1

by Miroslava Dimitrova Ph.D

2
 HERITAGE - AND CUTLURE - BASED EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM is a
textbook designed to lay the theoretical foundation and provide practical
guidelines for the development of experiential tourism with a focus on
cultural and historical heritage. This book is an educational resource for
students majoring in tourism and hospitality and for anyone interested in
the subject. The book is particularly useful for tourism entrepreneurs and
practitioners who can profit from the theoretical models and best
practices. It could also be used as a reference source in destination
marketing and management, strategic planning, and policy-making in
tourism with a focus on cultural and heritage-based experiences.

Author: Miroslava Dimitrova Ph.D ®

Publisher: WASP Foundation
Copyrights ® 2023 WASP Foundation

ISBN 978-619-92477-2-3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except for quotations,
without the prior permission of the publisher

Cover photo by Animsaj, 2014, Rose-picking in Rezovo/ Commons Wikimedia

3
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction.............................................................................. 2

Rationale and Acknowledgments.................................................... 6

Needs Assessment Report.Potential for the Development of Experiential

Tourism in Bulgaria...................................................................... 8
Regional Action Plan for Encouraging Heritage- and Culture-based
Experiential Tourism Bulgaria.......................................................... 41
Regional Action Plan for Encouraging Heritage- and Culture-based
Experiential Tourism in the BSB region............................................... 52
Inventory of Business Models for Promoting Heritage- and Culture-based
Experiential Tourism in Bulgaria....................................................... 67
Ethnographic Complex Damascena............................................. 67
Garden of the Cyrillic Letters................................................... 70
E-Tours.............................................................................. 72
Guest House “Levana”........................................................... 75
Guest House “Maria Nevena”.................................................... 78
Historical Park..................................................................... 81
Honey House Mihovi.............................................................. 84
Street Food & Art Festival....................................................... 87
Pottery Fest........................................................................ 89
Zheravna Festival of the National Costumes.................................. 92
Varna Winery...................................................................... 95
Ethnographic Complex Dobrudzha House...................................... 97
Ongul Historical Centre.......................................................... 101
Festival of the Periwinkle........................................................ 103
Museum of the Mosaics.......................................................... 106
Appendix.................................................................................. 109

4
 INTRODUCTION

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even
breaks your heart. But that’s OK. The journey changes you; it should change you. It
leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your
body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
Anthony Bourdain

This book focuses on travel and experience. It promotes the dawning concept
of tourism centered not on consumption but on revelation. Travel, more than
anything, provides us with opportunities to explore the unknown, get out of our
routine, and experience transformation within.
Travelers today are looking for meaningful experiences, shared emotions, and
spiritual insights. In order to respond to those needs, tourism and hospitality
practitioners should design and develop products based on so-called "experiential
offering". Those products evolve around the concept of co-creation of visitors’
experience. The tourists are not just mere spectators and consumers, they became
generators of their own unique holiday adventures. The concept of experiential
tourism has evolved in the last few decades, following the trend to focus on more
sustainable travel consumption. Today, it is recognized by many as the formula to
maximize the benefits for all stakeholders involved: the enterprises, the destination
authorities, the local residents, and the tourists.
Experiential tourism is an approach based on establishing authentic, enriching,
and transformative experiences for tourists with the place visited and the local
community. It involves active interaction with people, culture, and the
environment. It is a sustainable type of tourism where tourists are actively involved
in the process of creating a tourism experience that is personal, unique, and inspiring,
both on an intellectual and emotional level.
Hence, "heritage and culture-based experiential tourism" is experiential
tourism evolving around cultural and heritage resources. The definition of "cultural
and heritage resources" is rather broad and encompasses a large variety of sites,
artifacts, events, and experiences. What those resources have in common is their
origin. They are all man-made, or anthropocentric, and have been designed and
developed by humans. Such resources include but are not limited to museums,
galleries, historic sites, monuments, concerts, exhibitions, etc. A large share of those
resources are intangible (non-material) such as crafts, rites, gastronomy, traditions,
festivals, fairs, and other events. In fact, those intangible resources are of paramount
importance for experiential tourism, because they need to be created in place in
order to be offered which gives an opportunity to involve tourists not just as mere
spectators, but as co-creators of the tourist product. Let's say, the attraction is a

5
staged performance of traditional dance. The tourists might be spectators and watch
the performance, or they can be prompted to take part in the dance. In the same way,
they can be involved in crafts making, cooking, participating in events, etc . By those
means, the tourists would get more personal and deep associations with the places
they visit. Their senses will be more engaged in producing a wholesome and
memorable experience.
Experiential tourism depends on the resource potential of the destination, but
not always. Destinations blessed with significant heritage and cultural wealth might
attract too many visitors and be perceived by individual tourists as crowded and
impersonal. On the other hand, less glamorous and unknown sites have better chances
to develop products with a personal touch, attention to detail, and more sensual and
memorable experiences. It is evident that tourists in less visited destinations have
better chances to interact with locals, to wander off-the-beaten-tracks, and to find
for themselves gems in disguise that would form their positive lasting memories.
The authorities and businesses operating in the destinations that seemingly
have very little to offer have more room for creativity in designing ingenious solutions
on how to draw visitors. By showcasing many good examples and best practices, this
book encourages them to look for new experiences and interesting business models
that could be successfully implemented in attractive heritage-and culture-based
tourism offers.

6
 RATIONALE AND AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book showcases the opportunities to successfully develop culture- and

heritage-based experiential tourism in Bulgaria. It provides a comprehensive needs
assessment analysis of the current situation and a strategic framework for future
development on a regional level. For a wholesome learning experience, the author
has included an inventory of best practices: business models for experiential tourism
which can be replicated and adopted in various contexts.
The Needs assessment analysis is based on a study conducted in the framework of
PRO EXTOUR (Promoting Heritage and Culture-based Experiential Tourism in the Black
Sea Region), BSB 1145 EU-funded project, in the period of 2020–2021.
The methodology of the studies and the layout of the content are elaborated in a
series of expert meetings between the author and the PRO EXTOUR consortium
members.
The primary data was collected via questionnaires and interviews developed and
distributed by a large number of contributors: employees and team members of Varna
University of Management.
The author elaborated on the inventory of business models by personally selecting
the establishments,contacting the business owners, and asking them to share their
experiences and opinions. Their feedback has been added to the content and is much
appreciated.
Special gratitude is expressed to all contributors, respondents and business
owners who dedicated their time to share their valuable experience and to provide
more insights on the topic.
The contributors’ support is limited to data provision and conceptualization. The
textbook content is created solely by the author, Miroslava Gospodinova Dimitrova.
No other persons took part in the writing process and no one else by any means could
claim co-authorship of the book. The photos and some of the charts are sourced from
online repositories as per the regulations of Chapter Five of the Bulgarian Copyright
Law. All sources are duly referenced.
In the end, this book is more than it seems. The process of creation and
publishing of this book epitomizes a long, painful, and hard process of standing for
what is right and just. Therefore, the authors grant the copyrights of this book to a
Whistleblower Aid Support and Protection Foundation and hope that it will contribute
to a better society.

7
 Needs Assessment Report
Potential for the development of heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism in
Bulgaria

Forewords
Heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism (HCBET) has been recognized for its
high potential to raise awareness for the country’s heritage and cultural resources
and to promote sustainable tourism development. The present research aims at
outlining the benefits and challenges of developing HCBET in Bulgaria. It is based on
desk research and a review of the existing literature, strategic documents, and other
sources of secondary information as well as a primary study of the attitudes and
perceptions of various stakeholders involved. On one hand, NAR reveals the market
dynamics, including the demand and the tourists’ preferences towards the
consumption of this specific tourist product. On the other hand, it outlines the main
challenges and future trends according to tourist providers, non-profit organizations,
government structures, and academics.
Bulgaria has a huge potential for tourism development due to its rich cultural heritage,
natural resources, and unique sites. The country has established traditions in tourism
and hospitality and the travel sector has been recognized as a priority in the policy-
making agenda. In 2020 the country was visited by 12.55 million tourists and the
tourism sector contributed 8,17 billion BGN (4,09 billion EUR) or 10.8% of the
Bulgarian GDP and employed more than 340 600 people (WTTC, 2020). Despite its
plethora of resources, tourism activities are mainly focused on leisure, while almost
two-thirds of the visitors are attracted by the Black Sea coast region and practice sea-
sand-sun tourism. At the same time, Bulgaria is ranked third in Europe for the number
of cultural and historical monuments and boasts 10 UNESCO heritage sites. It is
evident that the country has unleashed potential for the development of cultural and
heritage-based experiential tourism.
The present document attempts to summarize the problems related to experiential
tourism development, based on conducted applied research of the stakeholders’
opinions and attitudes. It presents an overview of the Bulgarian tourism sector in
general, with a specific focus on the resource base, potential, and obstacles for
heritage and cultural experiential tourism development. It outlines future trends and
serves as a foundation for developing a Regional Action Plan.

1. Country profile: Bulgaria

1.1. An overview of the physical, demographic and economic aspects
Bulgaria is in the center of Balkan peninsular occupying a territory of 110 910 sq. km
with a population of 7 million people (NSI, 2019). Situated on the crossroad between

8
West and East and founded in the 7th century A.D., Bulgaria is one of the oldest
states on the European continent with a turbulent past and strategic importance.
Fig. 1: Map of Bulgaria
Within a relatively small compass,
the Bulgarian landscape exhibits
striking variety. Open expanses of
lowland alternate with mountains cut
by deep river gorges, while the Black
sea coast offers amazing golden sand
beaches thus attract a number of
visitors. Bulgaria boasts a mix of
Eastern and Western cultural heritage,
which is evident in its architecture,
religion, traditions, crafts and cuisine.
The total of cultural and historical
sites on the territory of Bulgaria is
around 40 000, placing country in the
top three in Europe (right after Greece and Italy). Bulgaria proudly hosts 10 of the
UNESCO world heritage sites, four of which are situated in the Black sea coast region
(The BSB eligible territory of the country).
Bulgaria has a mild climate and an abundance of natural and man-made resources
which contributes to the diverse tourism offer. The Black sea coast is the most
exploited resource for tourism accounting for 70% of the total night stays. This region
provides for a plethora of recreational, sports and medical activities such as SSS (sun,
sand, sea) tourism, SPA, diving, adventure, underwater exploration and archeology.
The second biggest draw for the tourists in the country is the mountain ranges which
takes more than 1/3 of the Bulgarian territory. Due to its mild elevation, the
mountains are perfect for ski and hiking. They are also a home of a number of historic
villages, which retain their authentic renaissant architecture. Some of them are
recognized as “ethnographic reserves” and protected by special state regulations.
Other important tourism resources include mineral waters, natural parks and
protected territories, caves, unique species and unmatchable sceneries. Those are an
excellent foundation for practicing adventure, eco, ornithology, speleo, golf, culinary,
wine and festival tourism (with more than 120 events staged in 2017) or other form of
sustainable tourism.
1.2. Defining the BSB program eligible areas
The country is divided into six regions of planning. The eligible areas as per the Black
Sea Cross-border Cooperation Program are North East and South East planning regions.

9
patriarchs”. The majority of the 19 sites here are in the North East region. “The rose
valley and the Thracian kings” route is situated mainly in the South East region and
provides 17 places of interest to be viewed and appreciated by tourists.

Despite the genuine efforts made by the government to promote the development of
HCBET activities, there is, however, insufficient cooperation between the
stakeholders and the various management bodies to implement a consistent and
uniform policy regarding the quality and sustainability of tourism. Moreover, the
dialog and interaction between the NGOs and the public administration are often
ineffective.

4. Resources for development of heritage and culture-based experiential tourism

in Bulgaria and the eligible regions

4.1. Cultural resources and heritage sites

As mentioned above, Bulgarian boats with
more than 40 000 heritage sites. Due to its
ancient history and being on the crossroad of
many civilizations, Bulgaria hides remnants,
artifacts, and ruins from many various
époques, most notably: Pre-Historic, Thracian,
Roman, Early Christian, Medieval, Ottoman, and
Renaissance. In the North–Eastern region of
Varna and Dobrudzha, the world’s oldest gold
was discovered dating more than 4000 B.C. Both
Eastern regions are rich in ancient sacral sites
and tombs such as the Thracian rock sanctuary
Kabile (near Yambol), the Kazanlak Tomb, the
rock monastery near Onogur village in Dobrudzha
region, etc. There are a number of unique
heritage sites which reveal the glory of the past,
such as the ruins of the first Bulgarian capitals in Pliska and Preslav, Tzar Simeon
Golden church, The Madara horseman (a rock-crafted sculpture) near Shoumen or villa
Armira near Ivailovgrad which is an example of
fine mosaic art. The sea villages of Nessebar
(ancient Messabria) and Sozopol (ancient Apolonia)
are living museums of Roman, Thracian, and
Bulgarian medieval heritage, hosting centuries of
history on every corner. The regional centers of
Varna, Bourgas, and Stara Zagora have been
inhabited since the Bronze Age and offer open-
space exhibitions of ruins, remnants, and artifacts

17
The Pottery Fest in Kroushary (North East
region) is another good example of the
possible application of the experiential
tourism approach. This is a culinary event
where participants are expected to bring a
dish cooked in traditional Bulgarian pottery
(usually a meat and vegetable stew). The
ready dishes are displayed in a buffet style
and all visitors can taste and rank the best of them. The festival has a slight
competitive element, where at the end the best dish is awarded. The event was
created and organized by several volunteers with the help of the local municipalities.
It is aimed at increasing the awareness of the tourist to the region by providing a
unique and memorable experience.
The Rose picking festival is another major
attraction that brings tourists to the Rose
Valley (near Kazanlak in the South-east
region). The oil-bearing rose is the national
symbol of our country since it is traditionally
one of the most exported goods, for which we
are known internationally (Bulgaria is the
second-world exporter of rose oil). The rose
oil is distilled from a special breed of rose,
called Rosa Damascena. The festival takes place mid-May and is a wonderful occasion
for all perfume lovers to take part in it or to observe the rose-picking process and
learn some more about the rose growing and rose oil production in the nearby rose
museum.

There are many other meaningful and

memorable events and activities in which
tourists can participate during their stay in
Bulgaria. For example, the numerous re-
creations of historic events such as battles
and celebrations can help immerse fully into
the atmosphere of the past. Those events are
often staged by local drama groups or
volunteers and include specific settings, decors, costumes, etc.

5. Rationale for development of experiential tourism in Bulgaria/eligible BSB areas

Despite the overall significant progress registered by the Bulgarian tourism industry
over the past few decades, it also faces many challenges for its future development.
Due to the inherited negative image of a “mass tourism destination”, Bulgaria has
difficulties in successfully positioning itself in the tourist markets as a place for
22
special interest or experiential tourism. Despite its numerous resources for
alternative tourism development, the country is mostly known as a cheap, all-
inclusive sea-sun-sand destination. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of an
effective national branding strategy.
Another challenge represents the high seasonality in the tourism demand which leads
to financial losses, ineffective use of the hotel super structure, and a high turnover
rate of the staff. As the data reveals, Bulgaria is mainly preferred as a holiday
destination with peaks of demand in July and August.
The hospitality sector is unevenly distributed with the highest concentration on the
Black Sea coast (71% of the total beds). This reflects the imbalance in the tourism
offering and leads to disproportions in regional development. During the high season,
the regions with the greatest demand suffer ecological and social stress and the
natural resources are overused. The over-construction mainly in the Southeast region
creates both environmental and social challenges. The increasing flow of mass tourists
exerts stress upon the infrastructure and the everyday life of the locals who
experience negatives such as over-pricing of land and residential homes, utility
services, groceries and commodities of all sorts, higher taxes, increased criminal rate,
noise, waste, pollution, etc.
Another setback of the Bulgarian tourism sector is the low average income per tourist
and per night stay. Being one of the cheapest destinations in Europe is a price
competitive advantage, but it limits the opportunities for the country to attract
wealthier tourists and to increase the demand from the more income-generating
visitors segment. The low price levels that the hotels are forced to maintain to keep
their competitiveness lead to low reimbursement of the hotel staff and thus to poor
quality of the services. Moreover, a substantial number of tourist activities are
performed in the so-called “shadow economy”, without the required licenses and
registrations thus leading to unfair competition, lack of regulations, and losses for the
budget from taxes and fees. It also compromises the quality of the hospitality product
and hence ruins the image of the country.
In recent years, Bulgaria has made considerable progress towards diversification of its
tourism offer. More green forms of tourism have been promoted on the national level
in an attempt to establish a sustainable approach to tourism development. It is still
the case, however, that the most important tourism-related income for Bulgaria
comes from the so-called “mass” tourism (more than 70% of the total tourism
earnings).
Despite the richness of natural and man-made resources, Bulgaria ranks relatively low
by its Travel and Tourism Competitive Index according to World Economic Forum. the
Index measures the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable
development of the travel and tourism sector, which in turn, contributes to the

23
relaxation (61,3%). The third important motivator is to experience the local culture
and style of life. Very few answers were obtained for study/ personal development-
13.8%, business activity (6,3%) medical reasons (8,8%), and other (1.3%)

The most reliable sources of information concerning the trip, are internet sites and
booking platforms (85%) and personal recommendations from friends and relatives
(63.7%). Considerable promotional importance has the social media (48.8%) as well as
tourist intermediaries (agencies and tour operators) – 36,3%. It is evident that the
potential experiential tourists use rarely print materials (in 10% of the cases) or
Tourists Information Centers (11,3%)

Fig. 9. What source of information do you use when planning a trip?

The tourists are most likely prone to visiting history and culture-based sites and
attractions (86,3% of the cases). They also would like to participate in events and
other activities (72,5%). Culinary and wine degustation ranked third with 61.3% of the
votes. Folk performances, crafts, and community events were desired by 29-32% of
the survey participants. Some of the less popular activities were cooking classes
(22.5%), educational activities (17,5%), festivals, and fairs (1,3%).

Fig. 10. What are the heritage-based and cultural-based activities that you would
like to participate in during your visit?

27
 Regional Action Plan
For encouraging the heritage and culture-based experiential tourism in Bulgaria

1. Heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism in Bulgaria. State-of-art and

pathways for development
Bulgaria has established traditions in tourism and hospitality and the travel sector has
been recognized as a priority in the policy-making agenda. The country has a wealth
of resources and a rich cultural heritage. Moreover, Bulgaria ranks third in Europe for
the number of cultural and historical monuments and is the home of 10 UNESCO
heritage sites. It is evident that the country has unleashed potential for the
development of cultural and heritage-based experiential tourism.
On the national level, the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry in Bulgaria is
governed by the Ministry of Tourism with the National Tourist Council as a
consultative body. On a local level, tourism policy is implemented by the county
municipalities. A number of professional, regional, citizen, and non-government
organizations are also involved in the decision-making process such as the Bulgarian
Tourism Chamber, regional tourist chambers, Bulgarian Hotel Association, Bulgarian
Association for Alternative Tourism, etc. The most important legislative document on
tourism management is the Tourism Act1.
The HCBET is part of the sustainable tourism offering, which has been outlined as a
priority in the work of the Ministry of Tourism and as a result, the National Strategy
for Sustainable Tourism Development for 2014-2030 has been prepared and proposed
for a public debate.
Though HCBET is not conceptualized and defined as a specific term, some HCBET-
similar products have been developed and introduced on the market a long time ago.
For example, cultural, rural, folklore, culinary, events, and other so-called
“alternative” forms of tourism can be included as examples of HCBET practices since
they highlight similar resources and aims at common goals.
Many private tour operators are producing and offering heritage– and culture-based
tourism products. The municipalities and the regional authorities are also putting
efforts towards HCBET development, mainly as part of the project-based activities.
On a national level, the Ministry of Tourism has designed and developed 22 routes for
culture and heritage tourism. Examples include the “The Bulgarian Sea Fortresses”
route which spans from North to South Black Sea coast and includes over twenty
heritage sites and places of interest or “Capitals and cities of Bulgarian kings and
patriarchs” which is deployed in the central-north part of the country. “The rose

1
Ivanov S., Dimitrova M. (2013), Managing tourism in Bulgaria, between Mission impossible and New hope
Chapter 7, Section 2 in “European tourism planning and organization system” Channel View Publications, 2013

41
valley and the Thracian Kings” route situated mainly in the South East is another
example2.
Despite the genuine efforts made by the government to promote the development of
HCBET activities, there is, however, insufficient cooperation between the
stakeholders and the various management bodies to implement a consistent and
uniform policy regarding the quality and sustainability of tourism. Moreover, the
dialog and interaction between the NGOs and the public administration is often
ineffective.
2. SWOT analysis of the heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism in the
country
Strengths
Bulgaria has a number of advantages for developing HCBET tourism as a part of
its tourism offering3. Those include:
 A wealth of heritage and culture-based tourism resources such as
historical, archeological, and religious monuments, remnants, and
artifacts as well as purpose-built contemporary attractions and parks;
intangible cultural heritage as traditions, rites, folk dances, and cuisine;
events, festivals and exhibitions, and many others.
 A number of the HCBET sites are of international importance, including
several unique ones protected by UNESCO
 Membership in the European Union
 High price competitiveness. Bulgaria is one of the cheapest European
countries which provides for a great ratio between cost and value for the
visitors
 Political stability and steady economic growth with hopeful outlooks for
quick post-Covid19 recovery
 Favorable climate conditions suitable for practicing HCBET tourism all
year long: mild winters, the rarity of severe weather, and temperature
extremes.
 A plethora of other recreational resources can be combined in
wholesome and attractive tourist packages. For example, HCBET tourism
offering can be enhanced with SPA, sports, or eco-tourism activities.
 Advantageous geographic situation: being on the crossroad between
West and East and North and South, Bulgaria is relatively close to most
of the generating markets.
 A great diversity of various sites on a relatively small territory which
allows for their easy grouping in attractive thematic trips4.

2
https://www.tourism.government.bg/
3
National strategy for sustainable Tourism development of Republic of Bulgaria, 2014-2030

4
https://bulgariatravel.org/

42
 Regional Action Plan
For encouraging heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism in the BSB region

1. Heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism in the BSB region.

The BSB region is known for its remarkable cultural and historical heritage which pairs
with ethnic diversity, and unique communities with their distinctive outlook, rites,
and traditions6. This wealth, combined with the beautiful landscapes and the mild,
pleasant weather offers numerous opportunities for tourism activities and makes the
region one of the world’s finest tourist destinations.
As the Needs Assessment Report reveals, Tourism and Hospitality are key sectors for
most of the BSB countries, contributing to their economic prosperity and employment.
The Tourism Industry in the 12 BSB countries (including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Albania, Greece, Serbia,
and Turkey) accounted for USD 78.39M in 2019 or 13,6% of Europe’s receipts (UNWTO,
2020)7 and registered steady growth in the recent years8. Unfortunately, 2020 posed
many challenges for the region. The number of arrivals plummeted drastically (with a
drop of 70% for Europe and 74% globally) and the sector is still enduring the hardships
of travel restrictions and limited mobility (UNWTO, 2021)9. Naturally, one of the
certain focuses for the BSB region will be the recuperation measurements following
Covid19 Pandemic. Other important goals on the decision-makers’ agenda are the
pursuit of sustainability and regional development.
Experiential tourism as an innovative, inclusive, and eco-friendly concept aligns
naturally with the strategic pathways of BSB tourism policy. It provides an opportunity
for developing new types of offerings and repositioning the region on the tourist
market. Experiential tourism provokes international visitors to rediscover new
resources and cultural treasures that are little known globally. It has the potential to
bring a number of benefits to tourists and the host communities, thus ensuring the
economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the region.
The Heritage – and culture-based experiential tourism (HCBET) is in the initial state of
conceptualization and introduction in the BSB region, and on the global scale. Hence
it is not identified as a distinctive thematic direction in the EU policy-making or the
national authorities’ agenda. The development of the sector is further challenged by
the lack of consistent and synchronized tourism policy on a European level since each
BSB state has different regulations. There are, however various incentive instruments

6
EU (2020), Territorial analysis Interreg Next Black Sea Basin Programme 2021-2027
7
UNWTO (2020), International Tourism Highlights, 2020 Edition, https://www.e-
unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284422456
8
UNWTO (2018), Tourism in the BSEC Region, https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/9789284420186
9
UNWTO (2021), World Tourism Barometer and Statistical Annex, January 2021, https://www.e-
unwto.org/loi/wtobarometereng

52
 Inventory of Business Models
For promoting heritage- and culture-based experiential tourism in Bulgaria

Name of the Company/Institution/Organization:

Ethnographic complex Damascena

Country/region of operation: Skobelevo village, Pavel Banya district,

South-East Bulgaria

Thematic area (or Keywords):

Ethnographic museum, Rose oil distillery,

Description of best practice(s) related to HCBT:

“Damascena” is the first

private rose oil distillery,
founded in 1991. It is situated
in the heart of the Rose
Valley, in South-East Bulgaria,
in Pavel Banya municipality,
and welcomes visitors for a
guided tour around the
chateaux-like property
offering a range of activities
and services.
The distillery is named after
the famous rose “Damascene” which is one of the Bulgarian national
symbols. Traditionally, the country is one of the leading rose oil exporters
and the rose water and perfume are staples of the majority of branded
cosmetics products, foods, and beverages produced in Bulgaria.
“Damascena” company hosts an ethnographic museum related to rose oil
production. The visitors can observe the process of extraction of oil out of
rose petals and learn interesting facts about the history of the rose oil, its

67
properties, and modes of application.
In the museum, an ancient rose
extractor called “gulpana” and many
other rose-extracting tools are
exhibited.
The visitors are also encouraged to visit
the modern distillery with frescoes
(wall painting) retelling the story of the
rose from its picking to the oil
production (which is also known as the
“liquid gold of Bulgaria”).
A Thracian culture center with
fragments of Thracian sanctuaries and mounds is another “must-see”
attraction. Recently, a bio park for wild animals was added to enhance the
tourism offering.
Visitors can participate in the picking of the roses process during the “Pink
Campaign’ (May/June). A special folklore program is offered which includes
rose picking and degustation of rose liqueur, rose jam, and rose pie.

Marketing approach (how they

promote/advertise/sell their
products):
The Distillery is advertising its
activities online (in special events
and bookings sites) or on its website
https://www.damascena.net/
(which won a prestigious award
“site of the year” for 2020)
In 2016, “Damascena” ethnographic
complex was recognized as a major
contributor
towards the establishment of Destination Bulgaria and
was awarded the Certificate for “Successful Cultural
Tourism and Leader in the Production of Rose Oil”

Financial situation (methods of financing, sustainability

of the business model):
The entrance fee for Complex “Damascena” is 12 BGN (or
6 Euro) with various discounts for students, children, and
senior citizens. Additional cost is charged for special
services, activities, and folklore programs.
Key success factors and challenges:

✔ Unique ethnographic museum featuring the

Bulgarian symbol – the rose “Damascene”
68
129