Why Invest in Bulgaria?
If someone had suggested that you invest in Bulgaria just 5 years ago you would have been excused from thinking, Bulgaria? Where is that? However, in the past 5 years the dramatic growth of Bulgaria both economically and as a tourist destination has meant that those who did invest in the country have been seen as very shrewd.
Over this period Bulgaria has seen property prices rising significantly, growing tourist figures and the government has put substantial investment into its infrastructure. The Bulgarian tourist board has been doggedly promoting the country as a destination that easily rivals Europe for beach holidays, as a ski destination and for city breaks to Sofia.
Since joining the EU in 2007 a number of low cost airlines have made applications to fly into Bulgaria, driven by growing demand from visitors.
Economically, GDP growth has risen steadily from 4.9% in 2002 to 5.5% in 2006 with the economists of UniCredit Group expecting a figure of 6.2% real GDP growth in 2007. GDP per capita is also expected to be 3690 euro by the end of 2007.
Unemployment fell from 12% in 2004 to 8.4% in the last quarter of 2006. The average household income in Bulgaria for March 2007 increased by 20 per cent on an annual basis reaching 561.80 leva. (National StatisticaI Institute Bulgaria)
The Culture and Country
Bulgaria is rich in natural resources with beautiful beaches, stunning mountain ranges, breathtaking rivers and lakes and over 200 mineral water springs. Steeped in thousands of years of history, the people are warm and welcoming, offering tempting cuisine and wine, charming music, culture and folklore.
Bordering the Black Sea, Bulgaria neighbours Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. The coastline offers plentiful beaches, golden sand popular with tourists as well as smaller, more private natural beaches.
The scenic mountainous regions to the west, offer excellent skiing and snowboarding in the winter months and off-road biking and treks in the summertime.
Golf is also becoming increasingly popular with the development of numerous new courses, including Kabland Golf and leisure complex. This 18 hole golf course, being built on 200ha site on the Black Sea coast, will also feature swimming pools, a horse-back riding track, tennis courts, a casino, soccer pitch and polo grounds.
The bustling capital Sofia has a history that goes back thousands of years with many archaeological sites that display its diverse past. The city is thriving since the downfall of the communist regime and this is evident in both its ongoing development regeneration and the attraction of business from multinational companies.
