to offer unrestricted access to many more airlines from many more nations which will broaden the appeal of the travel market from a tourist’s perspective, it will broaden the appeal of the market for business persons wishing to explore opportunities in Bulgaria and ultimately, for a property investor in Bulgaria, it means more potential interest in buy to lets and more demand for property in Bulgaria in general which should result in property prices continuing to grow in the most popular areas.

In addition to the signing of a very positive agreement with the members of the European Common Aviation Area Bulgaria this month saw Bulgaria Air start new flights from the Black Sea area direct to Dublin to service the growing numbers of tourists and investors wishing to travel to Bulgaria from Ireland. Furthermore Varna airport is to welcome over 50% more flights from this month with new airlines arriving from the likes of France, Italy, Spain and even Iceland.

The final piece of positive news to report this month is that the online travel operator Opodo has placed Bulgaria top of its list of top 10 emerging travel destinations for 2007…

From a property investor’s perspective all of these factors mean more potential business for those who have rental properties, and for those hoping to resell their Bulgarian property it means there will be more potential demand for property for sale which should see assets sold quickly and for profit.

Easyjet announces flights to Sofia

8th Aug 2007

The low cost carrier Easyjet has today announced flights from Gatwick to Sofia three times per week. With return flights in the ski season from as little as £50 this is excellent news for apartment owners in Bulgaria's ski resorts.

ROYAL BAY II - NEW RELEASE

8th August 2005

Following the success of the Royal Bay development in St Vlas, Rila Properties are delighted to announce the release of Royal Bay II. Situated in the same superb location with fantastic views across the bay to Nesebar, Phase II is being released with an initial off plan discount. Following the success of the first project we expect demand for apartments in the new phase to be high, to receive prices and plans please call on 01489 559623 or click the contact us button.

BANSKO SUMMER JAZZ FESTIVAL

28.07.2005

BANSKO is the place to be for music this summer in Bulgaria. Following hot on the heels of this weekend's July Evening Disco Rock Concert, is the eighth International Bansko Jazz Festival. From August 8 to 14, the mountain town will host bands from across Europe.

The festival has several aims, say it's organisers: to bring jazz "the music of the free people" to the public, to provide a stage for talented Bulgarian musicians, and to show the "summer charm" of the beautiful, ancient town of Bansko, more usually known in its winter incarnation as a ski-resort.
Musicians from Greece, Germany, the Czech Republic, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Austria and as far a field as the US, will be making the journey to the Bulgarian town nestled in the Pirin mountains about 100 km south of Sofia, where they will perform alongside Bulgarian bands and musicians.

High up on the bill of homespun talent is the Assen Doykin Quartet. The quartet's leader, and namesake, was born in 1975 in the town of Pazardzhik, in south-west Bulgaria. As a student, Assen Doykin created his own jazz-trio and performed at many clubs and festivals in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Norway and France. In 1995 he went to Boston where he had the chance to study and play with the likes of jazz saxophonist George Garzone, trombonist Hall Crook, composer, bassist and bandleader Bruno Raberg, drummer and jazz historian Joe Hunt, percussionist Jamey Haddad and trumpet player Roy Hargrove, at Berklee Musical College. Here Assen was awarded the Jesse Stone Scholarship and in 1998 he received the Berklee Jazz Performance Award.

After his graduation in 1999, Assen moved to New York where he began teaching piano and composing at The Rhodes Piano School, as well as performing with various bands. Assen's brand of jazz has been described as fusing "classic and contemporary music with a uniquely Balkan flavour." To hear it for yourself, he'll be performing with Petar Momchev (sax), Misho Yosifov (trumpet), Martin Doykin (bass), Dimitar Dimitrov (drums) on Friday August 12.

Another homegrown Bulgarian performer to look out for at the festival is Kamelia Todorova. Kamelia's breakthrough came when her professors at the Music Academy chose her to represent the Academy at the Second Jazz Festival at the Universiada Hall. An invitation to Lublen (Poland) for a festival dedicated to Duke Ellington was soon to follow. She took part in the Bombay (Mumbai) Festival, performing with legendary jazz saxophonist Stan Getz. Then the big hits started rolling and Kamelia made a name for herself in the domain of Bulgarian pop with hits such as Whispered Dreams, Discovery, Words Drift Away, Mood and Violets.

Kamelia then embarked on a career in Germany and Great Britain, building up a repertoire of soul, funk and rock. She recorded her first single with Roger Tyler of Queen under the title (My Heart is) Bursting at the Seams, which was released by Virgin Records. She has also worked alongside show biz personalities such as George Michael, Boy George and Hot Chocolate.

However, her real vocation remains jazz, her interpretations distinct for their "vocal technique precision and emotional abundance." Kamelia marked the start of her 25th anniversary on stage at The Fifth Bansko Jazz Festival. Three years on and she's still going strong. She will perform with Petar Salchev and The Angel Zaberski Quintette at the close of this year's festival on August 13.
ARticle by Sofia Echo.

CONTACT US ON enquiries@rilaproperties.com for properties in Bansko

THANK YOU!

18th July 2005

A big thank you to everyone who attended our seminar and exhibition in Southend, Manchester and Newcastle. We hope you found the information interesting and useful. We look forward to seeing you in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian resort Bansko to have 100 hotels by star

4th July 2005

Bansko, the ski resort town located some 160 km south of Bulgaria's capital Sofia, will head into the 2005/2006 winter season with some 100 hotels, up from 40 the year before, said deputy mayor Lazar Zahov.

Bansko's capacity of 4,400 beds is expected to double before the start of the new skiing season.

In May-June, the Bansko municipality granted 11 permits for the construction of hotels with a combined built-up area of 25,000 sq m. Eight of the new hotels will have a four-star rating will the rest will belong to the three-star category. The resort town will get its first five-star hotel with the launch of Grand Arena, part of the Kempinski international hotel chain.
A total of 50 facilities - hotels and residential buildings, are currently under construction in the Bansko area.

The pervasive construction puts a serious strain on the resort's infrastructure, an area that could see as much as 10 mln levs in investment before the new tourist season. A month ago, mayor Alexander Kravarov said the municipality is seeking external financing for a portion of the 20 mln lev project for the reconstruction of the civic water mains and road infrastructure.

Tourist arrivals are expected to gain 5% this season, said Zahov.

A total of 400,000 avid skiers visited the resort last year

PROPERTY SOARING IN BULGARIA

5th July 2005

Property prices in many eastern European countries that have recently joined the EU, or are due to join in the near future, have been soaring. Prime flats in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, have been rising by about 30% a year for the past few years.

Bulgaria and Romania are due to become EU members in 2007, although the process may be thrown into doubt following last week’s “no” votes. Nick Dare, director of Letterstone, a property consultant specialising in eastern Europe, said: “When countries join the EU, their housing markets go through a two-stage process. First, international companies move in and bring with them expatriates who want to rent historic properties in city centres. Second, the wealth filters down to locals who start to demand a better standard of property. At the same time, interest rates come down, stimulating the local mortgage market.” The Times.

Daily Star: Bulgaria is the place to be!

17 April 2004

The Black Sea is turning out to be a bit of all white.

Daily Star


Bulgaria's sunkissed beaches are the new hotspot for holidaymakers.

With bargain deals and cheap food and booze, the country has recently been named one of the Top 10 international destinations.

And Brits are voting with their sun hats as they ditch traditional resorts in Spain and Greece for a brilliant Balkan break.

Bulgaria's stunning capital, Sofia, is great for weekend breaks and easily accessible from coastal airports for a beach holiday.

But the real draw of the former Communist state is its 240-mile coastline known as the Black Sea Riviera.

Here, after lazing in the sun on pristine sand, you can sink a bottle of local wine for about £1.50 or a beer for just 50p.

A meal for two costs no more than £5 and there's plenty of pizza joints, burger bars and Greek and Italian restaurants to try, alongside the Bulgarian taverns and folk venues.

Despite the bad reputation of eastern European fare, Bulgarian food is surprisingly tasty. Favourites include minced meat rolls and speciality salads.

But more humble feeds are a bargain, too. An ice cream will set you back just 40p, while a burger is typically around 30p.

And although it is a relatively poor country, crime is no worse than in any of the traditional destinations.

So here's our guide to some of the best Bulgarian beach resorts ...

ALBENA named after a local beauty, this resort just south of the Romanian border is getting a top-notch reputation for its buzzing nightlife and seven-mile sandy beach.

It is child-friendly and activities include everything from parascending and Jeep Safaris to mini-golf.

At night, the Variety Club is a must, while great bars include Arabella's and the Fisherman's Hut.

For a quality traditional eaterie, stop at Slav's Corner. But there's every kind of food here, including a Norwegian steak restaurant.

GOLDEN SANDS Bulgaria's second-largest resort is set on a pretty hillside, but the fabulous beach shelves gently and is ideal for youngsters.

There is an array of water sports on offer and the resort is famous for its diving centres.

There are plenty of food options, including pizza and hamburgers. But for a real Bulgarian experience try venues such as Sheepfold and Izvora.

Golden Sands also has a string of Western-style discos. The best is called Bonkers.

SUNNY BEACH with glorious sands and soaring summer temperatures, this resort certainly lives up to its name. Its fivemile beach has an attractive promenade with a mini-train.

It's the biggest resort on the Black Sea and a great place for water sports of all kinds. Check out the great local cabaret at Khan's Tent, one of the resort's superb discos. There are also plenty of top restaurants.

Perfect for families, there's a brilliant water park and many of the hotels have great clubs for children.

There is easy access from the airport at Bourgas 30km away and twoday round trips can even be made to Istanbul in Turkey. It's also near the fishing village of Old Nessebur.

ST KONSTANTIN a quieter resort near the bustling port of Varna, excellent for couples and older visitors. It is beautifully positioned in woodland and dubbed "the garden village".

The beaches are superb. Best nightlife in the town is at the Grand Hotel Varna.

FACT FILE A seven-night half-board holiday at the three sun plus Hotel Laguna Garden in Albena costs £1478 from First Choice for a family of four with two adults and two kids.

BULGARIA VOTED 6TH IN LIST OF BEST PLACES TO BUY

5th January 2005

Amanda Lamb last tonight announced that Bulgaria was number 6 on her list of investment countries on Channel 4's 'A Place in the Sun'.

A Place In The Sun is Channel 4's hit series which generally shows two house-hunters being taken to the foreign country where they are planning to buy a holiday home, investment property, relocation or retirement home. In this New Year Special, Amanda Lamb selected her top 20 countries to buy in based on her own PPP formula - Pounds, Prospects & Practicality. Bulgaria with its friendly people, gorgeous beaches and stunning ski slopes came 6th beating the likes of the Costa del Sol in Spain.

Source: Channel 4 programme