Bulgaria plans to spend 9 billion euros over the next decade to double the length of its four lane highways (Currently only 350km /240 miles) and upgrade other major roads.
The limitations of public infrastructure in Bulgaria including roads, water and power supplies, sewage systems and the telephone network have all hampered the boom in Bulgarian tourism including the rapid expansion of the country’s ski resorts and sales of associated properties to investors from Britain, Ireland, Russia and other countries.
The problems with roads to ski resorts are reported to be particularly bad with large pot holes causing vehicles to damage tyres or even entire wheels, exasperated when snow and ice cover the holes so that can’t be seen by drivers until too late.
Half of the money for the new roads is coming from EC funds, the remainder will be raised by the Bulgarian governmment. ‘The development of the infrastructure is the top priority,’ said the country’s Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev.
Chart-topping girl band the Pussycat Dolls will open the ski season in the top Tirolean resort of Ischgl with a free open air concert in the village centre on the evening of Saturday 2nd December, the day after the ski lifts open.
Signing up the American sextet, who had a massive worldwide hit with Don’t Cha, follows in the Ischgl tradition of opening and closing the season with a major rock event – previous stars who have performed in the Austrian village include Lionel Richie, Pink, Alanis Morissette, Sir Elton John, Tina Turner, Sting, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan and Jon Bon Jovi.
“We’re delighted to be starting the winter with such a big name act,” said Andreas Steibl, Tourist Director of the Paznaun Valley, which embraces the ski resorts of Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl and See. “Skiers have become accustomed to seeing the greatest star names in Ischgl and again we haven’t disappointed them. I’m really looking forward to the concert myself – seeing the girls perform in the centre of the village, as hopefully the snowflakes fall, will be fabulous.”
Three nights in Ischgl, taking in the concert and the first few days of the new ski season, are available from Euro 198 (approx £133) per person for bed and breakfast and Euro 348 (approx £234) per person halfboard. Email reservation@ischgl.com for further details and to book direct.
Italy’s oldest chairlift from Corvara in the Alta Badia region will make its final ascents this winter, sixty years after it was installed in 1947.
The Col Alto lift, ascends to 2,000m and is at the very top of the list in the national Italian lift register. Over the years it has had four renovations and modernizations, the current incarnation a four seater..
A new eight seater lift built by local company Leitner will open on Saturday the 25th of November when the area opens for the ski season. It will be 1,017m long with a 420m drop and have a capacity/hour of 2,400 people.
By comparison the 1947 one-seat charlift carried only 158 people/hour.
The Arapaho tribe was consulted in the naming of a new lift and newly-created advanced and expert runs in the Colorado resort of Winter Park.
As the Arapaho nation inhabited the area for generations, the ski area believed it appropriate the new developments in the steep and deep terrain on the back side of Parsenn Bowl should honour that heritage.
Continue reading ‘Winter Park’s New Runs Honour the Arapaho Heritage’
Chris Thompson of Ski Famille has set out to highlight how his company differs from other “family friendly” ski operators.
Continue reading ‘Ski Famille Putting Families First’
North American ski specialist, White Mountains, has launched its newly constructed web-site featuring real time on-line reservations. The Midlands based operator claims it to be one of the first sites from a North American ski specialist to feature the ability for its customers to build their own holiday on-line without the constraint of fixed departure days.
Continue reading ‘White Mountains Launch On-Line bookings to Ski USA and Canada’
For fifty six years Warren Miller’s annual film has been the defining moment that launches the new Snowsports Season. This autumn is no exception – except that Warren’s 57th annual film Off The Grid will make it’s UK debut at 2150ft on Friday 13th October at the Nevis Range as Winterhighland with support from the Outdoor Capital transforms the Snowgoose Restaurant into a Cinema for the night.
Continue reading ‘Warren Miller’s Off The Grid Premières at Nevis Range’
