Eco activists propose alternative to Super Borovets project Three local environmentalist organisations have proposed an alternative to Super Borovets, a project that aims to develop this mountain resort located 72 km south-east of Sofia into a major skiing destination.
Non-governmental organisations Za Zemiata and Eco Rila and the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism have studied the opportunities for alternative tourism that could be developed in the resort and the surrounding alpine area.
The eco activists pointed out that the Super Borovets project will entail substantial deforestation and will have a detrimental impact on the environment.
Instead of the construction-intensive development, the eco activists have proposed to encourage adventure tourism and rural tourism in the villages around Samokov. The area already boasts the necessary human and natural resources to develop these types of year-round tourism, said Eco Rila chairman Vladimir Topchiiski.
The Super Borovets project goes overboard in the direction of skiers on the backdrop of forecasts for shorter and shorter skiing seasons, said Tsveta Hristova from Za Zemiata.
The Super Borovets project was conceived 2 years ago. The Rila Samokov 2004 company was specially incorporated to implement the initiative but after the assassination last year of banker Emil Kyulev, a key promoter and financier of the project, disagreements between the shareholders have held off the start of construction.
