Alternative tourism in Bulgaria: diversification and sustainability 29 Alternative tourism in Bulgaria: diversification and sustainability by Nicholas Vagionis Introduction Sustainability is nowadays one of the sine-qua-non targets as regards the development of a region. Development paying respect to the natural environmental potential on the one hand, and also development showing the appropriate consideration of the local social structures and resources on the other, is considered sustainable. If the economic development of a country is to be based to some extent on tourism, diversification of the tourist product via alternative forms of tourism is a very appropriate strategy. Alternative forms to the mass-tourism industry are considered by many researchers and organisations (WTO, 1992; WWF-UK, 1992; Komilis, 1993; Lindberg and Enriquez, 1994; Middleton and Hawkins, 1998; Scheyens, 1999) as able to support local communities, in an environmentally and socially sustainable way, along the following lines: Non-massive tourism: When offering an alternative (non-massive) tourism product, a much higher percentage of value added can be locally produced and spread: local ownership of capital, local production of consumables and local offer of labour. A unique area-specific tourist product can be sculpted, which in turn can be better marketed with “product - branding” strategies. Environmentally sustainable tourism: Tourism is of course adapted to the local natural resources, everywhere. Mass-tourism has in so many cases led to exploitation of social and natural resources. Alternative tourism as a principle employs the sensible use of local natural resources, which should also be considered as economic resources. Thus, the heritage of the local communities is protected for the present time and for the generations to follow. Better integration to social structure: Social structure includes community and economy. Alternative types of tourism in most of the cases are better adapted to the local social resources, like local knowledge, skills, arts, traditions and production base. Local products are marketed and consumed, local skills valued and used, while local traditions are followed and/or revived. In such a harmonic co-operation a better development potential can be more secure not only for the present but for the future. General impression: strengths and weaknesses of current policy and business approaches in Bulgaria Strengths The points that follow highlight the strong points of the country as regards the potential for development of a diversified and sustainable tourist product.